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Act 10 A Decade Later: Teachers Unions, Walker’s Dispute On Law’s Legacy

Air Date:
Heard On The Morning Show
Act 10 protest
Thousands of demonstrators flood Wisconsin’s Capitol building on March 9, 2011, to protest the Senate passage of the Wisconsin budget repair bill, later known as Act 10. The bill stripped collective bargaining rights from most public sector employees and prompted the recall of several state senators, including the unsuccessful recall of Gov. Scott Walker. The bill was fast-tracked through the Legislature, passing in just 24 days. One in every four bills passed during the 2011-12 session were fast-tracked, a Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism analysis found. Mike DeVries/The Capital Times

On Feb. 11, 2011, then-Gov. Scott Walker announced a proposal to eliminate collective bargaining rights for most public workers in the state. After weeks of protests, Walker signed the proposal into law, becoming Act 10. A decade later, we discuss how the law transformed Wisconsin.

Featured in this Show

  • Teachers Weigh Loss Of Collective Bargaining Rights

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    Two union leaders representing Wisconsin teachers discuss the 10-year anniversary of Act 10, which eliminated collective bargaining rights for educators and most other public employees in the state.

  • Walker Says Act 10 Still Working For Wisconsin

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    Former Republican Gov. Scott Walker discusses the 10-year anniversary of Act 10, which he introduced to erase collective bargaining rights for most public employees in the state.

Episode Credits

  • Kate Archer Kent Host
  • Keegan Kyle Producer
  • Lee Rayburn Technical Director
  • Angelina Cruz Guest
  • Justin Delfosse Guest
  • Scott Walker Guest

Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2025, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.

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