Teacher Negotiations On Hold After Judge Strikes Down Collective Bargaining Law

Editor's Note: This article was updated at 5 p.m. Monday to include comments from Mayor Jeff Scrima about the impacts to the city.

A Dane County judge’s decision to strike down the state’s collective bargaining law has left area officials wondering what to do next.

The School District of Waukesha was set to hold its initial session to bargain with the teachers union over 2011-12 teaching contracts Monday.

But that meeting is on hold because Judge Juan Colas ruled Friday evening that the controversial law is null and void, saying the law violates both the state and U.S. Constitutions. As a result, the school district decided to cancel the meeting while trying to get more information.

Superintendent Todd Gray said Monday the timing of the ruling is an “unnecessary distraction” as it puts a question mark on negotiations. The law would have limited collective bargaining to salaries.

“We are not sure what we should be doing. … I think everybody is scrambling to figure out what it means,” Gray said.

The School District of Waukesha was going to work on this year’s contracts after it finishes the bargaining for last school year’s contracts. But the process is on hold following Colas’ decision because the school district “didn’t want to do anything improper,” Gray said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Jeff Scrima, route: {:controller=>"listings", :action=>"show", :id=>"mayor-jeff-scrima-city-of-waukesha"} -->, who has advocated for trimming the