Judge denies request to block Wisconsin anti-union law

March 11, 2011

Judge denies request to block Wisconsin anti-union law

MADISON — A judge on Friday denied an emergency request to block the law that strips nearly all collective bargaining powers from Wisconsin’s public workers, but the legal fight over the contentious measure is just beginning.

Democratic Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk filed a lawsuit minutes after Republican Gov. Scott Walker signed the bill Friday morning. It alleges legislators passed the bill illegally and asked for an emergency order barring Secretary of State Doug La Follette from publishing the law.

Judge Amy Smith ruled Falk’s attorneys failed to show how blocking publication would cause serious harm — a key element to granting an emergency injunction — and refused to issue the order. She scheduled a Wednesday hearing to consider granting the order on a non-emergency basis.

The law can’t take effect until La Follette sends official notice to the Wisconsin State Journal in Madison to publish the language. State law grants La Follette up to 10 business days to publish laws, which means the collective bargaining measure must be published by March 25.

La Follette, a Democrat, opposes the law. He said Walker has asked him to publish the law Monday, but he said he wants to talk to the governor before doing so, adding he typically waits the full 10 days before publishing any law.

“It doesn’t strike me as prudent to do anything when there’s a possible court action,” La Follette said. “It’s been rushed enough already.”

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