News

President’s Corner – Merger Update
Submitted by Greg Georg

As many of you are aware, resolutions were passed at the AFT-Wisconsin (AFT-W) Convention last October and at the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) Representative Assembly in December setting up a Unity Committee to discuss a possible merger of AFT-Wisconsin and WEAC.  The Unity Committee held its first meeting in mid-December and has held five two-day sessions to this point.  There are twenty-six members on the committee made up from members of AFT-W and WEAC and staff from AFT-W, WEAC, American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

From the Ashes – The Phoenix is Rising

Submitted by Mark Kuechler

With Act 10, Scott Walker and his allies both inside and outside of government attempted to destroy unions in Wisconsin, starting with public ones.  In effect he laid our unions on the funeral pyre and set it ablaze.  He should have paid more attention in school.  If he had he’d have remembered the legend of the phoenix.  A phoenix finds new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor.  Perhaps he never paid attention when watching (or reading) the more contemporary “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” where a phoenix

April 30, 2013.   Representative Terese Berceau and Senator Tim Cullen sent
to all state legislators a proposal to allow county clerks to appoint county–wide Special Registration Deputies (SRD).  They are seeking co-sponsors.

Contact your legislator urging him/her to support this effort to encourage voting rather than trying to suppress it. 

Read More

The South Central Federation of Labor has announced the availability of four $1,0000 scholarships.   The application deadline is June 26, 2013.  Eligibility criteria includes:

-- Must be a member or child of a member who belongs to an affiliated union (WPEC is an affiliated union),

--  Must live or work in Dane, Sauk, Iowa, Dodge, Jefferson or Columbia county,

--  Must not have already received a post-secondary degree. 

In addition, members or children of members who live or work in Dodge County are also eligible for one of two, $500 scholarships.

Application deadline is June 26, 2013.

Scholarship

April 25, 2013.  The fourth district court of appeals has asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to take up  the appeal of Judge Juan Colas' decison regarding Act 10.  

Read the Decision

Read WPR News Report

SAVE THE DATE!   The WPEC Convention is scheduled for Saturday, April 27 at the Pyle Center. 

District meetings will be held in March..  For information on the annual meeting in your district, see below or contact your district rep.

District Meetings

Constitutional Amendment 1 - Form  [Clean-up proposed by Constitution Com]

Constitutional Amendment 1 - Changes

Constitutional Amendment 2 - Form  [Clean-up proposed by Constitution Com]

Constitutional Amendment 2 - Changes

Constitutional Amendment 3 - Form [Changes for additional bargaining units]

Constitutional Amendment 3 - Changes

Constitutional

Save the Date!  The SEC Professional Development Day is coming.  Friday, April 26 at the Pyle Center. 

See the flyer. 

A Conference on Representing Wisconsin Public Workers Post-Act 10.   Saturday, April 6, 2013, 8:30 to 4:30.   Also a Friday evening event.  Speakers include Matthew Lushkin, Chicago Teachers Union, Tom Brewer, NC Firefighters and others. 

Draft Agenda.

Wisconsin State AFL-CIO  (MILWAUKEE, WI)

"As Wisconsin working families call on Wall Street and the

wealthiest 2% to pay their fair share in taxes, a new report by U.S. PIRG, shows

that Wisconsin loses $814 million in individual and corporate income tax every

year due to tax havens set up by corporations and the very wealthy.  Read Press Release

Senator Jon Erpenbach has been directed by a Grant County Judge to turn over to the court non-redacted copies of emails he received regarding Act 10. 

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article.

The legal decision.    

On a different note, Department of Corrections Secretary Ed Wall sent employees an email warning about "spreading rumors".    He also told them not to expect that their blind copies on emails would be private -- central office sees all. 

AP article about Wall's message.

Wall's message.