Judge Temporarily Halts Rights-Stripping Wisconsin Law

March 18, 2011

The following is cross-posted from the AFSCME Council 11 website:

Earlier today, a Dane County judge issued a restraining order blocking the Secretary of State from publishing the measure to strip collective bargaining rights from public employees. The law can't take effect until it's formally published.

AFSCME Council 24 had joined local officials and the Dane County District Attorney in accusing Republican legislative leaders of violating Wisconsin's open meetings law during the rushed run-up to a Senate vote on the measure last week.

The state legislative committee that moved the bill forward met without the 24-hour notice required by Wisconsin's open meetings law. The Republican-controlled Legislature then quickly passed the measure and Gov. Scott Walker signed it on March 11.

Council 24 Director Marty Beil issued the following statement:

"State employees believe that nobody is above the law. We are gratified to see some of our so-called 'leaders' finally held accountable for their illegal actions. They may think they can get away with ignoring the vast majority of Wisconsin citizens by attacking worker freedoms, but they simply cannot continue ignoring the law if we want to continue calling our state a democracy."