Fifth Wisconsin University Faculty Votes for Union
Despite the ongoing attacks on workers’ rights in the state, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (UWGB) faculty today voted 117– 2 for representation by AFT. This is the fifth UW campus to do so since Gov. Scott Walker’s plan to eliminate public employee bargaining was introduced.
Although Walker’s anti-worker bill now is being challenged in court, Republican lawmakers have said they intend to include its anti-collective bargaining provisions in the state budget, which already calls for drastic funding cuts to the University of Wisconsin system.
More Than 1,900 Faculty Support Wis. Workers’ Rights
Even as Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker heads to Capitol Hill to defend his moves to deny collective bargaining to public employees and cut vital state services, more than 1,900 faculty at public and private universities and colleges across the country are standing up for the rights of workers.
The group signed an open letter in support of University of Wisconsin faculty, students and staff. The letter shows the strong support in the academic community for collective bargaining and solidarity with the workers on University of Wisconsin campuses who are under attack by Walker’s draconian budget and overreaching actions. You can read the letter here.
Wisconsin Students Rally to Side of State Workers
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Wisconsin college and high school students are showing their support for their teachers—and for all public employees—who are under fire by Gov. Scott Walker. Walker’s budget proposal attacks family-supporting middle-class jobs through unilateral pay and benefit cuts and takes away nearly all of the workers’ collective bargaining rights.
Yesterday, hundreds of University of Wisconsin students chanting “Kill this bill” marched (see video) to the state Capitol in Madison and delivered valentines to Walker’s office urging him to back off his proposals.
AFSCME Local 2412 President Gary Mitchell says, “The students have been so energized.”
I’ve been spending time at the teaching assistants’ offices and they’ve been there all day long Friday, Saturday and Sunday making signs, calling people. It’s been great. A lot of energy. It feels good.
In Stoughton, about 100 high school students walked out of class Monday to support their teachers. Junior Theron Luhn helped organize the protest and told the news site RiverTowns.Net students wanted to:
show Gov. Walker that we care about learning, and the teachers are worth every cent that we pay to them.
20,000 University of Wisconsin Faculty Gain Bargaining Rights
More than 20,000 faculty members at two midwestern universities are one step closer to good union contracts. Yesterday, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle signed the state’s biennial budget, which includes a provision extending collective bargaining rights to more than 20,000 University of Wisconsin (UW) faculty, academic staff and research assistants.
The same day, some 430 instructors and adjunct faculty at Western Michigan University (WMU) voted for the Professional Instructors Organization (PIO), an AFT affiliate, to represent them.
