2017 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 66. General municipality law.
66.0506 Referendum; increase in employee wages.
66.0506 Referendum; increase in employee wages.
(1) In this section, “local governmental unit" means any city, village, town, county, metropolitan sewerage district, long-term care district, local cultural arts district under subch. V of ch. 229, or any other political subdivision of the state, or instrumentality of one or more political subdivisions of the state.
(2) If any local governmental unit wishes to increase the total base wages of its general municipal employees, as defined in s. 111.70 (1) (fm), who are part of a collective bargaining unit under subch. IV of ch. 111, in an amount that exceeds the limit under s. 111.70 (4) (mb) 2., the governing body of the local governmental unit shall adopt a resolution to that effect. The resolution shall specify the amount by which the proposed total base wages increase will exceed the limit under s. 111.70 (4) (mb) 2. The resolution may not take effect unless it is approved in a referendum called for that purpose. The referendum shall occur in November for collective bargaining agreements that begin the following January 1. The results of a referendum apply to the total base wages only in the next collective bargaining agreement.
(3) The referendum question shall be substantially as follows: “Shall the .... [general municipal employees] in the .... [local governmental unit] receive a total increase in wages from $....[current total base wages] to $....[proposed total base wages], which is a percentage wage increase that is .... [x] percent higher than the percent of the consumer price index increase, for a total percentage increase in wages of .... [x]?"
This section does not violate the plaintiffs' associational rights. No matter the limitations or burdens a legislative enactment places on the collective bargaining process, collective bargaining remains a creation of legislative grace and not constitutional obligation. The restrictions attached to the statutory scheme of collective bargaining are irrelevant in regards to freedom of association because no condition is being placed on the decision to participate. If a general employee participates in collective bargaining under 2011 Wis. Act 10's statutory framework, that general employee has not relinquished a constitutional right. They have only acquired a benefit to which they were never constitutionally entitled. Madison Teachers, Inc. v. Walker, 2014 WI 99, 358 Wis. 2d 1, 851 N.W.2d 337, 12-2067.
