Politics & Government

North Shore Unions Have Cautious Optimism Over Act 10 Strike Down

After Act 10 was ruled unconstitutional by a Dane County judge Friday, union reps for NSFD and local schools are saying they are cautiously optimistic about the ruling, expecting a long road ahead before bargaining rights are restored.

Just hours after Dane County Circuit Judge Juan Colas decided that the state’s collective bargaining law was unconstitutional, local officials and union representatives across the North Shore reacted in varying ways.

Teachers union and firefighter union representatives are approaching the law's possible repeal cautiously, while local governments say their budget is set and unimpacted by the change.

Colas ruled Act 10 — the budget repair bill — as null and void because the law violates both the state and U.S. constitutions. Specifically, the law violates the guarantee of freedom of speech and citizens' freedom of association.

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Local unions cautiously optimistic

Mark Conforti is the chief negotiator for the Fox Point-Bayside School District , route: {:controller=>"listings", :action=>"show", :id=>"fox-point-bayside-school-district"} -->teachers union. He said that while he thinks the ruling will restore some since


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