All Wisconsin Democrats sign onto bills that would reverse Republican labor law changes

MADISON, Wis. (CIVIC MEDIA) – All Democrats in the Wisconsin legislature are supporting new legislation they say would benefit workers. 

They’re calling the package of bills “Build a Stronger Wisconsin.” It includes multiple bills with different labor objectives. 

Repealing Act 10

Most notably, their plans would repeal Act 10. The controversial law, championed by then-governor Scott Walker, curbed collective bargaining rights for public sector employees. The case is also expected to get a ruling from the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which now has a liberal majority. 

“Under federal law, unions are required to represent all employees in a workplace, but right-to-work laws like Wisconsin’s allow non-dues-paying employees to receive the benefits of belonging to a union,” said Sen. Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit). “That is not fair … this proposal will restore workplace fairness and ensure that those who benefit from union representation are contributing their fair share, so that we can build strong unions that can make sure we have good wages and working conditions for everyone.”

Education advocates said since Act 10 was passed in 2011, Wisconsin has seen a drop in teacher pay and benefits, and increases in burnout and turnover. 

“Right to Work was part of Scott Walker’s plan to divide and conquer,” nurse and union member Colin Gillis said at a press conference Thursday. “What Scott Walker actually succeeded in doing was making Wisconsin a harder place to earn a good living. His legacy for workers is a legacy of failure. As we’ve seen, standards for wages stagnate.”

Increasing laws, penalties against misclassification

The bills would also strengthen laws against misclassification. Misclassification is essentially where employers call their employees independent contractors, when they’re really not. Democratic lawmakers said that allows companies, often in the construction industry, to avoid paying payroll taxes, a minimum wage, unemployment insurance, and training. Rep. Christine Sinicki (D-Milwaukee) said those employers also avoid carrying workers’ compensation policies, and providing health and safety benefits. 

“By avoiding these costs, dishonest employers often successfully undercut their competitors with very low bids,” Sinicki said. “In this way, this classification harms the law-abiding employers and their employees, and also the taxpayers who have to pick up the slack.”

Larry Statz owns his contracting business. He said he sees construction companies doing this practice.

“We pride ourselves on safety, quality and fairness in our workplaces. But in recent years, more and more competitors have adopted the union business model of misclassification, when they mislabeled their actual workers,” Statz said. “They avoid paying taxes, social security, workman’s comp, and unemployment taxes… a responsibility that honest employers like us take on every day.” 

Reinstating prevailing wage laws

This package of bills would also reinstate prevailing wage laws in Wisconsin. Prevailing wage laws require that workers in public construction projects be paid about the same ballpark as what’s normal for the area. 

Republicans repealed Wisconsin’s prevailing wage law in 2015. 

“A 2020 study showed that since prevailing wage was repealed, construction workers wages have fallen by about 6% which is roughly $3,000 a year, while highway construction costs have actually gone up by $52,000,” said State Sen. Bob Wirch (D-Pleasant Prairie). 

The study he’s referring to was published by the Midwest Academic Policy Institute. 

“Nearly all our neighboring states, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, still have prevailing wage laws,” Wirch said. “That means that skilled workers in places like my hometown Fellowship often head across the border to Illinois to earn fair pay … reinstating prevailing wage is about keeping our workers and our money here.”

All 60 Democrats in the Assembly and the Senate support these measures. The measures are unlikely to go anywhere without support from Republicans.

“We know that these are popular policies that the people of Wisconsin need to be able to thrive. All of the assembly Democrats and the Senate Democrats signed onto these bills,” said Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D-Racine). “We will continue pushing for them as long as it takes, and if that’s next session, so be it. We hope our Republican colleagues will come along and work with us on policies.”