Court Opinion

ID: 9516355
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-06 23:41:13.665545+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:35:10.930598
License: Public Domain

DYKMAN, J.
(dissenting). The standard by which we review WERC's decision dictates the outcome of this case. The majority determines that it should independently review WERC's decision. It concludes that the Janesville Professional Police Association's proposal giving a suspended subordinate the right to arbitrate a suspension is not a mandatory subject of bargaining.
We were required to determine the appropriate standard of review in a case much like this one, Drivers, Salesmen, Warehousemen, Milk Processors, Cannery, Dairy Employees & Helpers Local No. 695 v. WERC, 121 Wis. 2d 291, 359 N.W.2d 174 (Ct. App. *5121984). In that case, we construed § 62.13(5m), Stats., and § 111.70(1)(d), Stats. In determining the appropriate standard of review, we considered the arguably conflicting language of Glendale Professional Policemen's Ass'n v. City of Glendale, 83 Wis. 2d 90, 100-01, 264 N.W.2d 594, 600 (1978), City of Brookfield v. WERC, 87 Wis. 2d 819, 827, 275 N.W.2d 723, 727 (1979), Boynton Cab Co. v. DILHR, 96 Wis. 2d 396, 405-06,291 N.W.2d 850, 855 (1980), and Arrowhead United Teachers Org. v. WERC, 116 Wis. 2d 580, 594, 342 N.W.2d 709, 716 (1984). Drivers, 121 Wis. 2d at 294-96, 359 N.W.2d at 176-77. We concluded that we would follow Arrowhead and give due weight , to WERC's interpretation because it was the most recent supreme court case on the subject. Id. at 296, 359 N.W.2d at 177.
Now, County of La Crosse v. WERC, 180 Wis. 2d 100, 107, 508 N.W.2d 9, 11 (1993), is the most recent case on the standard of review we are to use when WERC interprets a section of the Municipal Employment Relations Act (MERA), §§ 111.70-111.77, STATS., with other Wisconsin statutes. However, although County of La Crosse used a de novo standard, it did not overrule or distinguish Arrowhead or Drivers. Thus, if there were nothing more than the precedent of Arrowhead and Glendale, one would expect that in County of La Crosse, the supreme court would have followed its most recent precedent, Arrowhead. Purtell v. Tehan, 29 Wis. 2d 631, 636, 139 N.W.2d 655, 658 (1966). Since it did not do so, we should examine County of La Crosse to determine the reason for using a de novo standard of review. The answer is found in the court's explanation:
Moreover, deference is particularly unwarranted in this case because our decision today is based upon a characterization of the case that was neither *513presented to nor addressed by WERC during its original determination.
County of La Crosse, 180 Wis. 2d at 107, 508 N.W.2d at 11.
In a memorandum accompanying its findings of fact, conclusions of law and declaratory ruling, WERC considered the potential conflict between § 62.13, Stats., and the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement. The issue in the case before us was presented to and addressed by WERC. Had the supreme court been presented with, the facts of this case rather than those found in County of La Crosse, there is no reason to believe that it would not have followed its most recent precedent, Arrowhead, and given deference to WERC's decision. That is what I would do in this case, thereby affirming WERC and reversing the trial court's order.