CROWN POINT, Ind. (WOWO): A Lake County Superior Court judge has ruled Indiana‘s right-to-work law unconstitutional. Judge John Sedia ruled Monday that the right-to-work law violates a part of Indiana‘s constitution which bars the demand for services without just compensation.

Ed Maher with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, which filed the lawsuit, says the right-to-work law makes it a criminal offense to collect fees for the services they provide. However, Maher says federal law requires unions to provide those services.

Maher says the right-to-work law forces unions to provide services without collecting fees, which violates the state‘s constitution. Bryan Corbin with the Indiana Attorney General‘s Office says the state will immediately appeal Judge Sedia‘s ruling to the Indiana Supreme Court.

He says the judge‘s declaratory statement is incorrect in light of the fact the same court granted the state‘s motion to dismiss on four other counts in the lawsuit. Maher says the union is very happy with the judge‘s ruling, saying right-to-work laws are thinly-veiled attempts to weaken unions.