News

Kenosha

     Kenosha Fest, Sep 7, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm, St. Therese Picnic Grounds

          Link

Madison

   SCFL Labor Fest -- Sep 7, Noon to 5:30 pm, Labor Temple

          Flyer

          Special Collection for Homeless Students

Milwaukee

     Labor Fest, Sep 7, various activities, Tee Shirts for Order

          Link

Racine

     Racine County Labor Fest, Sep 7, Noon to 5:00 pm, Caledonia-Mt. Pleasant Park

           Link

7/7/15 -- Breaking News: Republicans say they’ll drop proposed changes to JSCRS.

"Swift and strong outcry from current and retired

public employees prompted majority

Republicans in the Legislature on Tuesday to

eliminate a state budget provision that would

have changed the makeup of a committee

overseeing the Wisconsin Retirement System." (WSJ, 7/7/15)

CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY:  The Joint Finance Committee passed an amendment to the state budget (Budget Modifications #999) that changes the composition of the Joint Survey on Retirement Systems  Committee (JSRSC).  They want to load the committee with appointed legislators so they can rush through any changes they want to the WRS.   

The JSRSC was created in 1947 and currently is composed of legislate members from both parties along with representatives from the public, the Department of Employee Trust Funds, the Attorney General, and the Insurance Commissioner. 

The Committee would become entirely APPOINTED legislators under Joint Finance's proposal. 

Read ETF's description of JSRSC

Read POWRS' description of Change

Read POWRS' sample letter

Read WSJ Article - Republicans Abandon WRS Changes

August 30 -- Black Latino Unity Picnic
 

On June 19, 2015, OSER sent the comp plan to the Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER).  It includes no general wage adjustment for either year of the biennium.  Combined with the coming increases to the group health insurance plans, this means another two years of pay cuts. 

Read the Cover Letter

Read the Summary

Read LFB Paper on Comp Reserves

An AFL-CIO Budget Summary

The following is a summary both on recent efforts to repeal our Prevailing Wage laws and on the Joint Finance Committee’s activities over the last 10 days. After celebrating Memorial Day weekend, legislators returned to the Capitol last week only to launch further attacks on workers and Wisconsin’s working families through the budget and legislative processes.

Read the rest of the summary. 

Please join us for a Rally at the Capitol while the Legislature takes up the biennial state budget!  Support your co-workers at DNR and advocate for a different budget.   See the Updated Flyer.

June 11, 2015

4:30 pm:  Gather at GEF 2

5:00 pm:  March to the Capitol

There’s a lot to dislike in the Governor’s Budget, but it is especially disturbing that specific positions are being targeted at the DNR.  These proposed cuts

seem to reflect individual legislators’ pet peeves.    Senator Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, has acknowledged that he requested that the Governor cut 17 science positions because their

The Group Insurance Board announced that they had accepted the recommendations of the Segal Consulting Group.  It's clear that the changes will add significantly to the employee's costs.  In addition to newly added deductibles and fixed co-pays instead of co-insurance, it sounds like the dental coverage will be removed and offered as a separate, voluntary program.

Read the Segal Report

CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS! 

Joint Finance will be voting on the DNR Science Position Reductions this week.  Many of these positions are federally funded.  The cuts appear to be more about anti-science than saving money.

Position Reduction budget paper from Legislative Reference Bureau

Joint Finance schedule for the week of May 25

Clean Wisconsin's Statement Opposing the Cuts

Science Cuts may Hinder Efforts to stop Walleye Decline

Prominent Scientists Appeal to Preserve DNR Positions

Senator Tom Tiffany Asked for the DNR Cuts

Read the rest of the article here.

We are looking for members, particularly those that work for the DNR, to help with action planned in support of the WPEC and Science Professional employees of the DNR that have been targeted as at-risk.  Approximately 57 staff have received notices. 

There is a planning meeting being held this Thursday, May 7th, at the United Way building, 2059 Atwood Ave., Madison, in the Evjue Boardroom C, from 5:00 - 8:00 pm. 

We hope that staff from DNR, especially those not affected, can attend.  Please come if you can and learn how you can help.

Attached is a flyer for the event.  http://wpec.wi.aft.org