Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Knock out multiple Scott Walker anti-labor regs with a single constitutional punch


Knock out multiple Scott Walker anti-labor regs with a single constitutional punch.

"Republican Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill into law on Monday that [besides shrinking other local labor protections] ... [f]orbids local governments from using labor peace agreements where employers agree not to interfere with attempts by labor unions to organize workers."
https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2018/04/19/campaign-cash-walker-signs-restrictions-on-pro-worker-rules/

This section sounds very vulnerable to a First Amendment challenge.  Here the state is interfering with freedom of association of private sector workers -- whose organizing is fully constitutionally protected unlike government workers whom courts hold less fully covered."

Previously, Walker foisted rules forcing state employee unions to re-certify annually -- requiring a ratifying majority of all members, not only those who voted.  Republican intentions to crowd out even state employees' lesser association rights were only too obvious but maybe a bit too shadowy to score a clean constitutional sock on.

The union busting intention of Walker's latest scheme is palpable -- is spelled out in so many words.  Providing possibly a chance to piggyback challenges to his old  sneaky First Amendment infringements onto the back of a challenge to the new open breach -- to knock out both with a single constitutional punch.

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