Oklahoma Supreme Court strikes down act allowing city employees to unionize

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down a state law allowing municipal employees to unionize in cities with populations exceeding 35,000 people<br/><br/>The state's

Tuesday, July 5th 2005, 11:57 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down a state law allowing municipal employees to unionize in cities with populations exceeding 35,000 people

The state's highest court said the Oklahoma Municipal Employees Collective Bargaining Act is a special law prohibited by the state Constitution because it applies only to cities that meet the population threshold. The act applied to only 11 cities.

The high court affirmed an Oklahoma County judge's ruling that the 2004 law is unconstitutional because it discriminates against workers in smaller towns and cities.

Attorneys for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Communications Workers of America appealed the case and argued that many laws involving similar population limits had been upheld.