Dear Governor Walker, State Legislators and Citizens of Wisconsin,
As scholars, teachers and citizens, we recognize that the right to form unions and bargain collectively has been essential to the establishment and enrichment of democracy in Wisconsin, in the United States and around the world. The International Labor Organization, which the United States joined in 1934, states that “the right of workers and employers to form and join organizations of their own choosing is an integral part of a free and open society” and includes collective bargaining rights among the four “fundamental principles and rights at work.” The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which the United States endorsed in 1948, states that all workers have the “right to form and to join trade unions for the protection” of their interests.
Since 1935, it has been federal policy in the United States to “encourage collective bargaining” as a tool for avoiding labor conflict and improving wages and working conditions in private industry. The state of Wisconsin led the
way in extending those principles to the public sector, adopting a 1959 law stating that public employees, elected officials and the public itself all have an interest in “industrial peace, regular and adequate income for the employee, and uninterrupted production of goods and services.” Toward that end, the law affirmed that “an employee has the right, if the employee desires, to associate with others in organizing and bargaining collectively through representatives of the employee’s own choosing, without intimidation or coercion from any source.”
We are concerned, therefore, about the governor’s proposal to deprive public employees of the right to bargain collectively in Wisconsin. Collective bargaining has been critical to providing decent standards of living to millions of Americans, playing a central role in the creation of this nation’s large middle class. Unions have also been crucial vehicles for democracy, giving workers a voice in their places of employment and in society as a whole. Curtailing workers’ ability to form unions and to bargain collectively can only diminish the economic and political benefits that the practice has brought to our state.
As UW faculty, we are particularly concerned about the impact that this proposal would have on staff and graduate assistants, upon whom we rely for crucial support as we conduct our research and teach our courses. Staff is the organizational infrastructure of the university. They create communication structures, advise students, schedule classes and rooms, orchestrate information and computing technology, manage budgets and finances and myriad other essential tasks – at wages already lower than they would receive in the private sector.
Graduate assistants teach 85% of the discussion sections and 17% of the lectures at UW Madison, while staffing 46% of the research labs. Their wages and benefits are already very low, and any additional cuts will have detrimental effects on their efficiency and morale, as well as their health and well-being. Such cuts will also make it very difficult for us to recruit the high-quality staff and graduate students that have helped make UW Madison a leading research university in the United States and internationally. From there it is a short step to losing out in the competition for federal research dollars, through which UW currently injects nearly $1 billion into the state’s economy each year.
We recognize that the state faces a severe budget shortfall. We have already taken wage and benefits cuts to help address that problem and expect to make more sacrifices in the future. But eliminating collective bargaining will not address this shortfall. We urge you not to allow this crisis to undermine our state’s strong traditions of democracy and human rights.
Signed by the University Committee, the executive committee of the Faculty Senate, and 332 members of the UW faculty.
2. Anne Enke, Gender and Women’s Studies and History
3. Nan Enstad, History
4. Christina Ewig, Gender and Women’s Studies and Political Science
5. Camille Guerin-Gonzales, History and Chicano and Latino Studies
6. Susan L. Johnson, History
7. William P. Jones, History
8. Stephen Kantrowitz, History
9. Tony Michels, History and Jewish Studies
10. Brenda Gayle Plummer, History and Afro American Studies
11. Mary Louise Roberts, History
12. Suzanne Desan, History
13. Christina Greene, Afro American Studies
14. Gay Seidman, Sociology
15. Susan Zaeske, Communication Arts
16. Sara McKinnon, Communication Arts
17. Karma Chavez, Communication Arts
18. Robert Glenn Howard, Communication Arts
19. Kelly Conway, Communication Arts
20. Catalina Toma, Communication Arts
21. Zhongdang Pan, Communication Arts
22. Jenell Johnson, Communication Arts
23. Lewis A. Friedland, Journalism and Mass Communication
24. Myra Marx Ferree, Sociology
25. Pam Herd, Sociology
26. Sandra Adell, Afro American Studies
27. Pamela Oliver, Sociology
28. Katherine Curtin, Community and Environmental Sociology
29. Julie D’Acci, Gender and Women’s Studies
30. Eunjung Kim, Gender and Women’s Studies
31. Pernille Ipsen, Gender and Women’s Studies
32. Keisha Lindsay, Gender and Women’s Studies
33. Jess Gilbert, Community and Environmental Sociology
34. Rudy Koshar, History, German and Religious Studies
35. Mike Bell, Community and Environmental Sociology
36. Mariana Pacheco, Curriculum and Instruction
37. Laird Boswell, History
38. Sandy Maga?a, Chicano & Latino Studies and Social Work
39. Russ Castronovo, English
40. Jane Collins, Community & Environmental Sociology
41. William Cronon
42. Ben Marquez, Chicano and Latino Studies and Political Science
43. Eric Raimy, English
44. Aida Hussen, English
45. Alan Sidelle, Philosophy
46. Richard F Young, Department of English
47. Henry Southgate, Philosophy
48. Paula Gottlieb, Philosophy and Classics
49. Cecilia E. Ford, English and Sociology
50. Robert Streiffer, Medical History and Bioethics; Philosophy
51. Russ Shafer-Landau, Professor of Philosophy
52. Kathleen Bartzen Culver, Journalism and Mass Communication
53. Daniel M. Hausman, Philosophy
54. Sara Guyer, English
55. Helen M. Kinsella, Political Science
56. Jim Anderson, Philosophy
57. Michael Titelbaum, Philosophy
58. Harry Brighouse, Philosophy and Education Policy Studies
59. Greg Downey, Journalism & Mass Communication / Library & Information Studies
60. Jimmy Casas Klausen, Poltiical Science
61. Jon McKenzie, English
62. Francisco A. Scarano, History
63. James H. Sweet, History
64. Heinz Klug, School of Law
65. Steve Ridgely, East Asian Languages and Literature
66. John Williams, Geography
67. Anne McClintock, English and Gender and Women’s Studies
68. Mary N. Layoun, Comparative Literature
69. Rob Nixon, English
70. Heidi-Lynn Ploeg, Mechanical Engineering
71. W. John Kao, Pharmacy, Surgery and Biomedical Engineering
72. Shawnika J. Hull, School of Journalism & Mass Communication
73. Andy Sheinis, Astronomy
74. Donald R. Davis, Jr., Languages & Cultures of Asia, Religious Studies
75. Adam L. Kern, East Asian Languages & Literature
76. Ajay K. Sethi, Population Health Sciences
77. Michael H. Coen, Biostatistics and Medical Informatics
78. Nicole Huang, East Asian Languages and Literature
79. Gregg Mitman, Medical History and Bioethics/History of Science
80. Teju Olaniyan, African Languages and Literature & English
81. Noah Feinstein, Curriculum and Instruction
82. Tonya L. Brito, Law School
83. Deborah Blum, School of Journalism and Mass Communication
84. Maria Lepowsky, Anthropology and of Gender and Women’s Studies
85. Pilar N. Ossorio, Law and Bioethics
86. Steven Nadler, Philosophy
87. Craig Werner, Afro-American Studies
88. Christopher Livanos, Comparative Literature
89. Thomas A. DuBois, Scandinavian Studies
90. Claire Wendland, Anthropology
91. Edward Friedman, Political Science
92. Elizabeth Mertz, Law School
93. Anne Hansen, Languages & Cultures of Asia
94. Anne Vila, French and Italian
95. Fran Hirsch, History
96. Leonora Neville, History
97. William J. Reese, History
98. Jim Leary, Folklore, Scandinavian Studies, Cntr for Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures
99. Jo Scheder, Human Development & Family Studies
100. Young Mie Kim, School of Journalism and Mass Communication
101. Mary Beltr?n, Communication Arts & Chicana/o-Latina/o Studies
102. Alexandra Huneeus, Law and Legal Studies
103. Julia Murray, Art History
104. Tomislav Z. Longinovic, Slavic and Comparative Literature
105. Nancy Rose Marshall, Art History
106. Aili Tripp, Political Science and Gender & Women’s Studies
107. Judith W. Leavitt, Medical History and Gender and Women’s Studies
108. Ellen Samuels, English and Gender and Women’s Studies
109. Pamela Kreeger, Biomedical Engineering
110. Nicholas Cahill, Art History and Classics
111. Patti Brennan, Nursing/Industrial Engineering
112. Susannah Camic, Law School
113. Alan Jay Weisbard, Law School
114. Marianne Bloch, Curriculum and Instruction
115. Eric Schatzberg, History of Science
116. Gloria Ladson-Billings, Curriculum & Instruction
117. Julie Mitchell, Mathematics and Biochemistry
118. Theresa M. Kelley, English
119. Joe Dennis, History
120. Jan Miernowski, French and Italian
121. Mitch, Law School
122. Alison Brooks, Orthopedics
123. Victor Goldgel-Carballo, Spanish and Portuguese
124. Guillermina De Ferrari, Spanish and Portuguese
125. Susan Bernstein, English
126. Cindy Cheng, History
127. Judy Houck, History of Medicine
128. Lynn Nyhart, History of Science
129. Timothy Yu, English
130. Felix Elwert, Sociology
131. Michael Witmore, English
132. R. Wallace, English
133. Judith Mitchell, English
134. Robert Glenn Howard, Communication Arts
135. Caroline Levine, English
136. Neil Kodesh, History
137. Jennifer Ratner-Rosenhagen, History
138. Richard Staley, History of Science
139. Mara Loveman, Sociology
140. Chad Alan Goldberg, Sociology
141. Kelly Conway, Communication Arts
142. Lynet Uttal, Human Dev and Family Studies, Asian Am, CLS, GWS
143. Sabine Gruffat, Communication Arts
144. Simone A. Schwaber, Curriculum and Instruction
145. Diana Hess, Curriculum and Instruction
146. Mario Ortiz Robles, English
147. Patricia Rosenmeyer, Classics
148. Cecilia E. Ford, English and Sociology
149. Lauren Kroiz, Art History
150. Susan E. Babcock, Materials Science and Engineering
151. Jordan Zweck, English
152. Michael H. Shank, History of Science and Integrated Liberal Studies
153. Martine Debaisieux, French and Italian
154. Chuck Kalish, Educational Psychology
155. Erik Olin Wright, Sociology
156. Henry Drewal, Art History and Afro-American Studies
157. Chaeyoon Lim, Sociology
158. Ellen Rafferty, Languages and Cultures of Asia
159. Rajiv Rao, Spanish & Portuguese
160. Michael Bernard-Donals, English
161. Ronald L. Troxel, Hebrew and Semitic Studies
162. Lydia Zepeda, Consumer Science
163. Lisa H. Cooper, English
164. Carolyn Kallenborn, Design Studies
165. Paola Hern?ndez, Spanish and Portuguese
166. Aliko Songolo, French & Italian, African Languages & Literature
167. Cathy Stafford, Spanish and Portuguese.
168. Dhavan V. Shah, Journalism and Mass Communication
169. Steven Hutchinson, Spanish & Portuguese
170. Florence Vatan, French and Italian
171. Pablo Ancos, Spanish and Portuguese
172. Nilesh Patel, Law School
173. Kristyn Masters, Biomedical Engineering
174. Diane Lauver, School of Nursing
175. Kathryn Sanchez, Spanish and Portuguese
176. William C. Whitford, Emeritus Professor of Law
177. Sana Aiyar, History
178. Jill H. Casid, Art History
179. Ann Smart Martin, Art History
180. Ernesto Livorni, French and Italian
181. Judith Harackiewicz, Psychology
182. Rachel F. Brenner, Hebrew and Semitic Studies
183. Marsha M. Mansfield, Law School
184. Diana Frantzen, Spanish & Portuguese
185. Karyn Riddle, School of Journalism & Mass Communication
186. Kenneth M. George, Anthropology
187. John DeLamater, Sociology
188. Daniel Kleinman, Community and Environmental Sociology
189. Doug Maynard, Sociology
190. Sharon E. Hutchinson, Anthropology
191. Melanie Frances Manion, Science and Public Affairs
192. Scott Gehlbach, Political Science
193. Sida Liu, Sociology
194. Florence Bernault, History
195. Lewis Leavitt, Pediatrics
196. Ted Gerber, Sociology, Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia
197. Thomas A. DiPrete, Sociology
198. Sarah Thal, History
199. Katherine Cramer Walsh, Political Science
200. Jonathan Gray, Communication Arts
201. Laura Senier, Community & Environmental Sociology and Family Medicine
202. Leslie Bow, English and Asian American Studies
203. Gary Green, Community & Environmental Sociology
204. Jack Kloppenburg, Community and Environmental Sociology
205. Doug Maynard, Sociology
206. John DeLamater, Sociology
207. David Loewenstein, English, Center for Early Modern Studies
208. Marie-Louise Mares, Communication Arts
209. R. Anderson Sutton, School of Music
210. Richard A. Monette, Law School
211. Margarita Zamora, Professor of Spanish
212. Anders Carlson, Geoscience, Center for Climatic Research
213. Kristin Phillips-Court, French and Italian
214. Mariamne Whatley, Gender & Women’s Studies
215. Nancy Worcester, Gender & Women’s Studies
216. Bill Brown, Communication Arts
217. Harold Scheub, African Languages and Literature
218. Michael Peterson, Theatre and Drama
219. Barbara C. Buenger, Art History
220. Leann M. Tigges, Community and Environmental Sociology
221. Philip Hollander Hebrew & Semitic Studies and Jewish Studies
222. Laurie Beth Clark, Art
223. Lea Jacobs, Communication Arts
224. Christine Garlough, Gender and Women’s Studies
225. Steven Winspur, French
226. N?vine El Nossery, French and Italian
227. Ruth Robarts, Law School
228. Christine M. Seroogy, Pediatrics
229. Ellen W. Sapega, Spanish & Portuguese
230. Francis Schrag, Educational Policy Studies
231. Ullrich Langer, French & Italian
232. Lalita du Perron, Center for South Asia
233. Rania Huntington, East Asian Languages and Literature
234. Peter Timbie, Physics
235. Chris Jones, Religious Studies
236. Frank Salomon, Anthropology
237. Neil Whitehead, Anthropology
238. Charles L. Cohen, History and Religious Studies
239. Manon van de Water, Theatre and Drama
240. Thomas J. D. Armbrecht, French & Italian
241. Robert M. Hauser, Sociology
242. Sandra Ward, School of Nursing
243. Scott Straus
244. Jonathan Mark Kenoyer, Anthropology
245. Colleen Dunlavy, History
246. Ronald Radano, Musicology and Ethnomusicology
247. Yoram Shenker, Internal Medicine
248. Caitilyn Allen, Plant Pathology
249. Lisa Martin, Political Science
250. Joseph Thome, Law School
251. Sabine Gross, German
252. Lu?s Madureira, Spanish and Portuguese
253. Ron Serlin, Educational Psychology
254. Katherine A. Bowie, Anthropology
255. Marc Silberman, German
256. Quitman E. Phillips, Art Hist., Religious Studies, E. Asian Studies
257. Robert J. Bickner, Department of Languages and Cultures of Asia
258. Michael Connors, Art
259. Robert Asen, Communication Arts
260. Katherine Pratt Ewing, Department of Anthropology
261. William J. Reese, History
262. Preeti Chopra, Languages & Cultures of Asia, Design Studies
263. Kate Corby, Dance
264. Laura McClure, Classics
265. Joan Fujimura, Sociology
266. Alex Dressler, Classics
267. Susan E. Babcock, Material Science and Engineering
268. Brad Barham, Agricultural and Applied Economics
269. Judith Burstyn, Chemistry
270. Gail Geiger, Art History
271. Peter Lipton, Physiology
272. Ann Palmenberg, Biochemistry
273. Michael Schatzberg, Department of Political Science
274. Shannon Sparks, Human Development & Family Studies, American Indian Studies
275. Zhongdang Pan, Communication Art
276. Kirin Narayan, Anthropology
277. Beverly Gordon, Design Studies
278. Andre Wink, History
279. Frances Myers, Art
280. Monica Grant, Sociology
281. Stephen Hilyard, Art
282. Johann Sommerville, History
283. Jane Allyn Piliavin, Sociology
284. Robert F. Freeland, Sociology
285. Jill Harrison, Community & Environmental Sociology
286. Laura McClure, Classics
287. Joan Fujimura, Sociology
288. David Danaher, Slavic Languages
289. Kenneth R. Mayer, Political Science
290. Nancy Langston, Forest and Wildlife Ecology, Nelson institute, History
291. Jean-Luc Thiffeault, Mathematics
292. Rebeccah Katzenberger, Cellular and Regenerative Biology
293. Robert B. Howell, German
294. Tracy A. Schroepfer, Social Work
295. Nam C. Kim, Anthropology
296. David Beebe, Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research
297. Thomas Mitchell, Law School
298. Mustafa Emirbayer, Sociology
299. Barry Burden, Political Science
300. Katherine Bowie, Anthropology
301. Judith Harackiewicz, Psychology
302. Jan Greenberg, Social Work
303. Matthew Turner, Geography
304. Mark L. Louden, German
305. Ray Vanderby, Biomedical Engineering and Orthopedics & Rehabilitation
306. Christina Hull, Department of Biomolecular Chemistry
307. Mike Graham, Chemical and Biological Engineering
308. Gail Simpson, Art
309. Aris Georgiades, Art
310. Erlin Barnard, Languages and Cultures of Asia
311. David L. Weimer, Political Science
312. Dick Ringer, English and Scandanavian Studies
313. Steve Feren, Art
314. Ivan Ermakoff, Sociology
315. Patricia Flatley Brennan, Nursing, Engineering, Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery
316. Dayle B. DeLancey, Medical History and Bioethics, History of Science
317. Audrey Tluczek, Nursing
318. Kristine Kwekkeboom, Nursing
319. Forence Hsia, History of Science
320. Susan K. Riesch, Nursing
321. Mary Ellen Murray, Nursing
322. Mary Trotter, Theater and Drama
323. Roseanne Clark, Psychiatry
324. Susan Zahner, Nursing
325. Lee Palmer Wandel, History
326. Richard M. Pauli, Pediatrics
327. Steve Bauman, Mathematics
328. Sissel Schroeder, Anthropology
329. Guillermina De Ferrari, Spanish and Portuguese
330. Barry Orton, Professional Development & Applied Studies
331. Susan M. Heidrich, Nursing
332. Thongchai Winichakul, History
333. Cora Lee Kluge, Professor, German
