Madison, WI: Responding to today’s Wisconsin Supreme Court decision in Madison Teachers, Inc. et al v. Walker et al, AFT-Wisconsin President Kim Kohlhaas, a teacher in the Superior School District, expressed regret in the Court’s decision, but was confident that the members of AFT-Wisconsin and other public sector unions would continue to advocate in their workplaces and in their communities. “Today’s decision in MTI v. Walker was unfortunate, but expected,” said Kohlhaas. “The sad fact is that the same wealthy donors and corrupt CEOs that support Scott Walker were the major funders of the Court’s conservative majority, so we are disappointed—but not surprised—that these justices voted to support Walker’s anti-union, anti-worker legislation. As stated by Justice Ann Walsh Bradley in her dissent, which was joined by Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson, this decision results in 'the needless diminution of multiple constitutional rights' for Wisconsin workers."
According to Kohlhaas, today’s decision, in which the Court overturned a judge’s 2012 decision that struck down major portions of Scott Walker’s anti-union legislation, won’t diminish the resolve of public sector union members. “Today’s decision doesn’t change much for our members, who are amazing advocates for workers’ voices in their workplaces, strong public services, and high-quality public education. They know that no law or court decision can take away their ability to work together to improve their workplaces, their communities, and their state. Scott Walker, aided by his conservative allies in the Court, may have taken away one of our tools in collective bargaining. But our members know that you can always use other tools to get the job done, and that’s exactly what they’re doing, through meaningful discussions with management, solidarity in their workplaces, and activism in their communities.”
