# Will Wisconsin's anti-union bill pass constitutional muster?  Is it a good idea?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-wisconsins-anti-union-bill-pass-constitutional-muster-is-it-a-good-idea/571725>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 17, 2011, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-wisconsins-anti-union-bill-pass-constitutional-muster-is-it-a-good-idea/571725 "2011-02-17T18:05:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 168

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**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-wisconsins-anti-union-bill-pass-constitutional-muster-is-it-a-good-idea/571725/168 "2011-02-18T17:55:06Z")

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> [@CPomeroy](#):
>
> I have a question relating to the original topic: I received an e-mail from one of my conservative friends this morning that maintains that public sector unions are not regulated by federal law but are regulated by the states and in fact in some states, such as Virginia, no collective bargaining power is granted to government unions.
> 
> This information was from an obviously slanted e-mail, but I am curious if the fundamental point is true. It seems like if it is, then the situation in WI is a state matter and federal labor law has no influence.

I am not sure.

From a thread in GQ this was posted:

> [@What Are the Restrictions on Limiting Collective Bargaining?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-restrictions-on-limiting-collective-bargaining/571780/7):
>
> As far as the NLRA, it does not apply to state workers.
> 
> From [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_labor_law)
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > Federal law does not provide employees of state and local governments with the right to organize or engage in union activities, except to the extent that the United States Constitution protects their rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association. The Constitution provides even less protection for governmental employees’ right to engage in collective bargaining: while it bars public employers from retaliating against employees for forming a union, it does not require those employers to recognize that union, much less bargain with it.
> 
> The [Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Safety_Employer-Employee_Cooperation_Act) has been introduced several times to grant them equivalent rights, but has never passed, but came very close in 2007.

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