An agreement approved by the Joint Committee on Employment Relations, the Wisconsin State Legislature and Gov. Tony Evers increases the University of Wisconsin Building Trades employee wages, according to a press release from UW.
The agreement was negotiated between UW and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, according to 2025 Assembly Bill 95.
The bargaining unit establishes a 4.12% increase in wage, with the unit providing a lump sum payment to employees in pay status on the date of implementation, according to the press release. The lump sum payment covers all hours in pay status back to June 30, 2024.
UW spokesperson Greg Bump explained the importance of the collective bargaining unit in an email statement to The Badger Herald.
“Providing an increase in pay helps the university to attract and retain skilled trades employees in a competitive job market,” Bump said in the statement.
The bargaining unit lump sum payment also applies to employees who have retired and died after Jun 30, 2024, according to the press release. Employees on unpaid leave of absence will receive a lump sum payment adjusting for hours worked going back to Jun 30, 2024 upon return of absence.
“The collective bargaining agreement reached between UW-Madison and the Building and Construction Trades Council of South-Central Wisconsin provides our valuable trades employees with a much-needed 4.12% compensation increase, helping employees’ wages to keep pace with inflation,” Bump said in the email statement.
