The Wisconsin Supreme Court late Tuesday denied a motion by a group of unions to intervene in a case brought by Legislative Republicans to overturn Gov. Tony Evers' Safer at Home extension.
"Safer at Home is working. It is saving lives," Evers said in a statement. "This lawsuit puts people’s lives at risk by trying to take away Safer at Home, the best and most effective tool we have to save lives and prevent our hospitals from being overrun."
A group of labor unions, including Madison Teachers Inc., sought to intervene in the lawsuit, but the court ruled against their participation in an order issued Tuesday afternoon.
Republican legislators asked the state Supreme Court on April 21 to block the order, arguing state Department of Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm issued the order unilaterally without legislative approval.
Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) and Rep. Robin Vos (R-Rochester), leaders of the Republican-controlled Legislature, did not immediately offer comment.
"Wisconsinites deserve certainty, transparency, and a plan to end the constant stream of executive orders that are eroding both the economy and their liberty even as the state is clearly seeing a decline in COVID infections," the pair said in a joint statement issued when the lawsuit was filed.
The unions argued the Legislature has no standing to sue and Palm was within her rights when she issued the order.
The Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association, Madison Teachers Inc., SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998 filed a motion with the court Tuesday morning seeking to intervene in the case.
to read more go to WKOW https://wkow.com/2020/04/28/unions-seek-to-intervene-in-lawsuit-challenging-safer-at-home-order/