MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul today released a formal AG opinion, at the request of Governor Evers, regarding the power of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority (the “Authority”) to voluntarily engage in collective bargaining with an organization chosen by a majority of nurses it employs.

The opinion concludes that, “[t]he Authority has broad powers to contract with its employees and set their terms of employment, and it could choose to do so via a voluntary collective bargaining process.” While the opinion does not reach a conclusion regarding whether the Authority is required to collectively bargain, it notes that the mandatory bargaining provisions in Wisconsin’s Peace Act appear to apply to the Authority. The opinion further concludes that, “even assuming the Authority is not covered by the Peace Act—and, thus, is not required to collectively bargain—then it would still have the power to voluntarily bargain.”

A copy of the Attorney General’s opinion here.

A copy of the opinion request can be found here.