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AFT-Wisconsin press release: UW System union members condemn funding cuts, attacks on academic freedom
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.
What the heck is going on with Wisconsin Public Education?
That's the provocative title of an article by Washington Post education reporter Valerie Strauss, who provides a comprehensive overview of the relentless assault on public education in Wisconsin.
Members organize for success in technical college recertification elections
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
Vote on April 7!
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!
President's Message: Walker signs "right to work": What Selma can teach us today
Governor Scott Walker broke yet another promise to working Wisconsinites this morning by signing so-called “right to work” legislation. After repeatedly stating that it was not a priority, that private sector unions were essential partners in economic recovery, and that the bill would never make it to his desk, he signed the bill gleefully, showing yet again that he’s willing to betray Wisconsin as many times as it takes in service to his personal political aspirations. But we’re not surprised; we’ve come to expect this from Scott Walker. We all know what Scott Walker’s promises are worth.
AFT-Wisconsin member and Marine veteran calls on Scott Walker to apologize
When Scott Walker compared 100,000 peaceful protestors - teachers, parents, police officers, fire fighters, students, nurses, and more - to the terrorists in ISIS, it hit home for William Schuth, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a member of AFT local 3220, the UW-Madison Teaching Assistants' Association. William has created a petition calling on Walker to apologize for his remarks: "Gov. Walker, veterans and service members who risked their lives to fight terrorism deserve better than that. Americans who speak up for their rights deserve better than that. Please, Gov. Walker, show some courage: publicly take ownership of your disrespectful comments and apologize."