Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Blog

Election Day Made a Difference: New Laws Make Wisconsin A Safer, More Equitable Place to Work

“When workers make the informed decision to come together through their union, they aren’t just raising their own standard of living.  They are making the entire middle class more stable, prosperous and secure,” according to Phil Neuenfeldt, Secretary Treasurer of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.  “We must continue to support elected officials who understand that and allow working people the opportunity to bargain for a better life.”

The 2009-2011 state budget granted collective bargaining rights to University of Wisconsin faculty, academic staff and research assistants.

“This victory has been about 40 years in the making,” says Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President David Newby, who is also a former UW Teaching and Project Assistant.  “It took remarkable political will, prompted by sustained pressure from university employees themselves.”

UW Superior and UW Eau Claire faculty have already voted to join AFT-Wisconsin.  Contract negotiations at both schools are expected to begin soon and organizing efforts at other campuses are moving rapidly.

Click here to read more about UW faculty organizing wins.

Thanks to the state budget, independent health care aides who serve the elderly and disabled in their homes now have the right to organize a statewide union.  The newly created Wisconsin Quality Home Health Care Authority also includes a registry to help seniors in finding qualified independent home health care providers and provide training for caregivers.

“On May 6th I had the honor of being in the room as the votes were counted and 5,500 home health care workers decide to become members of SEIU,” says Secretary Treasurer Neuenfeldt.  “That was a powerful moment and a big win for our entire community.”

Click here to read more about Wisconsin home health care workers.

The state budget also reaffirmed the collective bargaining rights of family child care providers, who had previously joined together as AFSCME members under the authority of an Executive Order form Governor Doyle.
 
Click here for more information about Wisconsin Child Care Providers Together.

The state budget even repealed collective bargaining restrictions, known as the Qualified Economic Offer (QEO).  Since the 1990’s these restrictions had undermined the ability of K-12 teachers to negotiate for fair wages and benefits.

The 2009-2010 Legislative Session resulted in several additional organizing related gains for workers.  Senate Bill 523 prevents state and government agencies from using funds to discourage employees from exercising their right to form a union.  This means that workers, such as those in the UW system, can make own decisions about bargaining without interference or intimidation from their employer.

Senate Bill 585, the Worker Privacy Act, gives working people the right to refuse to participate in political or religious meetings held by their employer.  In the past these mandatory meetings have been used to scare workers out of forming a union.  Under the new law, companies can still hold one-sided meetings but they can no longer punish workers who do not attend.

And of course, no list of organizing achievements from the 2009-2010 Legislative Session would be complete without mentioning the labor history bill.   The law, signed last December, requires that the Superintendent of Public Instruction include the history of organized labor and collective bargaining in the model academic standards for social studies.

“This is the first such legislation in the nation.  It will help balance the overwhelming business bias found in textbooks,” commented President Newby, who is also on the board of directors at the Wisconsin Labor History Society.  “Thanks to the new requirements, young people will be better prepared to make the continuing improvements necessary in today’s workplaces.”

Click here for more information about labor history in Wisconsin schools.

“The politicians we elected during 2008 clearly respect the right to form a union,” summed up Sara Rogers, Executive Vice President and Political Director of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.  “In 2010 we must protect and build upon these gains by sending even more working family advocates to Madison.”

For more detailed information about the laws mentioned above, click here for the final report on the Wisconsin State Legislature’s  2009-2010 Session.

(The top two photos were taken on the UW Madison campus during the 2010 Alliance for Graduate Employee Locals (AGEL) Conference, hosted by the Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA), an AFT – Wisconsin affiliate.
 
TAA, which represents over 3,000 graduate employees and ratified its first contract with the university in 1970, stands in solidarity with the faculty, academic staff and research assistants throughout the University of Wisconsin system who recently gained collective bargaining rights.

Top Photo: Peter Rickman of TAA, Nicholas Hengen from University of Minnesota, Matt Moehr of TAA, and Todd Reynolds of AFT at University of Maryland College Park.  Second Photo: Regina McConaghy and Naomi Williams of TAA with Dave Jennings of GAU at University of South Florida and Mat Iglesk of GSU at Central Michigan University.  Credit for Both Photos: Greg Neil.  For more pictures from the AGEL conference, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/wisaflcio/sets/72157624116483712/.

In the bottom picture, Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President David Newby receives a lifetime achievement award from the Wisconsin Labor History Society, presented by President Steve Cupery.  Newby was recognized in part for his work on the labor history bill mentioned above.  Photo Credit: Joanne Ricca.  For more pictures from the 2010 Wisconsin Labor History Society Conference, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/wisaflcio/sets/72157623951060358/.)

Media Matters: The Employee Free Choice Act Revisited

Although immediate job creation and health care concerns may have eclipsed the Employee Free Choice Act in recent months, it is still critically important to any long-term economic recovery that working people have a fair shot at bargaining for a better life.  For those of you who may have forgotten, the Employee Free Choice Act will:

1. Strengthens penalties for companies that illegally coerce or intimidate employees in an effort to prevent them from forming a union;

2. Allows a neutral third party to settle a contract when a company and a newly certified union cannot agree.

3.  Allows workers, rather than their corporate bosses, choose how to form their union.

The Beaver Dam Daily Citizen recently ran an option editorial from the local Chamber of Commerce, which distorted the facts on this issue.  The article prompted strong reactions from readers concerned with the truth.

This rebuttal was printed on February 15th:
http://www.wiscnews.com/bdc/opinion/470924

And local union members had their say on February 20th:
http://www.wiscnews.com/bdc/opinion/471094

Way to keep them honest!

President Trumka Responds to Last Night's State of the Union Address

The following is a statement by national AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka:

President Obama was exactly right when he spoke of the stubborn resilience of the American people in the face of adversity.  Despite daily insecurity and the deep hurt of not being able to find jobs, working people’s goodness, decency and hard work have kept our country going.

But Americans are also deeply frustrated and angry.  We want to see elected leaders who’ll fight for us and bring real change. We want jobs—President Obama is absolutely right that jobs must be our number one focus in 2010.  And we must act on a scale that will be meaningful:  We need more than 10 million jobs just to get out of the hole we’re in.  We want health care fixed.  We want our leaders to break the stranglehold of Wall Street and the big banks and make them pay to repair the economic damage they created.     

President Obama spoke directly to those concerns tonight.  He called for a jobs bill and putting people to work.  He called for America to take its place as a world leader by investing in our economic foundation, education, infrastructure and energy technology.  He demanded tough financial reform.  He called for curbing corporate influence, stopping tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas and enforcing trade rules.  He committed to end the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.  And he said we must finish the job of reforming health care.    

The President was right to call out Republicans for obstructing change and putting politics ahead of progress. 

Now it’s time for all of us to get busy and work together to bring the big changes that are essential—starting with enacting a jobs bill that is big enough to create jobs for the millions of people who want to work and can’t find jobs.  The time for small change is long gone.  We were pleased to see that the President embraced two of the job creation proposals we have made – investing in infrastructure and helping small businesses get credit through TARP funds. 

We’re ready to fight for the President’s vision – and we’re going to insist that it be done right.  That includes restoring the freedom of workers to bargain to make jobs into good jobs by passing the Employee Free Choice Act. 

We will not agree with every aspect of every proposal.  We will continue to be an independent voice for middle class Americans and fight for the change working families need—and we are ready to do more.  This is the time for a broad movement of Americans demanding jobs and an economy that works for all, and we’re ready to put our energy and leadership into building that movement—taking the fight to the doorstep of the banks that are exploiting struggling homeowners, of corporations that are running away from communities and of lawmakers who choose to back them up.

We hope elected leaders at every level will choose instead to lead with action.  Working America is watching to see what they do.  We are in a “show me” kind of mood and we are ready to see results.

President Trumka: Working People Will Not Stand for Tokenism

Yesterday, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka gave a major address on the economy and the jobs crisis at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C:

A generation ago, our nation’s policymakers embarked on a campaign of radical deregulation and corporate empowerment – one that celebrated private greed over public service . . .

These policies culminated in the worst economic decade in living memory—we suffered a net loss of jobs, the housing market collapsed, real wages fell and more children fell into poverty.  And the enormous growth in inequality during that decade yielded mediocre growth overall.  This is not a portrait of a cyclical recession, but of a nation with profound, unaddressed structural economic problems on a long-term, downward slide.

Our structural problems pre-date the crisis that hit in 2007 and they are not going to go away by themselves in 2010.

In the short term, Trumka called for the enactment of the AFL-CIO Five Point Plan to stem job losses, create new employment and bring the recovery to Main Street.

Trumka acknowledged that creating jobs without addressing the basic inequalities which led to collapse is not enough to prevent another crisis.  He said that workers must have the bargaining power to turn new jobs into good jobs, and that the Employee Free Choice Act will restore the freedom of workers to form unions. He also called for regulation of the financial industry and for “a combination of fair trade and currency policies, worker training, infrastructure investment and regional development policies targeted to help economically distressed areas.”

Trumka had stern warnings for politicians who were quick to bailout Wall Street, but slow to help Main Street:

The reality is that when unemployment is 10 percent and rising, working people will not stand for tokenism.  We will not vote for politicians who think they can push a few crumbs our way and then continue the failed economic policies of the last 30 years.

The full speech, which outlines a clear vision for the labor movement, is a must see.  Video is available from C-SPAN: http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2010/01/11/HP/R/28205/AFLCIO+President+Offers+Vision+for+Labors+Future.aspx

You can also read Trumka’s full remarks:  http://wisaflcio.typepad.com/REMARKSTrumkaPressClub_Jan11.pdf

Actions Speak Loudly on Health Care

Wisconsin union members are out in force, making sure our elected officials know that health care reform cannot wait, and must not be watered-down.  

On Friday, September 18th about 200 people showed up to Senator Russ Feingold’s Milwaukee area listening session.  Approximately 60 of the participants were union members representing AFM, AFT, BAC, CWA, DALU, IAMAW, OPEIU, UAW and UFCW.

The majority of audience members who asked questions urged swift and strong action to reform health insurance, and Senator Feingold reiterated his support for a bill with a strong public insurance option.

“The public option is needed by both the uninsured and the insured because it is the best way to reduce health care costs.  My members and others who currently have employer provided insurance face rapidly rising costs that threaten our continued coverage,” said Michael Rosen, President of AFT Local 212. “Without a public option, most labor negotiations will continue to center around escalating health care costs, making it more and more difficult to make other needed improvements in wages and working conditions.”

“In terms of getting the economy back on track for working people, we believe that health insurance reform and the Employee Free Choice Act are essential,” said Brian Reid, Business Agent for OPEIU Local 35.  “We know that there is plenty of public focus on health insurance right now, so we attended the listening session to make sure that Employee Free Choice stays on the agenda.”

When asked about the Employee Free Choice Act, which will strengthen the rights of workers who choose to form or join unions, Senator Feingold said that he believes a modified version of the legislation will pass this year.  The audience reacted with thunderous applause.

Union members from AFT, CWA, Ironworkers, and UFCW joined other community members in a counter protest near an anti-government "tea party" in Milwaukee on Saturday, September 19th.   Jim Carpenter, MATC Economics Instructor and member of AFT Local 212, was interviewed by CBS radio based out of Chicago.

“The majority of Americans support compassion, fairness, and the wise use of our resources.  In the richest country in the world, no one should go broke just because they get sick,” said Carpenter.  “We attended this tea-bag rally, at which we knew we would be out numbered, in order to inject a voice of reason into the debate.  The only way to make sure that the truth about needed health insurance reforms gets out is to engage with our neighbors.  There is a lot of fiction floating around in the media.  It’s up to us to demand quality affordable health care for all.” 

On Monday, September 21, coalition partners including AFSCME, APWU, Citizen Action, DALU, Health Care for America Now, IBEW, Ironworkers, LIUNA, NALC, UAW, UFCW, and USW delivered over 20,000 signatures on petitions, letters and postcards to Representative Steve Kagen’s Green Bay office in support of a robust public health insurance option.

On Tuesday, September 22, about 80 protesters from AFSCME, AFT, Citizen Action, CWA, Health Care for America Now, IAMAW, OPEIU, SEIU, UFCW and student groups rallied outside of a speech given by WellPoint CEO Angela Braly on the campus of Marquette University.

Braly has been a vocal opponent of a public health insurance option, and it isn’t hard to figure out why.  WellPoint’s near monopoly in many insurance markets netted the company 2.5 billion dollars in profits last year.

The Milwaukee WellPoint rally was part of a National Day of Action in support of health insurance reform: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-dreier/wellpoint-poster-child-fo_b_294343.html

Our next National Day of Action is coming up on Wednesday, Oct. 7.  We must make it clear to Congress that Wisconsin workers need health insurance reform that includes a strong public option.  No matter where you live in the state, you can call your elected officials on this number:

877-323-5246 

(Photos from top to bottom, left to right. Photo 1: Rep. Steve Kagen, receiving over 20,000 signatures in support of a public insurance option. Front row: Julie Huen, AFSCME; Elaine Capelle, AFSCME; John Dillion, NALC; Congressman Kagen; Mark Linszmeier, LIUNA; Steve Childress, USW; Pat Vesser, UAW.  Back Row: Greg Hinds, DALU; Jack Krueger, AFSCME; Dan Cole, Iron; Tony Vanderbloemen, Greater Green Bay Area Labor Council President; Mike Cole, IRON; Jim Ridderbush, UFCW; Greg Whitcomb, USW; Dan Vandenbush, USW. Photo Credit: Jorna Taylor. Photo 2: Members of UFCW Local 1473 outside of Sen. Russ Feingold's Milwaukee listening session.  Photo Credit: Justin Geiger.  Photo 3:  Members of OPEIU Local 35 outside of Sen. Russ Feingold's Milwaukee listening session. Photo Credit: Justin Geiger.  Photo 4: WFNHP-AFT member at health care rally in response to the Milwaukee tea party.  Photo Credit: Justin Geiger.  Photo 5: Crowd delivering petitions in support of a public health insurance option to Rep. Steve Kagen in Green Bay. Photo Credit: Greg Hinds.  Photo 6: IAMAW members protest WellPoint.  Photo Credit: Justin Geiger.)

Labor Day Statewide Round Up

An estimated 18,000 people watched or participated in some portion of Milwaukee’s Labor Fest, about 14,000 of whom were union members.  The event kicked off with a parade through downtown Milwaukee at 11 a.m., followed by a free family-friendly festival on the Summerfest grounds (Maier Festival Park).

As you can tell from the photographs, health care was on the minds of many Milwaukee Area Labor Council members as they marched this year.  Over 1,000 signed postcards were collected in support of health insurance reform and the Employee Free Choice Act.

Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President David Newby also focused on health care and Employee Free Choice when he addressed Labor Day picnics in Racine and Kenosha.  Those events had a combined attendance of about 600 people.  Newby was also featured on statewide public radio (Joy Cardin's 8 a.m. show) and WCLO in Janesville, as well as Wisconsin Public Television ("Here and Now") on Friday evening.

Labor Fest participants at the Madison Labor Temple signed over 100 cards in support of health insurance reform and the Employee Free Choice Act.  Representatives of all sectors of labor – manufacturing, public sector, building trades, service sector, and retirees – were on hand to thank Rep. Tammy Baldwin for her continued leadership on health care reform.

“Every time any of our ninety affiliated labor unions go to the bargaining table, they are confronted with the issue of rising health care costs and sometimes forced to the street in order to maintain their families’ health insurance,” said Jim Cavanaugh, president of the South Central Federation of Labor.  “Now, at long last, genuine health care reform – the number one issue for both organized labor and Rep. Baldwin – is the main agenda item in Congress.  Rep. Baldwin both publicly, in Committee, and behind the scenes has worked tirelessly to improve the health care reform bill, and we wanted to thank her.”

Earlier in the day Rep. Baldwin and Sen. Russ Feingold drew a crowd of approximately 20,000 people to Labor Day celebrations in Rock County.  Feingold has also been a strong supporter of health insurance reform and the rights of workers to join and form unions.

Rep. Ron Kind attended Labor Day events in both Eau Claire and La Crosse.  The Eau Claire Labor Day picnic drew about 350 people.  The La Crosse Labor Day parade boasted between 300 and 400 union marchers with over 1,000 spectators cheering them on.

Close to 800 people participated in Labor Day events sponsored by the Greater Green Bay Labor Council.  Be sure to read the fantastic coverage of labor issues which ran in the Green Bay Press Gazette:
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090907/GPG0101/909070543/1207/GPG01/Unions-look-to-future-this-Labor-Day

Marathon County showcased a Labor Day parade, drawing thousands of participants.  The Wood County and Vicinity CLC hosted Labor Day activities for hundreds of union and community members in Wisconsin Rapids.  Fox Valley, Fond du Lac, and Oshkosh all hosted local Labor Day activities.   Not to be out done, union members in Superior held their annual Labor Day Dance.

For more Labor Day pictures, be sure to visit the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO’s brand new flickr account: http://flickr.com/photos/wisaflcio

(Photos listed from top to bottom, right to left.  Photo 1: UAW and CWA members march in the Milwaukee Labor Day Parade.  Photo Credit: Justin Geiger.  Photo 2: UFCW members march in the Milwaukee Labor Day Parade.  Photo Credit: Justin Geiger. Photo 3: La Crosse Labor Day Parade.  Photo Credit: Andy Thompson. Photo 4: The South Central Federation of Labor (SCFL) presented a special award to Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, in recognition of her ongoing strides towards health care reform.  Photo Credit: Union Labor News. Photo 5: Madison Labor Fest.  Photo Credit: Union Labor News. Photo 6: Members of USW march in the Milwaukee Labor Day Parade.  Photo Credit: Dom Noth.  Photo 7: Nurses of WFNHP-AFT march in the Milwaukee Labor Day Parade.  Photo Credit: Dom Noth.)