Federal judge strikes down parts of Wis. union law

Published March 31, 2012 12:36AM (EDT)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A federal judge has upheld most of Wisconsin's contentious law curbing collective bargaining rights, but he overturned parts of the law that unions said were costly.

The ruling Friday comes in a lawsuit filed by a coalition of unions fighting the law championed by Republican Gov. Scott Walker. Both sides are deciding whether to appeal.

U.S. District Judge William Conley overturned part of the law that banned public workers from allowing union dues to be automatically withdrawn from their paychecks. The judge also shot down a requirement that all of a union's members, not just those voting, support staying organized in annual elections.

But the judge rejected arguments that the law was unconstitutional because it strips collective bargaining rights from most — but not all — public employees.


By Salon Staff

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