MADISON, Wis. WMTV – A Dane County judge has ruled against parts of Act 10, a law that largely banned collective bargaining for public employees in Wisconsin since 2011.
On Monday, Judge Jacob Frost declared that a section of Act 10 is unconstitutional, effectively ending the ban.
Ben Gruber, a conservation warden and president of AFSCME Local 1215, celebrated the ruling, calling it a major victory.
This is a big win for us,” said Gruber. We’re definitely celebrating today.”
Gruber, along with another plaintiff, Rocco Demark, argued that the restrictions on collective bargaining violated workers’ rights. Demark, a building service worker for Racine Unified School District, said the decision benefits workers across Wisconsin.
“This is a good day for working-class people in Wisconsin, Demark said. We can finally sit down with our employers and negotiate fairly.
Collective bargaining allows workers to negotiate employment terms, like wages and conditions, with their employers. Under Act 10, many public employees were denied this right, though some were exempt.
Demark explained, “All we’ve wanted is to be treated fairly, and this decision opens that door.
Act 10 was a signature achievement of former Governor Scott Walker, who gained national attention for pushing it through. When asked for comment, Walker was unavailable, but he reacted to the ruling on social media, saying, Collective bargaining is not a right. It is an expensive entitlement.”
Gruber highlighted the law’s unfairness from his personal experience. When he worked as a firefighter, he had bargaining rights. However, when he later became a law enforcement officer for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, those rights were taken away.
I’ve experienced both sides, said Gruber. That makes this decision especially meaningful for me.