A substantial number of Wisconsin school districts and technical colleges have one or more employee groups that are represented by labor unions. We are experienced with virtually all legal proceedings and procedures that arise under the Municipal Employment Relations Act (MERA), the legislation that establishes and defines individual employees’ right to engage in protected concerted activity, as well as the collective bargaining rights of represented employees.
Accordingly, we handle all types of arbitration proceedings, including interest arbitration and grievance or “rights” arbitration. We also represent our clients in prohibited practices hearings, unit clarification proceedings, mediation, union elections, and other matters that come before the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission (WERC).
Our attorneys have a wealth of experience in traditional public sector labor law. Although traditional labor relations law has changed significantly since Act 10 was passed, a substantial proportion of Wisconsin school teachers continue to be part of labor unions. Accordingly, it remains important for school district attorneys to understand and account for the way labor relations statutes influence legal problems and how to solve them.
Attorney Kirk Strang is one of the authors of Public Sector Labor Relations in Wisconsin, a treatise published by the State Bar of Wisconsin that surveys the public labor relations laws that apply to school districts and technical colleges, and their employees.