Wisconsin Gov. Scott WalkerAs the Chicago Teacher’s Union struggles to make headway through their strike, the Wisconsin court system just delivered a decisive blow for democracy just a state away.
Just now, a Wisconsin Circuit Judge struck down Governor Scott Walker’s controversial law banning collective bargaining, which precipitated strikes and, earlier this year, a failed attempt at a recall. What couldn’t be accomplished through the ballot has been decided through the judiciary. The unexpected ruling serves as a crucial victory for embattled union-members in Wisconsin.
However, the implications remain unclear. AP:
It was not clear if the ruling means the law is immediately suspended. The law took away nearly all collective bargaining rights from most workers and has been in effect for more than a year.
Labor remains a crucial ally of the broader progressive cause, as Harold Meyerson’s masterful piece on the history of the movement emphasized. Meyerson’s conclusion: