Transcript Status of Collective Bargaining in the UW – System

The Status of Collective
Bargaining Agreements
on UW Campuses
Thomas Kemp
Associate Professor of Economics
Statewide Treasurer TAUWP Local
3535
Legal Status
• Prior to the passage of the budget U.W.
Faculty had the right to join unions.
• UW-Madison United Faculty and
Academic Staff (UFAS) AFT local 223.
• All other campuses The Association of
University of Wisconsin Professional
(TAUWP) AFT local 3535.
Legal Status
• The 2009-2011 Biennial Wisconsin
Budget extends collective bargaining
rights to all U.W. Faculty and Academic
Staff (Both categories A and B).
The Process
• The right to collective bargaining does
not mean U.W. Faculty and Academic
Staff bargain collectively. The
bargaining unit must vote to exercise
these rights.
• Before a vote the effective institutional
structure must be built.
The Process
• Authorization Cards
• Are a request for a vote on collective
bargaining
• 30% of bargaining unit required by the
Wisconsin Employee Relations Committee
(WERC) must have signed cards for a vote to
be held
• Signing an authorization card does not imply
you will vote for collective bargaining nor
does it make you a member of a union.
The Process
• If authorization cards are in order WERC will
call for a campus vote
• Items to vote on: a) collective bargaining, b)
the bargaining unit, and c) bargaining
representation.
• WERC will verify results
• Majority of votes wins. E.g., If only three votes
are cast and two are in support of collective
bargaining vote passes.
The Process
• Union membership is not required no matter
what the vote outcome. (No closed shop.)
• Should collective bargaining be voted up the
bargaining unit may call for a “fair share” vote
to avoid “free-riding”.
• A fair-share vote requires a 2/3 majority.
• If majority is achieved all non-union members
will be required to pay fair share dues.
• Fair share dues are based on the cost of
running the union. NOT the costs associated
with union organizing or political activity.
Ongoing Activity
• On several campuses (Notably Superior, Eau
Claire, and LaCrosse) organizing committees
have been formed and are active.
• Members of the organizing committees meet
with faculty to gauge concerns and interest.
• The above campuses are expected to be
moving to distributing authorization cards late
this semester or early next semester.
• A number of other campuses have started to
form organizing committees.
Contact
• American Federation of Teachers (AFTWisconsin) www.aft-wisconsin.org
• TAUWP local 3535 www.tauwp.org
• UFAS local 223 www.ufas.org (UW
Madison only)