Wisconsin Supreme Court Takes Up Act 10 Case
The state's highest court agreed to review a challenge to the 2011 law that limited collective bargaining for public employees.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Unions
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The Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed to hear a case challenging Act 10, which eliminated most collective bargaining rights for state and local public employees. The court granted a petition for review filed by the Abbotsford Education Association and other plaintiffs, reversing the direction of a July appellate ruling that had overturned a 2024 lower court decision striking down the law.
Why it matters
The case will determine whether Act 10 remains in force for public workers across Wisconsin after 15 years of effect. The high court's decision will shape collective bargaining rights for teachers and other public employees statewide.
The law has been in effect for 15 years, and its constitutional status has now been reopened at the state's highest court. The merits of the challenge and the timeline for a decision have not been announced.
The players
Wisconsin Supreme Court
The state's highest court, which granted review in the Act 10 case and will decide whether the law stands.
Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission
The state agency that is a named party in the litigation over the collective bargaining law.
The details
Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler dissented from the decision to grant review, and Justice Brian K. Hagedorn did not participate. The case involves the Abbotsford Education Association and the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, and the court order was filed Wednesday.
Timeline
Act 10 took effect 15 years ago, stripping most public workers' bargaining rights.
A lower court struck down Act 10 in 2024.
A July ruling overturned the 2024 decision striking down Act 10.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court's review order was filed on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
Political Context
The 2011 Act 10 law, passed under Governor Scott Walker, has been the center of repeated court challenges over public-sector union rights in Wisconsin. Supporters have defended it as a cost-control measure while opponents, including teachers' unions, argue it strips workers of fundamental bargaining protections.
Public employees covered by Act 10 cannot currently bargain collectively over most terms, and that status could change depending on the court's eventual ruling. Teachers and other public workers should watch for updates on the case as it moves through the high court.
The takeaway
The state's highest court will decide whether a 15-year-old limit on public-sector bargaining survives, a ruling that will shape labor relations for Wisconsin's public employees for years to come.
Further reading
For more on how labor rules are being contested across the state, see Wisconsin Unions.
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Should Wisconsin public workers keep their full collective bargaining rights?
