Wisconsin Collective Bargaining Law Struck Down By County Judge

Wisconsin Collective Bargaining Law Struck Down By County Judge

By SCOTT BAUER 09/14/12 07:46 PM ET

 Wisconsin Collective Bargaining

MADISON, Wis. — A Wisconsin judge on Friday struck down nearly all of the state law championed by Gov. Scott Walker that effectively ended collective bargaining rights for most public workers.

Walker’s administration immediately vowed to appeal, while unions, which have vigorously fought the law, declared victory. But what the ruling meant for existing public contracts was murky: Unions claimed the ruling meant they could negotiate again, but Walker could seek to keep the law in effect while the legal drama plays out.

The law, a crowning achievement for Walker that made him a national conservative star, took away nearly all collective bargaining rights from most workers and has been in effect for more than a year. Continue reading “Wisconsin Collective Bargaining Law Struck Down By County Judge”

Wisconsin posts biggest US job loss, as Gov. Scott Walker fights for his job

Wisconsin posts biggest US job loss, as Gov. Scott Walker fights for his job

Wisconsin lost 23,900 jobs between March 2011 and March 2012, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. It also lost more private-sector jobs than any other state.

By , Staff writer / April 25, 2012

 In this April 17 photo Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker speaks to the Illinois Chamber of Commerce in Springfield, Ill.

Seth Perlman/AP

While Wisconsin Gov, Scott Walker (R) fights to keep his job in a recall election scheduled for June, he is being forced to confront a harsh reality in his state: It lost more jobs during the past 12 months than any other state in the United States.

Wisconsin lost 23,900 jobs between March 2011 and March 2012, according to data released Tuesday by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s lead in job losses is significantly greater than the rest of the 50 states: No other state lost more than 3,500 jobs.

The majority of the losses in Wisconsin, 17,800, were in the public sector. However, the state lost more private-sector jobs, 6,100, than any other state. The only other states to report private-sector job losses in the same time period (instead of private-sector gains) were Mississippi and Rhode Island. Continue reading “Wisconsin posts biggest US job loss, as Gov. Scott Walker fights for his job”

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