State stops collecting union dues, starts charging more for health care

by **Admin** Tue 29 Mar 2011, 10:18 pm

By Patrick Marley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

March 29--MADISON --
Gov. Scott Walker's administration no longer is collecting dues on behalf of state unions and, as of Sunday, is charging employees more for their pensions and health care, even though nonpartisan legislative attorneys say the changes are not yet law.

Backing up the administration, the state Department of Justice argued that the new law -- which eliminates most collective bargaining for public workers -- is in effect and asked a judge to vacate a restraining order against the law. Meanwhile, a Dane County prosecutor asked a judge to declare that the law is not now in place.

Highlighting the different legal interpretations, some local governments are not implementing the new law for their employees. Officials with the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County said they are waiting for answers from courts before making any changes on benefits and union dues.

The dispute over the new law goes before a Dane County circuit judge on Tuesday, and higher courts are ultimately expected to rule on it.

State workers began paying more for benefits starting Sunday, Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch said Monday in a conference call with reporters. They also no longer are being billed for union dues, and those changes will show up on checks issued April 21, he said.

Employees working for the Legislature are also now being charged more for benefits, said an aide to Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau).

That comes even though an attorney for the Legislature has concluded the law probably has not taken effect, as spelled out in a memo Monday to Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha). The law requires most public workers to pay at least 12.6% of their health care premiums and half the cost of their pensions -- 5.8% of pay for most state employees.

[continued.....]http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/yb/157344600