Wis. union files labor complaint over bargaining

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin's largest public employees union has filed a complaint alleging Gov. Scott Walker is engaging in unfair labor practices by refusing to negotiate with it.

The complaint filed Monday by the Wisconsin State Employees Union asks the state labor relations board to extend its contract and require Walker's administration to engage in collective bargaining.

The complaint comes as Walker is seeking to strip most public employee unions of collective bargaining rights, except for inflationary wage increases. Walker's plan has passed the Assembly but stalled in the Senate because Democrats fled the state.

State employees have been working under an extension of their contract that ended in mid-2009. But Walker is canceling the contract extensions effective March 13.

Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie declined to comment on the complaint.