What an exciting Fall we have had, as we saw the election of Barack Obama to the Presidency and the return of a pro-labor majority to the Wisconsin State Assembly. We begin this new year with hope and determination. We can never really stop to take a rest when it comes to defending the rights of public employees and working to advance an agenda that benefits working families.
This year, we will finally have the chance to get our collective bargaining rights bill passed in the state legislature and signed by the Governor. For 35 years, faculty and academic staff in the UW system have been denied the basic human right to decide for themselves if they wish to have a union. As one who has been both faculty and academic staff at UW-Milwaukee, I can attest that this is a great move forward for our educational professionals in higher ed.

We are also in precarious economic times as a nation.  While we have seen the economy teeter on the brink of collapse, there are two bright, shining lights that give us hope. One has been the incoming presidency of Barack Obama. He has worked with his transition team to bring the best and brightest into his new administration. We can have every confidence that the man we supported for President is looking out for working families all over the country.  He and his team will do all that they can to get the financial market back on track.

Likewise, our new AFT National President, Randi Weingarten has stepped up and taken the lead on a new campaign to promote public services. Entitled “Re-invest, Don’t Disinvest,” AFT National’s new effort is to encourage investment in public services and infrastructure. Right now, when so many people are in need of the services that government provides, is not the time to make cuts in essential programs and services.

At AFT-Wisconsin, we have taken this new missive from our union and we have formed the first ever AFTW economic summit and bargaining conference. On January 24th, bargaining teams from all over our union will come together on the UW campus in Madison to examine the state’s fiscal crisis and to develop a plan of action. Now is not the time to give up past advances made at the bargaining table. Now is the time to make the case for reinvesting in our state and in our future.

It is a new year. And in 2009, our union will become stronger and we will continue to advance the interests of working families. I look forward to working with all of you to make this year the best year ever.