[JURIST] The Wisconsin AFL-CIO [union website] and two local labor unions on Tuesday filed the first lawsuit [complaint, PDF] challenging the state’s newly enacted “right to work” law [SB 44 materials]. The International Association of Machinists Local Lodge 1061 and the United Steelworkers District 2 [union websites] filed the lawsuit in Dane County Circuit Court [official website] to challenge the constitutionality of the law and to seek an injunction. The new law provides that workers cannot be compelled to join a union or to pay union dues and fees. The lawsuit challenges the state of Wisconsin and Governor Scott Walker [official website], who signed the bill on Monday [JURIST report], for violating individual property rights protected by Article I Section 13 of the Wisconsin Constitution [text, PDF].

Wisconsin is the twenty-fifth state with such a law on the books. Similar legislation is under consideration in Missouri, where the House of Representatives approved [JURIST report] “right to work” legislation last month. In November the Indiana Supreme Court upheld [JURIST report] the state’s right-to-work law, stating it did not violate the state’s constitution. The neighboring states of Michigan [JURIST report] and Illinois have also received challenges to their right to work laws. JURIST Guest Columnist Karla Swift of the Michigan State AFL-CIO [advocacy website] has argued [JURIST op-ed] that the “right to work” laws enacted by the Michigan Legislature in 2012 are unconstitutional and were enacted in violation of Michigan’s Open Meeting Act [text].