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 (AFT-

Wisconsin) www.aft-wisconsin.org

• TAUWP local 3535 www.tauwp.org

• UFAS local 223 www.ufas.org (UW Madison only)