A friend in Wisconsin sent this just now.
“Colas ruled that the law violated workers’ constitutional rights to free speech, free association and equal representation under the law by capping union workers’ raises but not those of their nonunion counterparts. The judge also ruled that the law violated the “home rule” clause of the state constitution by setting the contribution for City of Milwaukee employees to the city pension system rather than leaving it to the city and workers.
The decision could still be overturned on appeal – the Supreme Court has already restored the law once in June 2011 after it was blocked by a different Dane County judge in a different case earlier that year.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Attempts at robbing people of their constitutional rights should be punished, just like attempted robbery.
I’m a WI teacher and I just got this news tonight. There is no way this ruling stands when appealed to the very right-wing state supreme court, but the judge ruled in such a way that it is likely to move on to SCOTUS when overturned by the WI high court. I just hope my colleagues in this beleaguered system can continue to provide the best possible education for our kids and continue to be positive role models while the political and media circus ramps back up again. It’s been a long year and a half here in the dairy state . . .
It is highly unlikely that the SCOTUS will take this case. The ruling is incredibly broad, and (unfortunately) flies in the face of much precedent that permits state governments to set limits on the rights of workers to organize and collect dues. Just think of all the legislation in so-called “right to work” states that would have to be declared unconstitutional on similar grounds. Now, I may agree with large parts of the ruling, but I don’t expect it to stand long. I say this as a member of a (now-decertified) Wisconsin public-employee union, who would like nothing more than to see Walker’s central initiative struck down. But I also don’t like to see people celebrate too soon, especially as this has happened many times in Wisconsin in the past year and a half alone.
Professionals don’t need a union. Professionals know to expect that top pay is given to top performers. Some teachers are good, some bad. The best teachers should be paid the best. The entire reason a union exists is to get as much as possibe for their members for doing as little as possible….not to mention “protecting” the members job security. In other words, you can’t fire a lousy teacher. The whole system is ludicrous. Look at Chicago, case in point. I am sure everyone with the same number of years makes basically the same point. No differentiation for exceptional outcomes. Not only are the wages paid to Chicago teachers very good, $74,000 on average (does not include benefits, and remember, they work 9 months a year) when you consider that a shocking 80% of Chicago 8th graders aren’t reading proficient. So, this union is offered a 16% increase over 4 years, and they DEMAND, in this economy, 20%. Where do you think this money comes from? Why, the taxpayers, of course.