Walker aftermath: Public-sector union face decertification vote

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel informs us that Wisconsin public-sector union employees will begin voting next month to decide whether they want to be represented by their respective unions. Call it decertification or recertification. The paper also nicely summarizes what else the budget-rescue bill does:

• Restrict bargaining by unions to wages. Salary increases would still be limited to the rate of inflation unless approved by voters in a referendum.
• Forbid local governments to collect union dues from employees' paychecks.
• Allow state workers to opt out of paying any dues to a union. Previously, state workers had to pay most of the union dues even if they didn't belong to a union, since labor groups said those employees were benefiting from the bargaining done by the union.
• Allow state workers to be fired if the governor declares a state of emergency and they go on strike or don't show up for work for any three days without being excused.

To decertify their union, a majority of members--not simply a majority of those voting, have to say "Union, no." Police and fire department unions are not effected by the legislation.

Technorati tags: labor politics unions news organized labor wisconsin wisconsin politics business economy news government