Following the introduction of a UW-Madison faculty senate resolution of no confidence in UW System President Ray Cross and the Board of Regents, faculty around the UW System were vocal in their call for accountability at the top of the System.
Union members understand the value of community. One of the most fundamental reasons people join and participate in unions is because they know that whether it's at work, at home, or in our communities, we are all stronger - and happier - when we work together to make our lives better. The members of AFT local 3497, the McFarland Federation of Teachers, put those values into action on March 17 by helping to provide a meal to McFarland residents through Shared Table.
The first version of the employee handbook for the Ashland school district was created with extensive input from members of the Ashland Federation of Teachers (AFT local 1275) and the Ashland Federation of Paraprofessionals (AFT local 4232), with representatives of each union sitting on a handbook committee with the administration. However, the following year, union members were surprised to see substantial changes made without any opportunity for employee input. Members of both locals met to discuss the issue, and decided to organize their coworkers and take the issue to the next district school board meeting, where they would petition the board to re-form the handbook committee as a permanent working group.
When Wisconsin Republicans introduced legislation to remove key components of the civil service system, members of AFT-Wisconsin state employee unions quickly mobilized alongside other supporters of clean government, forming the Wisconsin Coalition to Save Civil Service. Alongside their AFSCME union sisters and brothers, AFT-Wisconsin activists organized building meetings to spread the word about the importance of civil service to clean government and effective state agencies.
AFT-Wisconsin is proud to announce that it has endorsed Russ Feingold in his campaign for the US Senate. President Kim Kohlhaas sent the following letter to Mr. Feingold to announce the endorsement:
Dear Mr. Feingold,
It is with great pleasure that I, on behalf of the AFT-Wisconsin Executive Board and our thousands of members across the state of Wisconsin, offer our full support to your campaign and endorse you in your bid for the US Senate.
Faculty, staff, graduate employees, and students from across the University of Wisconsin System gathered on Friday, February 5, to rally in defense of tenure, quality education, and academic freedom before the Board of Regents gathered to review draft policies on faculty tenure.
As members of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents gathered to consider new tenure policies for the UW System, AFT-Wisconsin and the American Association of University Professors issued the following joint statement (PDF):
AFT-Wisconsin has a long tradition of offering educational scholarships to support dependents of members in good standing who wish to pursue a career in labor, education, health care or government service. Currently, AFT-Wisconsin offers one $1,000 university scholarship and one $500 technical college scholarship. The application period for 2015-2016 scholarships is now open; applications are due to AFT-Wisconsin by March 15, 2016, and winners will be notified by May 1, 2016.
The Wisconsin Labor History Society sponsors two annual competitions for Wisconsin students. Wisconsin high school students in grades 9-12 are invited to participate in an essay contest on the theme of the importance of unions to their families and communities, with cash prizes of up to $300. College students (two- or four-year) and graduate students can participate in a research paper competition, with a $500 prize available at the college level and $1000 at the graduate level.