After Gov. Jim Doyle approved the right for University of Wisconsin employees to unionize in the state budget earlier this month, some UW employees are saying they are angry about the decision.
Originally the state budget gave power to the Wisconsin Employee Relations Commission to assign staff into unions. After Doyle used his veto power, however, he eliminated that wording. The question still remains whether WERC still has that power despite the veto.
Heather Daniels, chair of UW Academic Staff Executive Committee, said various unions have sent letters to staff members saying they should submit a petition to force them to join their union, adding she has received many complaints from staff members.?
“The most important thing is that (academic staff members) have a choice if they want to be assigned to a union and with who,” said United Faculty and Academic Staff President David Ahrens.
According to Ahrens, there are two issues at hand: the attempt to force members into bargaining units and the right to choose to be in a union.
Academic staff member Bob Ash said he is usually pro-union, but he would like to be given a voice in the process rather than be assigned to a union without being consulted first.
“Having an organization insert themselves and claim to represent me … cannot be operating in my best interests,” Ash said. “This appears to me like a power play by the union to grow their organization without having to consider the wishes of the targeted workers.”
UW System spokesperson David Giroux said the system has been neutral concerning the issue of employee organization or unionization, but it definitely disagrees with employees being forced to join a union.
Another factor that comes to play is the cost of having unions to the UW System. According to Giroux, it has been estimated if all schools were to adopt a union, the cost could reach up to $2 million.
In a time of significant budget cuts throughout the system, Giroux said the appropriate funding is not available.
Exactly who would pay the cost associated with the unions has not been determined, but both Ahrens and Daniels said it is likely academic staff members who choose not to join a union may be required to still pay those fees should the majority still vote for one.
“We are the last employees in the state not to have this right, and it will cost money to see it through, but the costs will be worth the right,” Ahrens said.
Ahrens also added having unions in the UW System could be a positive thing for students.
“It’s a good thing for students because it creates a politically powerful force that is an advocate for the university,” he said.
