Members of the Student Labor Action Coalition may have to wait until the end of this week to find out if a referendum which prohibits SSFC to hear budget proposals from university services not paying their workers a living wage will hold up in court.

While the referendum pertains to various University of Wisconsin services — including University Health Services, Recreation Sports and Union South — the focus of it centers on workers at the Memorial Union.

Since the referendum passed during ASM's fall elections, neither the university nor the Memorial Union has changed any of its employment policies.

After the referendum was passed in a student-wide vote Oct. 13, Eric Varney, not acting in his official capacity as Associated Students of Madison Chair, brought a case against ASM, challenging whether the referendum was appropriately submitted.

The Student Judiciary heard the case Oct. 25 and Chief Justice Nick Fox said Monday a decision would probably be issued "in the next three to four days."

Fox added the decision would be "binding" and "final" — leaving no chance of appeal — since the Student Judiciary chose to circumvent a panel decision and move directly to a full-court decision because of the issues at hand with the case.

"Because of the special constitutional issues involved, [the case] was moved to full court," Fox said. "This case needs to be heard, and it needs to be heard now."

In the complaint, Varney challenges that the referendum was not submitted on time; that the original petition did not have the 500 signatures needed, according to ASM bylaws; and that ASM did not provide the student body adequate notice about the vote.

However, SLAC Representative Ashok Kumar feels as though the case has "no real bearings," since SLAC and ASM did everything needed to bring the referendum before a vote.

Kumar said Monday the petition was submitted within the necessary deadline and ASM did promote it properly.

As for the signatures, Kumar said there was no stipulation within the actual ASM constitution requiring 500 signatures.

"The constitution only says students need to petition [ASM Student Council] within a certain deadline," Kumar said. "That's it."

Meanwhile, Varney maintains for a referendum to appear on the ballot, ASM bylaws require a 500-signature petition or two majority-council votes in separate meetings, neither of which were obtained in the case.

"This violated both," he said.

Furthermore, Varney added the student judiciary must reasonably notify the student body of the referendum before it goes to a vote, which he believes did not take place.

— John Potratz contributed to this report