Wisconsin's Act 10 Is Dead. The Only Question Is Who Ends It.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has agreed to hear the union lawsuit to strike down Act 10, the bill passed by then-Gov. Scott Walker to help school districts and local governments break the stranglehold of public sector unions. Over the last 15 years, Act 10 has saved Wisconsin taxpayers billions of dollars.

All it did was ask unions to contribute to their retirement and health insurance. Like all of us.

Remember all Act 10 did was ask public employees to pay a for a portion of their health insurance and pensions. You know, like the rest of us.

— Gregory Jon (@gregoryjon) November 10, 2026

But unions have long hated the legislation and fought to get it repealed. Now they're poised to do that, and the only question is how Act 10 ends: will the Supreme Court overturn it or will the Democrat-controlled legislature repeal it? Either way, forget affordability.

🚨 URGENT: The Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear the union lawsuit to strike down Act 10!

Wisconsin parents, heads up. One week after the election, our state Supreme Court agreed to hear a union lawsuit (led by a teachers union) to strike down Act 10. Ziegler dissented. Hagedorn…

— Scarlett Johnson (@scarlett4kids) November 11, 2026

Here's more:

The landmark 2011 collective bargaining law created two groups of employees. “Public safety employees,” like police officers and firefighters, preserved their union rights under the law. “General employees,” who make up the rest of the public workforce, did not.

The problem, unions argue, is that the list of “general employees” includes people like correctional officers working in state prisons, conservation wardens and Capitol Police. Unions contend there’s no “rational basis” to treat them differently than police or firefighters.

In December 2024, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Jacob Frost sided with unions, declaring the law unconstitutional. But Frost stayed his ruling almost immediately, keeping the law in place ever since.

In July of this year, a conservative state Appeals Court overturned the Dane County ruling. In that 2-1 decision, the appeals court said the lawsuit challenging Act 10 raised issues that had already been answered by previous rulings that upheld the law, both in state and federal court.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has a liberal majority. They will likely overturn it.

Court news: The Wisconsin Supreme Court today agreed to hear a lawsuit challenging a 2011 law that stripped most public employees of the power to collectively bargain.

Decisision comes as Dems are set to have a triecta come January with some pushing to repeal Act 10.

— JR Ross (@jrrosswrites) November 11, 2026

Democrats insist workers lost rights under Act 10 and right-to-work legislation.

Incoming Assembly Speaker Greta Neubauer: "We support the restoration of rights for the people of Wisconsin including collective bargaining rights ... We will be pushing very hard to restore the rights of working people in Wisconsin." https://t.co/340Tc93w3D pic.twitter.com/fiBmKaEOrQ

— Matt Smith (@mattsmith_news) November 10, 2026

That's just not true.

WI workers never lost 'rights' under Act 10 or Right to Work laws. They GAINED the right to not be forced into a union and vote on whether they wanted to continue to be in one periodically.
Let's be clear, WI dems want to TAKE AWAY THOSE RIGHTS again. Not restore them. https://t.co/snnFrbdfhZ

— Jay Weber (@JayWeber3) November 11, 2026

Democrats believe you should be forced into a union, which will then take dues from your paycheck and give that money to Democrats. Wash, rinse, repeat.

But affordability.

And just so voters understand, Act 10 has saved them at least $35 billion over the last 15 years.

Wisconsin Democrats are going to repeal Act 10.

Act 10 was signed into law by Governor Scott Walker 15 years ago.

Cumulatively, it has resulted in a savings of $35+ billion since its inception.

Can’t help but think how this will be a fiscal nightmare for the states budget in… pic.twitter.com/jy2Yt4401U

— Brady Penfield🇻🇦 (@brady_penfield) November 9, 2026

And here's what things would've looked like without it:

Wisconsin's public sector labor reforms, Act 10, changed the path of school property tax levies, which were devouring ever more of the taxpayers' money.

Anyone calling to repeal Act 10 is demanding a return of the devouring.https://t.co/gpKG1SxRuX pic.twitter.com/fFv2AVWJWP

— Patrick McIlheran (@PaddyMacMke) November 9, 2026

Politically, having the state Supreme Court throw out Act 10 might help Democrats in the short term. They can then say they didn't repeal Act 10, so the subsequent skyrocketing property taxes and economic strain aren't their fault.

But they also won't do anything to fix the problem, and voters will remember that in 2028 and beyond. Democrats control the government now, so their failed policies will be their responsibility.

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