Spring Break
Senate passes collective bargaining bill
But Committee in Assembly refuses to hear similar legislation
Nick Halter
Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: News
Academic Staff Professional Representation Organization (ASPRO) lobbies for faculty and academic staff in the system. It opposes the bill because it could leave out academic staff from unionizing with a more powerful unit, such as the UW-Madison faculty.
"With limited resources from the state we feel that the faculty will get more of the money and we'll just get the crumbs if anything is left over," said Vice President Dennis Shaw, a staff member at UW-Stout.
Shaw agreed that there is a problem with faculty and staff leaving the state and that he isn't against unionizing. He just wants academic staff and faculty to create one union and work together.
The State version of the bill passed with bipartisan support as three Republican senators voted for it.
Jill Malak, a representative for the American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin, which represents public employees and lobbies for collective bargaining in the System, said she is happy with how far the bill has gotten. But she is disappointed that Nass won't hear the bill, but AFT will find a way to get around him.
She attributed the "brain drain" in Wisconsin at least partially to restrictions on collective bargaining.
"(Professors) recognize that collective bargaining rights is one more thing that isn't being offered as it is in our border states," she said, adding that the bill will help the System in recruiting new professors.
"With limited resources from the state we feel that the faculty will get more of the money and we'll just get the crumbs if anything is left over," said Vice President Dennis Shaw, a staff member at UW-Stout.
Shaw agreed that there is a problem with faculty and staff leaving the state and that he isn't against unionizing. He just wants academic staff and faculty to create one union and work together.
The State version of the bill passed with bipartisan support as three Republican senators voted for it.
Jill Malak, a representative for the American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin, which represents public employees and lobbies for collective bargaining in the System, said she is happy with how far the bill has gotten. But she is disappointed that Nass won't hear the bill, but AFT will find a way to get around him.
She attributed the "brain drain" in Wisconsin at least partially to restrictions on collective bargaining.
"(Professors) recognize that collective bargaining rights is one more thing that isn't being offered as it is in our border states," she said, adding that the bill will help the System in recruiting new professors.
Be the first to comment on this story