"Union Yes" in state’s first academic staff union vote

From the AFT-Wisconsin Press Room:

 

Earlier today, academic staff at the University of Wisconsin-Superior voted 89-5 out of a unit of 174 in favor of union representation through AFT-Wisconsin, a statewide labor federation affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers. The election was the first academic staff union election in Wisconsin’s history.
 
According to Dianna Hunter, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Inquiry at UW-Superior, forming a faculty union is about preserving the integrity of higher education.

“I was proud to vote union ‘yes’ in this groundbreaking election, the first for academic staff in the University of Wisconsin-System. At a time when the wellbeing of working people is under attack at many levels, we have decided to work together to negotiate with management, improve the workplace, and increase security for both people and programs.”
 

If enforced, Gov. Walker’s “budget repair” bill would eliminate academic staff and faculty’s right to collectively bargain. Although the bill is currently held up in the court system, Republican lawmakers have indicated that they intend to include its anti-collective bargaining provisions into the state budget—a budget that already calls for drastic funding cuts to the UW System. 
 
According to Jim Miller, Coordinator of Enrollment Research at UW-Superior, union organizing efforts were galvanized by the attacks against public service.

“The recent uncertainties and lack of respect for public employees that have been demonstrated by the governor’s initiatives have certainly contributed to our resolve to create a formal bargaining group.  But these efforts to join together began before the recent turmoil and will continue after the shouting stops and the dust settles."

UW academic staff and faculty were extended the right to collectively bargain in June of 2009. Since that time, faculty at seven campuses – UW-Eau Claire, UW-Superior, UW-La Crosse, UW-Stout, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Green Bay – have voted in favor of collective bargaining representation.

Comments

[MA]

WI - please help MN get the voters to stop GOP legislators from gutting public services and employees.

[Ben Donahower]

Awesome news. Thanks for the update.

[supra shoes for boy]

Thanks, I'm going to have nightmares tonight.