Wisconsin judge returns collective bargaining rights to public sector unions

A Wisconsin judge restored collective bargaining rights to public sector workers this week, ruling that Act 10, also called the Budget Repair Bill, violated the state’s Constitution.

Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge Jacob Frost ruled Monday that Act 10, which took away collective bargaining rights and curbed compensation for public employees, as unconstitutional.

“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,” Judge Frost wrote in his ruling.

Reaction to the ruling was split down party lines. Wisconsin Democrats praised the decision as a victory for the state’s workers, while Republicans said it would cost taxpayers more.

Act 10 has been the subject of debate since Gov. Scott Walker signed the bill in 2011. Opponents of the law argued that it restricts workers’ First Amendment rights to organize.

Monday’s decision is the first real blow to Act 10. The law was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2014.