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!

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."

Scores of AFT-Wisconsin members joined thousands of union members and community supporters at the state Capitol earlier this week to rally against Governor Scott Walker's latest attack on working Wisconsinites.  As the fight against so-called "right to work" continues, we'll be rallying at the Capitol again on Saturday, Feb. 28.  Join us on the State St. side of the Capitol square at noon to stand up for workers' rights!  Buses will be leaving from across Wisconsin on Saturday morning - click "more" for a full schedule.

Scores of AFT-Wisconsin members joined the thousands of Wisconsinites that converged on the Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 24, to protest legislation designed to weaken private sector unions.  (Be sure to check out our post on what you can do to stop so-called "right to work" legislation!)  And while union members and community supporters rallied outside, many more were making their voices heard inside the Capitol, registering their opposition to the bill, offering testimony about why it's wrong for Wisconsin, and holding a Solidarity Singalong in the rotunda.

So-called "right to work" legislation meant to attack private sector union workers is being fast-tracked through the Wisconsin Legislature this week. Our sisters and brothers in the private sector stood shoulder to shoulder with us when Scott Walker attacked us in 2011; now it's our turn to show that we remain united. Here are five things you can do to take action:

Madison, WI: Massive budget cuts and fundamental structural changes to the UW System proposed by Wisconsin governor Scott Walker today will lead to a significant reduction in the quality of education for UW System students, AFT-Wisconsin members and leaders predicted. “Scott Walker’s proposal to slash $300 million from the University of Wisconsin System shows that he’s willing to do just about anything as he puts his presidential ambitions above the needs of Wisconsin,” said AFT-Wisconsin President Kim Kohlhaas, a teacher in the Superior School District, in response to Walker’s plan. “He’s scrambling to find money to pay for his irresponsible tax cuts for his wealthy donors, and Wisconsin’s college students will have to pay the price. These cuts to the UW System will almost certainly threaten the ability of current students to graduate on time, and will damage, perhaps irrevocably, the ability of the UW System to attract and retain the best faculty and staff.”