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Democrats promised to restore collective bargaining rights, but won't reinstate former health and benefit rights. Both sides support austerity and other pro-business priorities.
In 2010, Barrett lost to Walker. He supports wage and benefit cuts. So do Democrat party bosses and corrupt union officials. Walker's predecessor, Jim Doyle, imposed the most draconian cuts in Wisconsin history. Workers were hardest hit. Union heads supported him.
Backing Democrats, they challenged Act 10 in federal court. On March 30, 2012, US District Court Judge William Conley ruled portions of the measure requiring mandatory recertification votes and restrictions on union dues check offs unconstitutional.
At the same time, he upheld limited collective bargaining rights on wages.
On April 5, Walker signed Senate Bill 202. It reversed Wisconsin's Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (Act 20).
According to the Wisconsin Alliance for Women's Health, (WAWH) Act 20 sought, "to secure equal pay for the thousands of working families who are denied fair pay due to wage discrimination based on race and gender."
SB 202 removed Act 20 compensatory and punitive damage violations.
It's more than about women. It's also about affording minorities, the disabled, and other marginalized groups equal pay rights. Walker called the law a "gravy train" for trial lawyers. WAWH's Sara Finger called SB 202 a "demoralizing attack on women's rights, health, and well-being."
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