Wisconsin Unions Challenge Collective Bargaining Restrictions in Court

The lawsuit, the first major challenge since the state Supreme Court shifted to liberal control, could restore bargaining power to public sector workers if successful.

Seven unions in Wisconsin have filed a lawsuit to end the state's near-total ban on collective bargaining for most public employees, a restriction put in place by the 2011 Act 10 law.
The lawsuit alleges that Act 10's exemption of some public safety workers from the bargaining restrictions violates the Wisconsin Constitution’s equal protection guarantee.
The case is the first major challenge to Act 10 since the Wisconsin Supreme Court shifted to liberal control in August.
If successful, the lawsuit would restore collective bargaining power to all public sector workers who lost it under Act 10.
Former Republican Governor Scott Walker, who used Act 10 to mount a presidential run, maintains that the law is constitutional and working.