United Academic Professionals of UW-La Crosse

Governor Scott Walker’s proposed 2015-17 budget for the state of Wisconsin, introduced earlier this year, was jam-packed with shameful attacks on working Wisconsinites. Since then, Republican majorities on the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee (JFC) have been finding ways to make a bad budget even worse. Now that the JFC has wrapped up budget deliberations, its budget proposal will be taken up by the state Senate and Assembly, then head to Governor Walker’s desk for his signature.  Here's what AFT-Wisconsin President Kim Kohlhaas had to say:

I'm proud to share with you a joint statement from Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, and Sara Goldrick-Rab, professor of educational policy studies and sociology at UW-Madison and a member of AFT local 223, United Faculty and Academic Staff.  Randi and Sara, two committed educators and unionists, strongly condemn Scott Walker's attacks on higher education, which will slash essential state funding and threaten the bedrock of academic freedom upon which higher education depends.  Please share this statement widely and help us get the word out about the danger facing every university in the UW System, from Superior to Milwaukee.

Madison, WI: Responding to the Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee’s expected vote to slash $250 million in UW System funding and remove legislative protections for academic freedom and shared governance, union members in the UW System condemned the funding cuts and called on System and campus administrations to protect academic freedom. “Today’s move by JFC Republicans to pay for Scott Walker’s tax breaks for his wealthy donors by slashing public education is shameful,” said Eleni Schirmer, a UW-Madison graduate student and co-president of the Teaching Assistants’ Association, AFT local 3220.

The results are in, and the message is clear: strong unions matter.  Once again, every AFT-Wisconsin local union that pursued recertification was victorious, showing that even with the game rigged, union members still know how to organize for success.  (You can read AFT-Wisconsin's press release by clicking "more" below.)  Congratulations to members of the following AFT-Wisconsin local unions for their election victories!

• Local 212 - faculty and PSRP at Milwaukee Area Technical College
• Local 243 - full-time faculty and PSRP at Madison Area Technical College
• Local 395 - faculty at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College
• Local 2308 - faculty at Blackhawk Technical College
• Local 3338 - faculty at Moraine Park Technical College
• Local 3605 - faculty, non-teaching professionals, and PSRP at Western Technical College
• Local 4019 - PSRP at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College
• Local 6100 - part-time faculty at Madison Area Technical College

Wisconsin's spring non-partisan election will be held on Tuesday, April 7.  A state Supreme Court race is on the ballot, as well as a proposed amendment to our state constitution and many local races for school board, mayor, and city council.  AFT-Wisconsin, along with other state labor organizations including the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, has endorsed Justice Ann Walsh Bradley for Wisconsin Supreme Court, and a "no" vote on the proposed constitutional amendment to take the selection of the Court's Chief Justice out of the hands of Wisconsin voters.  Justice Bradley has a proven track record of standing up to special interests, and she votes impartially for fairness and justice for the people of Wisconsin.  For more information about local races, consult the Wisconsin AFL-CIO's list of endorsed local candidates - and please share with your family, friends, and neighbors!