Posts tagged Wisconsin
National Right to Work Foundation Files Legal Brief Defending Wisconsin Act 10 as Union Bosses Seek to Regain Coercive Powers
July 10, 2025 // The Foundation’s amicus brief also states that the Dane County Circuit Court failed to consider whether, instead of striking down Act 10 as a whole, it could have expanded the statute’s pro-employee liberty provisions to cover all public departments to correct the alleged imbalances the court perceives in the law. “[T]he Circuit Court could have expanded the protection of Act 10’s re-certification requirements to all public employees in the State,” the brief says. In addition to Act 10’s benefits for independent-minded public workers, public spending analyses indicate that the law has relieved Wisconsin taxpayers from the enormous financial weight of wasteful union contracts. Some estimates show that Act 10 has saved the state roughly $35 billion since it was enacted.
Michael Watson: Improving Union Annual Reporting
July 3, 2025 // Especially following the 2010 Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, which “collection” is funding what spending is important information for union members, and they deserve ready, single-site access. (Citizens United overturned a Taft-Hartley Act–derived ban on using union dues revenues for independent expenditures on behalf of candidates.) They should not need to cross-reference Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports and Labor Department reports to infer which pot of money paid for which spending. Instead, the Labor Department or Congress should revise the LM-2 form to require labor unions to specify the funding source, perhaps by adding a new schedule for expenditures to or by the “Separate Segregated Fund” (the technical name for the “second collection” pot of money) or by requiring specification of the source of funds for Schedule 16 and 17 expenditures related to politics and advocacy.
Unanimous Wisconsin Supreme Court blocks UW Health nurses’ unionization, backing Act 10
July 1, 2025 // The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that UW Health is not legally obligated to recognize its nurses' union or bargain collectively. Act 10, a 2011 law, effectively ended collective bargaining for most public employees in Wisconsin, including UW Health nurses. The ruling upholds previous decisions by lower courts and the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission. UW Health nurses argued the hospital operates like a private entity and should be subject to collective bargaining laws, but the court disagreed.
Wisconsin gig workers could become independent contractors under bill headed to governor’s desk
June 19, 2025 // Drivers for transit apps like Uber or DoorDash would be given more flexibility, but they'd also be exempt from worker's compensation or minimum wage requirements
Teachers union president Randi Weingarten resigns from DNC
June 16, 2025 // American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, a longtime powerhouse member of the Democratic National Committee, is leaving the DNC, according to a letter obtained by POLITICO. Weingarten, who has been a member of the DNC for 23 years, wrote to DNC Chair Ken Martin that she had fundamental disagreements with him.
Unionized doctors picket outside Allina clinics in first for Minnesota
June 4, 2025 // Braving rain and willdfire-induced bad air, the physicians at times seemed unfamiliar with picket line practices: A SEIU staff member shouted out instructions on picketing — where to start walking and where to pivot back — before they started. More than once the group seemed to forget to keep moving and came to a standstill, while two people led competing chants at different paces, muddying what’s typically a clear call-and-response. But nevertheless, they got their point across. Physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants are sure to become more practiced in blue collar labor demonstrations in the years to come as unionization increases. Just this year, resident physicians at Hennepin Healthcare and the University of Minnesota unionized with SEIU’s Committee of Interns and Residents, one of the fastest growing health care unions in the country.
Cummins workers in Oshkosh remain on strike after rejecting latest labor package via union vote
June 4, 2025 // Cummins workers in Oshkosh rejected the latest contract offer, extending their strike to more than three months. The main points of contention include the expired contract, temporary worker language and mandatory Saturdays. Negotiations between Cummins and UAW Local 291 are scheduled to resume at the end of June. The Oshkosh plant employs 129 workers, a small fraction of Cummins' global workforce of approximately 75,500.
Hundreds of nurses take to the picket lines at Unity Point Health – Meriter Hospital
May 30, 2025 // The five-day strike started at 6:30 a.m. on Brooks Street outside of Unity Point Health - Meriter. During a 7:30 a.m. press conference, nurses listed the demands they want met from Meriter management. Those demands include staffing solutions that prioritize nurse and patient safety, compensation to attract and retain nurses, and improved security practices at the hospital.
Stellantis Announces $388 Million Investment in Metro Detroit Megahub
May 26, 2025 // The AutoStore system uses compact robots that navigate tracks above a high-density grid of storage bins to retrieve parts and deliver them to workstations, where employees pack and process final shipments. This advanced automation improves order speed and accuracy, maximizes storage efficiency and helps accelerate delivery times for customers and dealers. As part of its broader consolidation strategy, Stellantis recently sold its Michigan parts distribution centers (PDC) in Center Line and Marysville, as well as one in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Operations at these facilities will continue under a sale-leaseback agreement, providing essential support until the Metro Detroit Megahub and Warren Sherwood e-coat upfitting facility are complete.
UnityPoint Health-Meriter RNs to strike beginning next week
May 22, 2025 // EIU Wisconsin gave the hospital a 10-day notice earlier this month that almost 1,000 nurses would join the strike. A hospital spokesperson said at the time that the strike was set to last through June 1, and that hospital leadership respected the nurses' rights. In a statement, Market Chief Nursing Officer Sherry Casali said the hospital and union have held 22 bargaining sessions since contract negotiations started in January. "We believe our most recent proposal will continue to keep Meriter nurses as some of the best-paid nurses in Wisconsin, as well as the top-paid nurses in our local community," Casali said.