UPDATED Monday, February 28, 2011 --- 12:30 p.m.

Wis. union files labor complaint over bargaining

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin's largest public employees union has filed a complaint alleging Gov. Scott Walker is engaging in unfair labor practices by refusing to negotiate with it.

The complaint filed Monday by the Wisconsin State Employees Union asks the state labor relations board to extend its contract and require Walker's administration to engage in collective bargaining.

The complaint comes as Walker is seeking to strip most public employee unions of collective bargaining rights, except for inflationary wage increases. Walker's plan has passed the Assembly but has stalled in the Senate because Democrats have fled the state.

State employees have been working under an extension of their contract that ended in mid-2009. But Walker is canceling the contract extensions effective March 13.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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Posted Monday, February 28, 2011 --- 11:55 a.m.

The following is a press release from Wisconsin State Employees Union AFSCME Council 24:

Title: Union files unfair labor practice charges against Gov. Walker

The administration of Gov. Scott Walker is breaking state law by failing to negotiate in good faith with state workers, according to charges filed today with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission by the Wisconsin State Employees Union, AFSCME Council 24.

Since taking office, Walker has made no attempt to bargain with state employees as required by law. Even before taking office, Walker worked to scuttle a tentative agreement between the state and union members.

“This governor has never made any attempt to contact the unions he is attacking, much less negotiate in good faith as required by law,” said Council 24 Executive Director Marty Beil.

“Instead of trying to find real solutions to the challenges facing the state, the governor is attempting to dictate terms. This not only in ineffective, it’s against the law,” Beil said.

While Walker is trying to change the law to deny bargaining rights to 175,000 Wisconsin workers, he cannot ignore current law.

As they have every day since the governor created a state of crisis, public employees have made clear they are ready to agree to all of Walker’s concessions on wages, benefits and pensions.

Yet he continues to refuse to come to the negotiation table and insists on continuing his power grab to strip them of their collective bargaining rights. Not only is this a failure of leadership, it is against the law.

“It is time for the governor to be held accountable. He is ignoring the court of public opinion, with hundreds of thousands of peaceful protester and 74% of Wisconsin voters opposing his attacks on bargaining rights. If he continues to ignore the public, we have no choice but to turn to the courts,” Beil said.

To view the claim visit the following link: http://wisaflcio.typepad.com/WSEU-CBA-ULP.final.pdf