Judge Delivers Great News To Unions in Wisconsin In Historic Decision

A Wisconsin judge ruled in favor of public union workers, reinstating their collective bargaining rights stripped by the 2011 Budget Repair Bill, known as Act 10. Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost determined that several provisions of the law violated the Wisconsin Constitution, stating they were created “without a rational basis.” Join us in this slideshow as we explore the decision in more detail.

Frost wrote, “This gets to the heart of the Court’s July Decision – the unconstitutional creation of the ‘public safety employee’ group and differential treatment of it without a rational basis – so I strike these sections.”

The ruling has drawn mixed reactions from Wisconsin legislators. Democrats praised the decision as a restoration of power to workers, while Republicans raised concerns about the potential financial impact.

Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said, “This lawsuit came more than a decade after Act 10 became law and after many courts rejected the same meritless legal challenges. Act 10 has saved Wisconsin taxpayers more than $16 billion. We look forward to presenting our arguments on appeal.”

Act 10, signed into law by then-Governor Scott Walker in 2011, aimed to address a state budget deficit. The law restricted compensation for state employees and eliminated collective bargaining rights for public sector unions, sparking protests.

Wisconsin State Representative Ryan Clancy said, “I was a teacher in Milwaukee Public Schools during Act 10 thirteen years ago. I saw firsthand the negative impact that the lack of collective bargaining had not only on our profession of teaching but also the schools, students, and our communities.”

Clancy added, “I am thrilled that the decision of Judge Jacob Frost will restore power to workers and the larger community. This is a crucial step to ensuring that every Wisconsin worker has access to fair and equitable working conditions.”

Former Governor Walker, who leads the conservative nonprofit Young America’s Foundation, contended that the ruling represents “brazen political action” that undermines taxpayer interests by reinstating power to union leaders.

Walker said, “My law simply took power ‘out of the hands of the big union bosses and put it firmly into the hands of the hardworking taxpayers…'”

Walker expressed confidence that an appeal would overturn the ruling and criticized claims about the disparate treatment of certain public workers. He emphasized that Act 10 was intended to ensure fiscal stability.

Walker stated, “And what this court decision did as brazen political action was to throw that out and put power back in the hands of those union bosses,” calling collective bargaining not a right but an “expensive entitlement.”

Walker said, “It’s all the more reason why the Supreme Court race in Wisconsin this spring (2025) is more important than ever.”

Wisconsin Senate President Chris Kapenga said, “[I]t’s proof there is very little justice left in our justice system. Wisconsin’s legislature should be discussing impeachment, as we are the only check on their power.”

Kapenga added, “The left keeps telling us, ‘Don’t believe what you see’ — Wisconsinites see right through it.”

Walker said, “Four years ago, younger voters sided with Biden by 25 points. This election, that shrunk right down to 5 or 6 points. And most interestingly, young men four years ago went with Biden by 15 points. In this election, they shifted to Trump by 14. What we need to do is lock that in.”