Weekly Summaries

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August 26, 2010

BARGAINING…no bargaining was scheduled during this week. We will resume on Tuesday, 8/31 and continue meeting every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday through the month of September. Teams have been briefed on each unit’s language issues and tentative agreements. All team members are fully aware of each others’ status, so if you have questions now is a good time to contact the teams about specific issues and their standing. Even though the economy still continues to be weak, we do intend to explore some issues having economic impact. We hope we can begin earnest discussion on these issues during the month of September.

Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support – asuteam@wseu-24.org
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Services – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org

HEALTH INSURANCE…The Group Insurance Board met on 8/24 and was briefed that the cost for all HMO plans will increase by an average of 5.3%.

STEWARDS IN ACTION…9/14 and 9/15 in Mauston at the Park Oasis Restaurant. Registration forms available on the Council website (wseu-24.org).

TREASURER TRAINING…All locals should now have received details as follows:
9/23/10 -- 9 a. – 3 p.; Howard Johnson Inn, 2101 N. Mountain Rd., Wausau.
9/25/10 -- 9 a. – 3 p.; Clarion Suites, 2110 Rimrock Rd, Madison. Registration forms have been sent to local presidents and treasurers and are due by 9/1/10.

POLITICAL ACTION … visit the SEPAC website at www.wseu-sepac.org to review the schedule of political events and activities around the state and for other pertinent political information.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 9/24 , Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 9/13; at Council 24 unless otherwise noted.

August 19, 2010

BARGAINING…we continued this week, spending a majority of our time discussing classification issues as well as a couple of unit-specific issues. Discussions were informative, and we were able to strengthen our position on some issues. We feel that continuing these talks will bear results. No bargaining sessions are scheduled next week; we will resume meetings during the week of 8/30. Information on specifics is available from your teams at these addresses:

SNOW DAY SETTLEMENT…The 8/27/10 deadline is approaching to benefit from the settlement reached as a result of the 12/9/09 snow day. Please remind your co-workers that if they were forced to use paid or unpaid leave time, or actually worked that day, that they will be made whole or receive comp time ONLY if they notify their HR department by 8/27/10 of their status on that day.

POLITICAL ACTION …As the election season heats up, labor has scheduled all sorts of activities around candidates. We encourage you to visit the SEPAC website at www.wseu-sepac.org to review the schedule of activities around the state and for other pertinent political information.

WISCONSIN STATE AFL-CIO…will be holding its biennial convention on September 26, 27 and 28 in Green Bay. This is a particularly important convention, in that there will be election of table officers and a certain change in leadership. The Convention Call and Credentials have been sent to all affiliates. If your local did not receive their packet with the Call and Credentials, please call Council and talk to Lynn. If you received the call and credentials, please make sure your local is represented at this historical convention.

TREASURER TRAINING…9/23/10 in Wausau; 9/25/10 in Madison. Details coming soon through Wisconsin Area Office.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, August 27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 9/13; at Council 24 unless otherwise noted.

August 12, 2010

BARGAINING…The bargaining teams met with the employer Wednesday and Thursday of this week. We continue to make some progress in language issues. Topics of discussion include strengthening lay-off language, giving workers more flexibility in transfers and increased protections in medical terminations. We have been engaged in positive discussions which we think will result in resolving many of our issues. If you would like specifics about what topics your particular bargaining team is working on, please contact them at their respective websites.

The Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support – asuteam@wseu-24.org
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Services – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org

SEPAC …There is a schedule of on-going events that are quite important for state workers. We would strongly encourage you and your co-workers to visit the SEPAC website at www.wseu-sepac.org. These events can and will have an impact on your careers with the state.

GREEN SHEETS….Susan McMurray and John Grabel have developed another excellent Green Sheet regarding collective bargaining rights for public employees. We have included it in this mailing and urge you to not only read it, but to distribute it so that you can talk to legislators and other policy makers about the value of collective bargaining.

NEXT WAVE REMINDER…The response has been great, but we still have room. If you or your local has not registered, we strongly encourage you to do so. Included is a flyer with additional information.

TREASURER TRAINING…9/23/10 in Wausau; 9/25/10 in Madison. Details coming soon through Wisconsin Area Office.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, August 27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 9/13; at Council 24 unless otherwise noted.

August 5, 2010

BARGAINING…Meetings continued Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week. All teams met with the employer, and continued to work on language issues such as professional development improvements; layoff language improvements; and grievance process improvements to name a few. Some constructive discussion in has occurred and several T.A.’s have been reached, although none are economic in any nature, but rather contract language improvements. Teams will be back in and resume meetings again next week. As always, for specific explanations or details, contact your teams at these emails:
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support – asuteam@wseu-24.org
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Services – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org

INCLEMENT WEATHER SETTLEMENT…Pursuant to our memorandum of agreement resolving the 12/9/09 snow day issue, employees have until 8/27/10 to self report their status for that day in order to get the benefit of the settlement. Many of you have probably already done this, but it is important that all employees submit a request to their respective HR offices asking for the benefit of this settlement. There is no form or formal process by which to report, but just by word of mouth. However, we do encourage our members to use e-mail so that there is a record of your request. If you have questions or difficulty, contact your field representative or Marty Beil or Jana Weaver.

WISCONSIN STATE AFL-CIO CONVENTION…meets in Green Bay, 9/27-29, 2010. This will be an important convention in that there will be elections for President and other senior leadership of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, as well as strategy for a successful outcome in the November elections. We strongly encourage locals to send delegates. More info: 414.771.0800; or www.wisaflcio.org under the Calendar section.

TREASURER TRAINING…9/23/10 in Wausau; 9/25/10 in Madison. Details coming soon through Wisconsin Area Office.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, August 27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 9/13; at Council 24 unless otherwise noted.

July 30, 2010

COUNCIL 24 CONVENTION…More than 200 delegates from nearly every Council 24 local met at our annual convention last weekend in Appleton. Major action included adoption of a constitutional amendment moving the date for the annual convention to occur sometime during the time period of March 15 to June 15 each year. Among the resolutions adopted were: opposing outsourcing connected to a project at UW Madison; supporting military service credit legislation; supporting protection of corrections staff against false allegations of abuse; encouraging the use of union workers and services; and establishing a community service event at every convention. The weekend also included the election/re-election of the following table officers, all by acclamation.
President – Bob McLinn; Vice-President – Paulette Feld; Secretary – Jennifer Merlin; and Treasurer – Larry Lautenschlager. The convention culminated with the presentation of food drive items and money raised for St. Joseph’s Food Pantry of Menasha, under the leadership of our Standing Education Committee. Some 15 boxes of food were donated along with cash donations and matching funds totaling $7,000, including a $250 donation from Ken Weaver of Local 758 when he donated a cash prize won in a PEOPLE drawing. It was a great show of community support and compassion by Wisconsin’s great state employees. Congratulations to all involved.

BARGAINING…All five teams were at the table this week. We have had some good discussions regarding improvements in transfer and layoff language and other employee protection language. We have also done some problem solving with the employer about ongoing agency issues. The tone of the bargaining has been positive, but we still do not have agreement on issues of substance. We are scheduled to return to the bargaining table next week on 8/3. As always, for specific explanations or details, contact your teams at these emails:
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support – asuteam@wseu-24.org
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Services – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org

WISCONSIN STATE AFL-CIO CONVENTION…meets in Green Bay, 9/27-29, 2010. This will be an important convention in that there will be elections for President and other senior leadership of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, as well as strategy for a successful outcome in the November elections. We strongly encourage locals to send delegates. Please note that delegates are eligible for early-bird discounts by booking hotel rooms before 8/6. More info: 414.771.0800; or www.wisaflcio.org under the Calendar section.

INCLEMENT WEATHER SETTLEMENT…Reminder - you need to get your members to contact their HR or payroll departments about what status they were in on 12/9/09 so that they can reap the benefits of this settlement. If you have questions or difficulty, contact your field representative or Marty Beil or Jana Weaver.

NEXT WAVE CONFERENCE…9/9 – 9/11/10, Milwaukee. The registration deadline is fast approaching. Locals are urged to send members under age 35. If you have misplaced the registration forms, they are available on our website (wseu-24.org). Or, give us a call at the Council and we’ll forward them to you.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, August 27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 9/13; at Council 24 unless otherwise noted.

July 15, 2010

BARGAINING…We resumed bargaining this week. All five teams were in and went through a series of bargaining sessions with the employer. There is a new dynamic playing at the bargaining table. The new Director of Labor Relations, Jim Underhill, has taken over responsibility as the state’s chief spokesperson and leader at the bargaining table. Issues that were previously met with some condescension and rejection were given serious discussion under Underhill’s leadership. Teams felt their sessions were productive. We are schedule to resume meetings 7/27 through 7/29. If you’d like a more detailed explanation or overview, contact your teams at these emails:

INCLEMENT WEATHER SETTLEMENT…last week you should have received a copy of the settlement regarding the 12/9/09 snow day. We can’t emphasize enough that you need to get your members to contact their HR or payroll departments about what status they were in on 12/9 so that they can reap the benefits of this settlement. If you have questions or difficulty, contact your field representative or Marty Beil or Jana Weaver.

COUNCIL 24 CONVENTION – 7/23-25, Appleton. Please remember the food drive as you pack for convention. We’ll be donating all proceeds to the St. Joseph Food Pantry benefitting the Appleton area. Also, since the staff will all be in attendance at the convention, there will be no weekly summary next week. Watch for the next edition on 7/29.

NEXT WAVE… Local Presidents have received information about “Next Wave”, which is the national union’s educational and informational platform for members aged 35 and under, and this September Wisconsin AFSCME is sponsoring the first Next Wave Conference. The registration deadline is fast approaching. Local Presidents are asked to consider sending younger member(s) to this innovative and ground breaking conference. Members under the age of 35 are the future of our union, and we all benefit by enhancing their AFSCME education and involvement, and strengthening their connection and investment in the union. The Council executive board has approved a grant to locals sending participants to help offset costs. If you have misplaced the registration forms, they are available on our website (wseu-24.org). Or, give us a call at the Council and we’ll forward them to you.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Thursday, 7/22, Appleton.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… LTE Abuse, 7/29; Education, 9/13; at Council 24 unless otherwise noted.

July 8, 2010

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION…all Council 24 locals were represented last week at the International Convention in Boston. We believe this to be the first time in history that all locals were represented. The highlight of the convention, and moment that brought goose bumps to many as well as a real sense of pride, was when Local 219 member Chet Millard stood before almost 4000 delegates and recited the opening Pledge of Allegiance. You may recall that Brother Millard, an employee at Jackson Correctional Institution, was injured while serving his country in Afghanistan and was featured on the cover of Time Magazine. The measure of respect and admiration shown by the delegates for Chet and his patriotism was overwhelming for everyone.
During the course of convention, delegates adopted resolutions and a constitutional amendment that delays the implementation of the progressive dues structure. Delegates also elected Lee Saunders as the new International Secretary-Treasurer. It was an experience for all.

INCLEMENT WEATHER SETTLEMENT…we have now signed a settlement agreement with OSER regarding the 12/9/09 snow day, and have included a copy of the agreement with this mailing. (Click Here) All local presidents need to read and distribute this to their membership. Generally speaking, it restores any used leave time, comp time, furlough time for that day and replaces time for people who did not report to work in pay status. Employees who came to work will receive hour for hour credit to their annual leave, up to a maximum of four hours. What is important to know is that employees must self report to their respective payroll department no later than 8/27/10. All of this is set out in detail in the enclosure. If you or any members have questions or problems, please contact your field representative and/or Council 24.

BARGAINING…we are scheduled to resume bargaining on Monday, 7/12 with all teams reporting and staying through the 13th and 14th to meet with the state. We have also scheduled four additional days beginning 7/27 and continuing through 7/30.

COUNCIL 24 CONVENTION – 7/23-25, Appleton. Please remind your delegates that we will be collecting non perishable food items to benefit a local food pantry in the Fox Valley. We want this food drive to be a huge success for our host community of Appleton and the surrounding area, so please include a donation in your plans.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Thursday, 7/22, Appleton.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… LTE Abuse, 7/29; Education, 9/13; at Council 24 unless otherwise noted.

June 24, 2010

JUVENILE CORRECTIONS COMMITTEE…the special committee dealing with issues in Juvenile Corrections met on Monday, 6/21. Although they had fully intended to recommend closure of one of the juvenile institutions and merging the populations, they could not muster a majority of the committee to support this. So, after 2 ½ months of meeting, the committee adjourned with no recommendation regarding the future of juvenile corrections. What happens next is unclear. We continue working with legislators and others of interest regarding alternatives to closure. We, along with WEAC, will have a meeting with the Governor’s staff on 6/28 to discuss the matter. However, we remain convinced that we are still going to need as much member interest and public pressure as we can bring on legislators and other elected officials to do what is right for the young men and women living in these institutions, as well as for the staff involved.

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION…AFSCME’s biennial convention kicks off on Monday next week in Boston. Council 24 will be represented by a diverse cross section of members, as well as several of your staff. In addition, some in this group have been appointed by President McEntee to serve on and/or co-chair key convention committees. As a result, there will be no Weekly Summary next week. We will recap convention activities in the next edition on July 9th. If you need assistance from Council staff who are unavailable during this time, please contact Council 24 headquarters so that we can help you out. Have a happy and safe July 4th holiday weekend. As a reminder, all Council offices are closed for holiday observance on Monday, 7/5/10.

BARGAINING…no meetings occurred during the past week. We do have dates in place for July and August, and will keep you posted as they occur.

COUNCIL 24 CONVENTION – 7/23-25, Appleton. New this year – Council 24 is sponsoring a food drive to benefit a local food pantry in the Fox Valley. We will be collecting non perishable food items, as well as accepting cash donations. Please make sure your delegates are informed.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 6/25; Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… LTE Abuse, 7/29; Education, 9/13; at Council 24 unless otherwise noted.

June 18, 2010

BARGAINING …the teams met jointly as a committee of the whole this week and discussed strategy and issues, and decided to continue bargaining in July and August. We have already locked in some dates, but have yet to determine which teams will be scheduled on which days. We are going to try to bring closure to the contract prior to the fall elections. We will let all of you know when we have set the schedule for each team, so that you may contact your team members if you wish.

POLITICAL BUFFOONERY…As you know by now, gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker has issued a series of press releases beginning last Saturday through today regarding state employees’ salary and benefits. At this rate, by Sunday Scott Walker’s position will be that all state employees should receive similar salary and benefits to those people working at McDonalds and Burger King. The whole mentality of cutting public employees’ salary and benefits to give tax breaks to corporations in Wisconsin is becoming very annoying. Back when Walker was in the legislature and participating in the Wisconsin Retirement Fund, he didn’t pay a dime for his contributions and probably didn’t care about them. But now, when we have the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, Vicki McKenna, Jeff Walker and all the other right wing vermin pimping for him, this becomes a major piece of his campaign. State employees, and all public employees, need to read, listen and understand exactly what Mr. Walker is saying about our future, our jobs, and the people we serve.

CORRECTION…Technical Executive Board representative Ken Weaver is from Local 758, not 785 as listed last week. Apologies for the typo.

COUNCIL 24 CONVENTION – 7/23-25, Appleton. If your local president and/or secretary haven’t received the Convention Call, please contact the Council ASAP. Here are the important deadlines to note:
Proposed Constitutional Amendments – due by 6/23
Proposed Resolutions – due by 6/25
New this year – Council 24 is sponsoring a food drive to benefit a local food pantry in the Fox Valley. We will be collecting non perishable food items, as well as accepting cash donations. Please make sure your delegates are informed.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 6/25; Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… LTE Abuse, 7/29; Education, 9/13; at Council 24 unless otherwise noted.

June 11, 2010

BARGAINING UNIT CONFERENCES…All non-UWHC delegates met in Wausau this week to elect bargaining teams for the 11-13 contract, as well as Council executive board members. The results of those elections are listed below. The board members will be seated at the annual convention next month in Appleton. The new bargaining teams will begin their work after the 09-11 contract has been settled. Congratulations to all of these members on their elections. We thank them for their willingness to serve and look forward to working with them.

2010-2012 Council 24 Executive Board Members
Administrative Support – Mary Czynszak-Lyne, Local 2412; Cynthia Taylor, Local 1449
Blue Collar – Barb Peters, Local 171; John Gast, Local 383
Professional-Social Services – Amy Huss and Georgette Gehring, Local 2748
Security & Public Safety – Ron McAllister, Local 6; Dan Meehan, Local 18 ; Steve Kuehn, Local 178; Jon Patzlsberger, Local 3394
Technical – Ken Weaver, Local 785; Gerry Zastrow, Local 584

2011-2013 Bargaining Team Members
Administrative Support – Deb Nilson, Local 1; Jan Banicki, Local 13; Bridget Brier, Local 91; Cynthia Taylor, Local 1449; Gary Mitchell, Local 2412
Blue Collar – Randy Kundert, Local 1; Mike Maas, Local 82; Mike Will, Local 126; Barb Peters, Local 171; John Gast, Local 383
Professional-Social Services – Georgette Gehring, Amy Huss, David Kopplin, Kelly Marwitz, Paul Spinks, all Local 2748
Security & Public Safety – Mike Saltz, Local 1; Julie Peters, Local 15; Ron Keenan, Local 104; John Kies, Local 178; Frederick Peters, Local 1215
Technical – Vicki Ruppert, Local 13; Karen Borst, Local 48; Don Thede, Local 758; Dan Marones, Local 892; Pam Woods, Local 1449

COUNCIL 24 CONVENTION – 7/23-25, Appleton. If your local president and/or secretary haven’t received the Convention Call, please contact the Council ASAP. Here are the important deadlines to note:
Cut off date for room reservations – 6/15 (rooms are reserved after this date (if available), are not eligible for our convention rate.)
Convention Committee Recommendations – due by 6/18
Proposed Constitutional Amendments – due by 6/23
Proposed Resolutions – due by 6/25
New this year – Council 24 is sponsoring a food drive to benefit a local food pantry in the Fox Valley. We will be collecting non perishable food items, as well as accepting cash donations. Please make sure your delegates are informed.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 6/25; Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… LTE Abuse, 7/29; Education, 9/13; at Council 24 unless otherwise noted.

June 3, 2010

ETHAN ALLEN SCHOOL…Recently, the Department of Corrections set up a special committee to look at the future of the two male juvenile institutions. This committee has been meeting almost every week, and we have been monitoring and attending those meetings regularly. It is very apparent to us that this committee will recommend within the next couple of weeks, with the support of the DOC administration, the closure of Ethan Allen School. We do not want to sound premature in this announcement, but we feel it is very important that all of our local unions support Local 15 in their fight to keep Ethan Allen open. Following are a couple of ways to start. First, since this is all being done with no legislative involvement, locals can begin making volumes of contacts to area legislators, especially those in the southeast part of the state. Alert these Assembly and Senate representatives to this initiative, and demand that these legislators look into this, and take action to forestall any closure. Secondly our locals, especially correctional locals, can write or e-mail the Governor indicating their dissatisfaction with this preordained decision to close Ethan Allen. We will work closely with Local 15 to mount a fight back program, so that these kinds of decision can be made in the light of day and based on legitimate facts. For more info please contact Director Beil or lobbyist Susan McMurray.

BARGAINING UNIT CONFERENCES – Next week delegates meet in Wausau to elect bargaining teams for the 11-13 contract, as well as Council executive board members. On Wednesday, 6/9 the Blue Collar, Technical and Security and Public Safety units will meet; followed by the Administrative Support and Professional units on Thursday, 6/10. Conferences are being held at the Westwood Conference Center, just off of Bridge Street. Delegates should note that the conference center’s cafeteria will be open and fully staffed both days for their convenience.

COUNCIL 24 CONVENTION – 7/23-25, Appleton. If your local president and/or secretary haven’t received the Convention Call, please contact the Council ASAP. Here are the important deadlines to note:
Cut off date for room reservations – 6/15 (rooms are reserved after this date (if available), are not eligible for our convention rate.)
Convention Committee Recommendations – due by 6/18
Proposed Constitutional Amendments – due by 6/23
Proposed Resolutions – due by 6/25
New this year – Council 24 is sponsoring a food drive to benefit a local food pantry in the Fox Valley. We will be collecting non perishable food items, as well as accepting cash donations. Please make sure your delegates are informed.

REMINDER…AFSCME International Convention – 6/28 – 7/2, Boston, MA.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 6/25; Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Health & Safety, 6/11 (not at C24); LTE Abuse, 7/29; Education, 9/13; at Council 24 unless otherwise noted.

May 27, 2010

MEMORIAL DAY… as we approach the long holiday weekend and official start of summer, we wanted to make mention of Monday’s holiday observance. Memorial Day, as we all know, was set aside for us to remember and value the ultimate sacrifice made by our fellow Americans in defending our freedom. Please take a little time to reflect on why we have Memorial Day and how we got here – it is important to us all.

BARGAINING…This week we held bargaining with the Professional Social Services unit. The employer did make some positive counter proposals on some of the issues raised by our bargaining team. We saw a glimmer of progress this week. Many of you will have the opportunity to talk with your bargaining team members at the upcoming bargaining unit conferences in early June. In the meantime, you can always e-mail them at the addresses below.
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support – asuteam@wseu-24.org
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Services – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org

COUNCIL 24 CONVENTION – 7/23-25, Appleton. The Convention Call was mailed last week to all local presidents and secretaries. If your local hasn’t received its informational packet, please contact the Council. Here are the important deadlines to note:
Cut off date for room reservations – 6/15 (rooms are reserved after this date (if available), are not eligible for our convention rate.)
Convention Committee Recommendations – due by 6/18
Proposed Constitutional Amendments – due by 6/23
Proposed Resolutions – due by 6/25
New this year – Council 24 is sponsoring a food drive to benefit a local food pantry in the Fox Valley. We will be collecting non perishable food items, as well as accepting cash donations. Please make sure your delegates are informed.

REMINDERS…Bargaining Unit Conferences – June 9 & 10, 2010; Wausau;
AFSCME International Convention – 6/28 – 7/2, Boston, MA.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 6/25; Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Health & Safety, 6/11 (not at C24); LTE Abuse, 7/29; Education, 9/13; at Council 24 unless otherwise noted.

May 20, 2010

BARGAINING…this week the AS and Tech teams were in, trying to continue the process of bargaining. Our proposals to date are fairly simple problem-solving proposals that deal with real issues we have encountered during the course of the contract. It is clear to us that the employer really does not want to talk about problem-solving, nor are they concerned about questionable issues in the contract. During the course of approximately 16 days of bargaining, we have reached a general agreement on only a couple of issues. One is the enhanced bereavement leave to include nieces and nephews; and the other two are for employees in either protective or general occupational status, allowing them to cash out their sick leave at their highest rate of earning, rather than their last salary rate. We are scheduled to have another session with the PSS team next week. In early June, we will bring all of our teams together for a meeting regarding the status of bargaining and any progress. If you have questions on the issues your teams are talking about or dealing with, please contact them as indicated below.
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support – asuteam@wseu-24.org
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Services – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org

GOVERNOR’S COMMITTEE ON THE FUTURE OF LINCOLN HILLS AND ETHAN ALLEN SCHOOLS… This committee has been meeting on a weekly basis for the past month, looking at the issue of juvenile boys in secured facilities. The Committee has visited both schools; we have testified before the Committee; and the Committee has taken other testimony as well. They will be making recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Corrections in early June. We, along with the leadership of these local unions, have been carefully monitoring the Committee to provide direction to their thinking. We have also begun to generate community support for preserving and maintaining the two juvenile institutions. The workers in these two facilities have done a remarkable job in showing this Committee the incredible value and quality of the services they provide and what they do. We have watched proudly as our members “educate” this Committee. Stay tuned – we may need help from other locals in terms of guiding the future of these two institutions.

REMINDERS…Bargaining Unit Conferences – June 9 & 10, 2010; Wausau;
AFSCME International Convention – 6/28 – 7/2, Boston, MA:
Council 24 Convention – 7/23-25, Appleton. The Convention Call will be in the mail shortly to all presidents and secretaries.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 5/21; Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING… Outsourcing - 5/27; Health & Safety, 6/11 (not at C24); LTE Abuse, 7/29; Education, 9/13; at Council 24 unless otherwise noted.

May 14, 2010

BARGAINING…resumes in the AS and BC units during the week of 5/17. We will continue efforts to get some traction with the state to deal with some of the noneconomic issues. We are sure your bargaining team members will answer any questions through the e-mail addresses below.
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support – asuteam@wseu-24.org
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Services – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS…next week we will begin attending award night presentations for the 2010 Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarship winners. The complete list is printed on the reverse side of this Weekly Summary. Congratulations to these students and their parents.

ROLLING BLUNDER…anyone interested in demonstrating your concern about Scott Walker should check the SEPAC website. Walker is beginning a motorcycle tour around the state and organized labor will have greeting parties at each stop – this would be something fun and meaningful for you and your family.

REMINDERS…Bargaining Unit Conferences – June 9 & 10, 2010; Wausau;
AFSCME International Convention – 6/28 – 7/2, Boston, MA:
Council 24 Convention – 7/23-25, Appleton. Local presidents and secretaries should watch for Council 24’s convention call to be mailed next week.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 5/21; Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Outsourcing - 5/27; at Council 24

2010 Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarship Winners

1st Place-- $4,000 2-year scholarship

Rachel Marx

Parent: Elizabeth Marx, Local 973

2nd Place--$2,000 2-year scholarship
Meghan Marino
Parent: Julie Marino, Local 1131

3rd Place--$2,000 1- year scholarship
Trace Borchardt
Parent: Julie Borchardt, Local 6

4th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship
Seth Wiersma
Parent: Thomas Wiersma, Local 178

5th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship
Katelyn Patzlsberger
Parent: Jon Patzlsberger, Local 3394

6th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship

Kendall Wagener

Parent: Robert Wagener, Local 1005

7th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship
Holly Buell
Parent: Michael Buell, Local 175

8th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship
Lucas Berg
Parent: James Berg, Local 163

9th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship
Andrea O’Flanagan
Parent: Kathleen O’Flanagan, Local 42
Jeffrey O’Flanagan, Local 1218

Member’s Only – $1,000 1-year scholarship
Carol Rondou, Local 3409

May 7, 2010

BARGAINING…we resumed bargaining with the state this week with the SPS team on Tuesday and Wednesday, and with the Tech team on Wednesday and Thursday. We made some minimal progress in that one T.A. was reached regarding a minor change in bereavement leave. In both units we are talking about very simple language clarifications and we really have not picked up a rhythm. The employer has basically withdrawn all of their proposals (5) from the bargaining table. We are scheduled to meet with the AS and BC teams on 5/18, 19 and 20; and with PSS on 5/26 and 27. More information can be obtained from your teams at the addresses below.
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support – asuteam@wseu-24.org
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Services – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org

CONGRATULATIONS…to Local 178 member Todd Wetzel. The Council 24 executive board approved Todd’s hire as the new field representative for the East Central District. Todd officially begins work on 5/24 and local unions in this district should watch for an announcement with contact information.

PUBLIC SERVICE WEEK…by the time you get this, the designated “Public Service Week” will be over. You have probably all received a flowery, feel good letter from the Governor and perhaps from your agency directors as well. They all need to remember, as you are reminded each day, that being a public employee isn’t always easy, especially in these times of tea parties and tax cutting. It takes a great deal of courage to stand proud as a public employee. Though we are not above constructive criticism, it certainly isn’t deserved by the public employee who reports to work each day, performs a valuable service to the taxpayers at economic savings, and then goes home to be a part if their community and reinvest taxpayer resources. We feel appropriate recognition would be from management to thank us for doing a good job, and to create a hassle-free, hostility free workplace and environment of justice and dignity. That would truly be the recognition we need during public service week.

STEWARDS IN ACTION…for the Southeast Region will be held 5/12 and 5/13 at Classic Lanes & Banquet Center, 7501 S. Howell Ave., Oak Creek. Further info – Jim Parrett (jparrett@wseu-24.org). To sign up, see your local president.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 5/21; Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Outsourcing - 5/27; at Council 24

April 29, 2010

BOWLING…another very successful bowling tournament last weekend. We had 93 teams bowling in the Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarship Tournament. Some serious bowlers, in fact, 2 serious bowlers bowled a 300. Everyone else was there for fun. Most importantly we were able to raise significant dollars for the Boyd Memorial Scholarships for our kids. We, from the bottom of hearts, thank all of you that were involved in any way in making this weekend a success; more importantly all those kids receiving scholarships thank you for helping them secure a bright future.

HEALTH INSURANCE – AGE 27 DEPENDENTS…we just received word that in the recently passed and signed federal health care bill, that the tax for imputed value of having your dependent on your health care until age 27 has been removed. This is wonderful news for families and their dependents and makes this benefit more attractive

BARGAINING …we are scheduled to resume the 2nd round of bargaining starting next Tuesday with the Security and Public Safety unit and Wednesday with the Technical unit. Things are very slow; really nothing of substance. If you want specifics, please contact your respective bargaining team at their email address listed below.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Outsourcing - 5/27… at Council 24

April 15, 2010

SABBATICAL LANGUAGE…apparently we still continue to have issues about the correct interpretation of the sabbatical language in the contract. We have included in this weekly summary a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Please make sure that this MOU is widely distributed to your membership. In brief, the MOU says that if you thought you were eligible to put time in your sabbatical account for contract year 2008, and your employer advised you that we were no long eligible to put time in sabbatical for contract year 2009 and you carried that vacation time over, this MOU will allow you to put that time in your account. Those that have pre-selected vacation scheduling with the employer cannot undo that scheduling for purposes of putting time in to sabbatical. The MOU makes it pretty clear – probably more clear than this explanation. Please distribute it widely. Anyone still having issues should contact Director Beil at mbeil@wseu-24.org. Hopefully, this puts the issue to bed. We will change the contract language to reflect these changes for the 09-11 contracts.

LEGISLATION…On Tuesday the Senate passed the presumption for disability legislation, which provides for a presumption of disability for certain of our members who contract certain communicable diseases. The matter now goes to the Assembly for passage within the next six days and hopefully on to the Governor for signature.

BARGAINING…there were meetings this week to report on. Team e-mail addresses are below. Please note that the teams are only in town to check these sporadically, so there may be a lag time in getting a response.
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support – asuteam@wseu-24.org
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Services – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org;

STEWARDS IN ACTION…for the Southeast Region will be held 5/12 and 5/13 at Classic Lanes & Banquet Center, 7501 S. Howell Ave., Oak Creek. Further info – Jim Parrett (jparrett@wseu-24.org). To sign up, see your local president.

BOWLING TOURNAMENT...the annual Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarship fundraising bowling tournament is coming up, April 23 and 24 in Beaver Dam. There are still openings available on some shifts. Please return your team information to Shannon at Council 24 ASAP, so that we can get these shifts filled up.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 4/30, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Education, 4/19 all at Council 24.

April 8 , 2010

BARGAINING…we met with the employer in two units this week. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the AS team began discussions on our issues with the employer. We spent a considerable amount of time discussing our intent of implementing layoff language, and an enhanced and fairer process for work at home. All day on Thursday was spent with the employer and the BC team, trying to problem solve some issues that we have encountered over the last two years. The tone of the discussions has been positive for the most part. The employer has already dropped one proposal from the table. The focus has been more about general discussion on issues, rather than specific contract language at this point. One of our goals is to see if we can get the employer to engage in a give and take process so we can move on to bigger issues and hopefully find grounds for resolution. Specific questions or more detailed information is available from your teams through the e-mail addresses below. Please note that the teams are only in town to check these sporadically, so there may be a lag time in getting a response.
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Services – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org;

UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION & FURLOUGHS…questions have been raised as to whether people on furlough days are eligible for UC. It is reported to us that the outcome relative to UC eligibility has been mixed. Some have received it, some have not. We would suggest to you that if you are so inclined, it really is not difficult to apply for UC after furlough to see if you are eligible.

WISCONSIN VISION…we have just received word that Wisconsin Vision has been added as a vendor under the VSP vision insurance plan for state employees. We have had a long time partnership with Wisconsin Vision, and strongly encourage our members who are covered under the VSP plan to use them. In fact, you will receive an additional discount at Wisconsin Vision by showing your union card at the time of your appointment.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 4/30, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING…LTE Abuse, 4/15; Education, 4/19 all at Council 24.

April 1 , 2010

ELECTIONS…Tuesday, 4/4 is primary election day. We have members running for office in many of these elections, from county board to school districts to municipal offices. Please consult your latest issue of AFSCME Reports to find the list of candidates your union has endorsed and recommends. Whether you have a fellow member running or not, it is important you go out and exercise your right to vote. It is too late to criticize and complain afterward. April 4th is an important day for all of us.

BARGAINING…We began negotiations this week with the State. Specifically, the Security & Public Safety (SPS) and Technical (T) teams began their negotiations. We have made a conscious decision not to talk about economics at this time. Discussion centered on language clarifications and additions to provide more protections for the members we represent. At first glance, the initial discussions seemed to be productive, but we will have to wait for the full outcome. Our intent is to see whether or not we can get a “rhythm” going in bargaining, and if so, we will try to move quickly. If not, we’ll have to rethink our process. Although it is very early in the process, you can direct any questions about these preliminaries to your bargaining teams at the follow e-mails. Please note that the teams are only in town to check these sporadically, so there may be a lag time in getting a response.
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Services – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org;

HEALTH CARE…with the passage of the national heath care legislation, there are many questions about its impact on state employees and their health care plans. We have tried to synopsize that in the enclosed document. As we get more information, we will provide it to you, so that you can answer questions from members and others about what “health care means to me”.

BOWLING TOURNAMENT...the annual Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarship fundraising bowling tournament is coming up, April 23 and 24 in Beaver Dam. There are still many openings available on all shifts. Please return your team information to Shannon at Council 24 ASAP, so that we can get these shifts filled up.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 4/30, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING…LTE Abuse, 4/15; Education, 4/19 all at Council 24

March 25, 2010

BARGAINING…Bargaining for the 2009-2011 contract will begin on 3/31, with the Security and Public Safety team; and on 4.1 with the Technical team. On 4/6 the Administrative Support team will meet with the state; followed by Blue Collar on 4/7. Finally, on 4/19, the Professional Social Services team will report for their first meetings. We will be running through two cycles of individual bargaining team meetings with the employer to see if we can pick up a rhythm and weigh the possibilities of some kind of amicable resolution. Much of the discussion will involve language issues and contract clean up. We will be setting up a system for team members to communicate with their local union contacts, and will let you know as soon as the details are in place.

COUNCIL STAFF VACANCIES….Two vacancies currently exist on the Council support staff team. The first is the position of Financial Assistant; and the second is that of Field Staff Support Assistant. Interested members should e-mail Lynn (lmegonigle@wseu-24.org) for a position description or to submit a resume. We will accept resumes through 4/1.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 3/26, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING…LTE Abuse, 4/15; Education, 4/19 all at Council 24.

March 18, 2010

SABATTICAL…There has been confusion and misinterpretation of the Sabbatical (Options for Use of Paid Annual Leave) language in your collective bargaining agreement. On 3.10, Executive Director Beil signed a Memorandum of Understanding (copy included) that basically straightened out the intent of the contract language for utilizing vacation time earned in 2009 to be placed in your sabbatical accounts in 2010. Simply put, people who are eligible to put vacation time in sabbatical in the last contract, regardless of sick leave accrual, will be eligible to put time in their 2010 sabbatical account. All agencies should have received this MOU and should be complying. If there are problems, or if some agencies are unclear, please contact us and we will remedy the situation. Memorandum of Understanding

LEGISLATION...We strongly encourage everyone to review the enclosed legislative report. Several pieces of our legislation remain active in both the Assembly and Senate. One in particular – SB 447 (contracting out), is certainly worth your while and in your members’ best interest to contact legislators in support, and strongly encourage them to adopt this piece and make it the law of the land.

COUNCIL STAFF VACANCIES….Two vacancies currently exist on the Council support staff team. The first is the position of Financial Assistant; and the second position will become known as soon as the internal union posting procedure closes. More info will follow next week on this position. Meantime, interested members should e-mail Lynn (lmegonigle@wseu-24.org) for a position description or to submit a resume. We will accept resumes through 4.1.10.

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS…we recently learned that due to a problem at the Middleton post office, there were issues with a few scholarship applications. Apparently there was a problem with the post office returning applications submitted to our PO Box number. This problem has now been resolved. If your application was returned by the post office, please re-send it to PO Box 620326, Middleton WI 53562-0326. Due to this problem, we have extended the deadline for submission to March 22, 2010. If you are sending a resubmission, please let Shannon on our staff know. She can be reached at: slinde@wseu-24.org; or 608.836.0024, ext. 115.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 3/26, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING…LTE Abuse, 4/15; Education, 4/19 all at Council 24.

March 11, 2010

GOVERNOR’S RACE…Madison area leaders and members should note that radio host Sly will have gubernatorial candidate Walker on his program on Tuesday, 3/16 at 8:35 a.m. to quiz him about his position on state employees, their wages, benefits and outsourcing. This could prove to be a very interesting half hour. Sly indicates he may even accept phone calls during the segment. We strongly encourage you to tune in to WTDY, AM 1670 and listen to Scott Walker talk about your future if elected, and if the opportunity presents itself, call in with your thoughts. You can also listen live online by visiting: http://www.wtdy.com/.

AFSCME TROOP MEMBERS…Local 1942 is holding a benefit fundraiser later on 3/27 to raise money for our troops serving over seas who are also AFSCME members. If your local has a member who is currently serving as part of a mobilization, please get their name and other pertinent information to mbeil@wseu-24.org so we can pass it along to the Local. Local 1942 wants to serve as many members as possible through this benefit.

CANCELLED…The Stewards in Action Training on Monday and Tuesday, 3/15 and 3/16 in Green Bay has been cancelled to due low enrollment.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 3/26, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING…LTE Abuse, 4/15; Education, 4/19 all at Council 24. Joint Health & Safety, 3/12, Fox Lake.

March 5, 2010

LOBBY DAY…There was another tremendous showing of union solidarity and concern for public services on Wednesday. Well over 500 AFSCME members and leaders came to Madison and spent time meeting face to face with legislators on critical issues such as outsourcing, disability eligibility, and collective bargaining for protective status to name just a few. Credit goes to the International and Take Back staff for hosting a well organized and effective event. More importantly, tremendous credit goes to all of you who took time from your work and personal lives and came to Madison to deal with issues that affect all of our futures. It was a great day and a job well done.

BARGAINING…we have scheduled approximately 22 days to begin the bargaining process, beginning 3/31. Initially, pairs of Teams will report to Madison and spend time starting the process and trying to get some rhythm going to bring about a contract. Notices are going out to individual bargaining team members this week about scheduling and when to report. Council 24 will establish a communication network about daily events and progress as things get going, and we will publicize those when they are ready.

REMINDER…Stewards in Action Training - Monday and Tuesday, 3/15 and 3/16 in Green Bay at the Comfort Suites/Rock Gardens, 1951 Bond Street starting at 9 a.m. on the 15th. Contact your local president if interested.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 3/26, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING…LTE Abuse, 4/15; Education, 4/19 all at Council 24. Joint Health & Safety, 3/12, Fox Lake.

February 26 , 2010

STATE PENSIONS…The right wing think tank; an obvious arm of the Walker campaign, Wisconsin Policy Research Institute issued a report on Wednesday that erroneously spoke about the high value of the Wisconsin Retirement System and public employee pensions. As you read both the report and the summary it makes every public employee’s blood boil. It’s the same mantra about how public employees should work for minimum wage, have no pension and be just like workers in Alabama or Mississippi. The report also said public employees do not deserve the pensions that they get and that they are a drain on the taxpayers.
We have issued a press release and been on talk radio in the Madison area. We would suggest that as your local newspapers begin to report the story that public employees, whether state, county, school or city all respond in kind about the inaccurate information and conclusions made in the report. The real irony of the report is that 3 of the 6 members of the board of directors for this institute are receiving benefits from the Wisconsin Retirement System; they got theirs, but you can’t yours kind of philosophy.
This is all a prelude to the political elections coming this fall. The only thing missing from this report is the disclaimer on the bottom that it was authorized and paid for by Scott Walker for Governor. There is no coincidence that the findings of the report parrot what Scott Walker has been saying publicly about state employees and their benefits. If there is anyone out there that is a public employee that thinks that Scott Walker will be good for state workers and programs that they are involved in, they need to get their head examined.

CONDOLENCES…Our thoughts and prayers go out Lynn Megonigle and her family with the passing of her mother this week. Services for Lynn’s mom will be held at Ss. Anthony & Philip Catholic Church in Highland, WI. A visitation will be held Friday, 2/26/10 from 3:00 – 7:00 pm and the funeral service will be Saturday, 2/27/10 at 11:00 am.

AFSCME LOBBY DAY…next Wednesday. This is your last chance to sign up for busses and make preparations to come to Madison to spend a couple hours with your state legislators about issues important to us as public workers. Although not on the formal list, it would also be an opportunity to spread truth about your pension system with some of these out of touch legislators. See the enclosed legislative report as to the kinds of items that we will be talking to legislators about. We have approximately 300 AFSCME members committed; more is better. Any questions or concerns, please contact Danica Sorenson at the AFSCME International office at 608-836-6666.

COMMITTEE MEETING… Retirement, 3/2; LTE Abuse, 4/15; Education, 4/19 all at Council 24. Joint Health & Safety, 3/12, Fox Lake.

February 19 , 2010

AFSCME LOBBY DAY…Lobby Day has been scheduled for 3/3. As always, this is an important day for as many of our leaders and members to attend and meet with their legislators about key pieces of legislation that affect each and every one of us. There is legislation pending that would impact the vast majority of our members regardless of the department or agency they work in.
One of the big pieces of legislations is SB 477, which significantly limits the state’s ability to contract out our jobs and legitimizes the cost benefit analysis mechanism making sure that contracting out would not spend more money than state employees would cost. Other bills deal with presumption of illnesses for disability, collectively bargaining protective status for retirement and new revenue mechanisms to enhance the state treasury, including bills like AB 504 that would allow the City of Milwaukee to create a sales tax to preserve public parks.
We strongly encourage you and your members to come to Lobby Day. Busses will be provided, along with other modes of transportation. For specifics about bus schedules go to www.wseu-sepac.org. The day is more than state employees, it is all of AFSCME coming together to show a united front on issues that are important to us.

STAFF VACANCY...Field Representative Harvey Hoeft is retiring 3/31/2010. Harvey had the East Central District, which includes all correctional institutions in Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties as well as state offices and the UW Fond du Lac campus.
We will be filling that position as soon as possible. Anyone interested in applying should email or mail their resume to Lynn Megonigle (lmegonigle@wseu-24.org) no later than 3/5/2010.

LOCAL 1942…UW Hospital, Clinics and affiliated employees sponsored a benefit to raise money to buy care packages for our troops overseas. The benefit will be on 3/27 at the VFW Post 8483 on County CV in Madison at 6:30 pm. For more information please contact keri.mccollum@yahoo.com.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 2/26; Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Outsourcing, 2/19; Retirement, 3/2; LTE Abuse, 4/15; Education, 4/19 all at Council 24. Joint Health & Safety, 3/12, Fox Lake.

February 12 , 2010

CONTRACTING OUT…We had a victory this week as a result of testimony and members’ contact with legislators about the evils of contracting out. The Senate Committee on Ethics and Government Operations reported SB 447 (the omnibus contracting out bill) out of Committee. This bill is now being scheduled for floor debate in the full Senate. If we are successful in getting this done expeditiously, there is a good chance it could see Assembly action before the end of this floor period. All of this is conditioned on our membership and leadership working together to contain contracting out and communicate with legislators about the need to have the controls set forth in AB 447. This is a great opportunity for us to make real inroads against the evil kingdom of contractors.

BARGAINING UNIT CONFERENCES…have been scheduled for June 9 and 10, 2010 in Wausau at the Westwood Conference Center as follows: June 9 – Blue Collar, Technical, and Security & Public Safety; June 10 – Professional-Social Services, Administrative Support. The constitutionally required notice will follow in the coming weeks, and will contain times, directions and all other relevant details.

SEPAC…we recently made some revisions to the SEPAC website, including the addition of a brand new blog. We strongly encourage you to visit the page (wseu-sepac.org). You will find lots of information, polling data and other useful data. We have established this as your first stop for effective communication with legislators on issues impacting state employees.

REMINDER…for anyone intending to apply for Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarship awards – the scholarship application packets must be postmarked by March 15, 2010.

AFSCME LOBBY DAY…save the date – this year’s statewide Lobby Day has been set for Wednesday, 3/3. More information is available at www.wiafscme.org. Further info will also follow by mail.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 2/26; Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Outsourcing, 2/19; Retirement, 3/2; LTE Abuse, 4/15; all at Council 24. Joint Health & Safety, 3/12, Fox Lake.

February 5 , 2010

LEGISLATION…AB 644, the presumption bill for infectious diseases, was reported out of its Assembly Committee and now moves to the full Assembly for action. The Senate Labor Committee will take up its companion bill, SB 429, in hearing on 2/9. What all this means is that eligible employees in protective occupations should contact their State Assembly and Senate representatives to urge quick passage of these bills. On a more negative note, AB 634, giving us the right to bargain for protective status for employees in Correctional or other secure facilities has gotten hung up in Committee. It is being stalled not just by Republicans, but because the Wisconsin Counties Association has put a full court press on Democrats, who are starting to jump off the bill as a result. Over the years, there has been a lot of interest in this issue on the part of correctional food service workers, administrative support and social services workers in correctional facilities. Now is the time for these workers to make their issues known to legislators. If we cannot even pass a simple bill allowing us to bargain, we will never be successful in enumerating specific classes in the protective occupational status retirement system.

REMINDER…for anyone intending to apply for Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarship awards – the scholarship application packets must be postmarked by March 15, 2010.

WISCONSIN NEXT WAVE CONFERENCE…Milwaukee on September 9-11, 2010. Details to follow.

AFL-CIO COMMUNITY SERVICES CONFERENCE…3/25-27, Concourse Hotel, Madison. Further info: wisaflcio.org; or 414.771.0700.

STEWARDS IN ACTION…steward training dates for all of 2010 have been posted on our website (wseu-24.org). Anyone interested in participating can check this list, and then let your local president know you wish to attend.

AFSCME LOBBY DAY…save the date – this year’s statewide Lobby Day has been set for Wednesday, 3/3. More information is available at www.wiafscme.org. Further info will also follow by mail.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 2/26; Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Education, 2/8; Outsourcing, 2/19; Retirement, 3/2; LTE Abuse, 4/15; all at Council 24. Joint Health & Safety, 3/12, Fox Lake.

January 29 , 2010

STATE OF THE STATE…earlier this week the Governor delivered his state of the state address. While the tone was not upbeat, the clear message was that his agenda is to deal with the economic crisis that Wisconsin faces. At one point he eluded to more deep cuts, however there were no specifics in his speech, nor has there been any communication with us about what that means for state employees. We will keep a close relationship with the Administration relative to information on cuts, and other initiatives to deal with the economic downturn.

AB 644 – On Wednesday, the bill establishing presumption of disability for certain correctional employees, law enforcement and firefighters passed out of committee and now goes before the Assembly for debate and action. Now is the time to be in contact with your Assembly representatives to line up support for this important bill.

AFL-CIO COMMUNITY SERVICES CONFERENCE…3/25-27, Concourse Hotel, Madison. Education and informational conference, including updates on 2010 strategies and initiatives. Further info: wisaflcio.org; or 414.771.0700.

ADVANCE NOTICE…Wisconsin Next Wave Conference. (Next Wave is AFSCME’s education and training platform geared especially to members aged 35 and younger.) Dates have been selected, and we wanted to give locals advance notice that this conference will be held in Milwaukee on September 9-11, 2010. Details are still being worked out as to location. We strongly encourage locals to begin planning to send young activists to this conference.

AFSCME LOBBY DAY…save the date – this year’s statewide Lobby Day has been set for Wednesday, 3/3. More information is available at www.wiafscme.org. Further info will also follow by mail.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Education, 2/8; Council 24.

January 22 , 2010

CONDOLENCES…to the family and union brothers and sisters of Don Schmerda. Don was an activist and member of Local 82, as well as a Blue Collar bargaining team member, and Blue Collar representative. He passed away sometime during the past weekend. Details are unknown at this time. The family has indicated they would like memorials for Don to be directed to the Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarship Fund, in care of Council 24 at the address listed below. Don was very proud of his union and his representation of his bargaining unit. He will be missed.

LAST OF A LEGEND…Harvey Hoeft has given us advance notice of his intention to retire as of 3/31/10. Harvey has served this union for almost 35 years in the capacity of local union president, full time steward and for the last 24 years, as field representative for Council 24. His career as a field rep includes serving the Madison South Central District and for the last several years, the East Central District. All of us wish a great and healthy retirement for Harvey. He certainly deserves it – he has paid his dues. Even beyond his 35 years of direct service, Harvey has long been a part of the Council 24 union family through his father’s involvement before him. He has been a bridge between the old and the new. Anyone who had Harvey as a field rep had the utmost respect for his competency, effectiveness and passion.

ADVANCE NOTICE…senior leadership of the three Wisconsin AFSCME Councils have recently agreed to organize a Wisconsin Next Wave Conference. (Next Wave is AFSCME’s education and training platform geared especially to members aged 35 and younger.) Council 24, a strong supporter of the Next Wave movement, will play a major role in organizing the conference. Dates have been selected, and we wanted to give locals advance notice that this conference will be held in Milwaukee on September 9-11, 2010. Details are still being worked out as to location. We strongly encourage locals to begin planning to send young activists to this conference.

HAITI…just a reminder that the AFL-CIO continues to collect donations to help Haiti at www.solidaritycenter.org; or you can also donate to the American Red Cross. If you choose the AFL-CIO site, we encourage you to make sure you list AFSCME as your union affiliation. Contributions of $5 and $10 are welcome.

AFSCME LOBBY DAY…save the date – this year’s statewide Lobby Day has been set for Wednesday, 3/3. More information is available at www.wiafscme.org. Further info will also follow by mail.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Education, 2/8; Council 24.

January 15 , 2010

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY…Monday, 1/18 is not just another day off. This is really an AFSCME day, given that Dr. King went to Memphis to support striking AFSCME sanitation workers and met his untimely death. More importantly, this is also a day of social conscience that we all should use for reflection. Which leads us to….

HAITI…by now you all are aware of the incredible devastation and human misery underway in Haiti following the powerful earthquake. Haiti, being one of the poorest countries in the world, barely has the wherewithal to function each day, without the effects of a major earthquake. They have now been thrown into incredible chaos. All of us, as citizens of the world, need to be concerned and involved in trying to limit the human suffering and further destruction. On Monday, we therefore would strongly urge everyone to consider making even a minimal contribution to the Haiti Relief Fund, either through the AFL-CIO at www.solidaritycenter.org; or to the American Red Cross. If you do choose the AFL-CIO site, we encourage you to make sure you list AFSCME as your union affiliation. Contributions of $5 and $10 are welcome. It is the least we can do on this day memorializing a great leader and a social conscience.

AFSCME LOBBY DAY…save the date – this year’s statewide Lobby Day has been set for Wednesday, 3/3. More information is available at www.wiafscme.org. Further info will also follow by mail.

MADISON AREA MEMBERS…note that American’s Best Contact and Eyeglasses at 4237 Lien Road, Suite E (near Target East) offers a 10% discount on eyeglasses and contacts to those presenting their union card. The same discount can be extended to spouses and eligible dependents.

COMMUNITY SERVICES CONFERENCE…the State AFL-CIO has announced the 2010 conference, 3/25-27 at the Concourse Hotel in Madison. Room cutoff is 3/3 and registration forms due by 3/17. Further info: 414.771.0700; www.wisaflcio.org.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Education, 2/8; Council 24.

January 8 , 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR…all best wishes to all of you for a safe, prosperous and peaceful beginning of this new decade. On thing is clear – with the turning of the page from the last decade to this new one, our challenges remain significant, and our collective action is more important than ever.

LEGISLATION…we are following several pieces of legislation that are active this month. On 1/7, the Assembly Corrections and Criminal Justice Committee conducted a public hearing on AB 634, which if passed would make the inclusion of protective status for state employees who work in secured facilities in both DOC and DHS a mandatory subject of bargaining. We testified, and it went well. The Committee heard from us, as well as county workers about the need to simply be able to discuss this at the bargaining table. If you have members who would be affected by this legislation, it is in all of our best interests to initiate contact with your respective state legislators to urge them to vote Yes on AB 634 when it is released from Committee.
            On 1/13 the Assembly Committee on Labor will conduct a public hearing on two important pieces of legislation. AB 609 is a bill that would strengthen the rules of arbitration related to overturning arbitration decisions. We, as well as other unions, have had experiences where after an arbitration decision the employer has filed a petition before the Circuit Court to vacate the arbitrator’s decision. It is important that we strengthen this language so that only in the rarest cases of fraud or illegal conduct can decisions be dismissed.
            The second bill in public hearing on 1/13 is AB 644, which would establish the presumption of disability for protection service employees related to communicable diseases. This bill, if passed, would create the automatic assumption of work related disability if employees in covered classes contract a communicable disease. If passed, it would deal with such issues as MRSA, HIV, Hepatitis, etc., etc. This bill is important to certain correctional employees under protective status. We strongly encourage anyone who would be impacted to contact their respective legislator, not only to urge their support, but to relate the reasons for such a presumption.
            We are trying to get legislative floor action on all of these bills during this floor period. There is a remote possibility of getting one or all passed in one House, but clearly they will have to be reintroduced in the next floor period. It’s important for affected members to engage now.

SNOW DAY… We continue working with OSER to resolve issues around the 12/9 snow day. Again, this is a situation where there are multiple issues ranging from unilateral designation of essential classes, to wrong information disseminated by agencies as to what to do with peoples’ time, and lastly issues related to those employees who actually came to work and performed their duties that day. As we approach resolve, we will provide information to local presidents as to how we will settle these issues.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Outsourcing, 1/8; SEPAC, 1/8; LTE Abuse, 1/14; Council 24.

December 18 , 2009

MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS…On behalf of the entire staff and executive board of Council 24, we send our very best wishes for a joyous holiday season to all of you. We hope you can set aside some time to share with your family and friends to relax and enjoy. In connection with the holidays, please note that this is the last Weekly Summary of 2009. We’ll be back again in January. All Council offices will be closed on December 24, 25, 31 and January 1. In addition, our staffing levels will be lower over the next two weeks due to furloughs and other leaves, so please be patient with us! And again, the very best to all of you during this special time of year.

SNOW DAY…ramifications from the 12/9 frolic in the snow continue. As is typical in state government, various departments and employing agencies put their own spin on not only the OSER guidelines relative to the 12/9 closures, but the collective bargaining agreement as well. The Governor’s executive order directed all that all state agencies close all government offices and UW campuses for public business, due to the dangerous winter storm. Agencies were told to direct employees not to report to work, “unless their job duties include the provision or support of an emergency response, public health, or public safety function, and their absence would compromise delivery of those essential services. Under your collective bargaining agreement, when the Governor or employing authority authorizes the closing down of state agencies, those eligible employees will be compensated at their regular rate of pay, including applicable differentials. On 12/9 some employees did actually make it to work, and within a matter of a couple of hours were sent home by supervisors. Again, according to your collective bargaining agreement, those employees will receive their current rate of pay plus applicable differentials for the time they were sent home. If an employee worked in a 24-7 operation, and was required to come to work but because of the weather was either late or unable to make it, the contract allows the opportunity to make time up or use the appropriate paid leave to cover that period. It seems to us that a huge part of the problem is whether or not certain employees or agencies were defined as those whose duties included “provision of emergency response, public health, or public safety function”. It seems incredible to us that for 364 days of the year, the employer has not defined employees in these categories, but on one day, 12/9, we have all sorts of “essential personnel”. We have taken the liberty of including a copy of the OSER guidelines relative to 12/9 with this mailing. We encourage all of you to review it, along with your collective bargaining agreement, and if there is any question that you or your members were wronged by any agency HR department, that you immediately file a grievance – ASAP – since the holidays are now upon us, 30 days from 12/9 will approach quickly. There is also one other aspect to this issue. Many employees in 24-7 operations dug out, braved slippery roads and made it in to work, and spent the day there. There is no provision in the contract or guideline to recognize this. We have already begun discussions wit the employer about the possibility of recognizing those who did make it in. We appreciate everyone who has informed us about snow day issues, and we will make sure that your voices are heard and problems resolved.

CLARIFICATION...to presidents and treasurers. The recent letter you received regarding central dues collection and per caps should have made it clear that central dues collection will NOT begin automatically in January of 2010. We encourage locals to use this new procedure and in order to do so, you must first contact Kay Cherek-Halder (kcherekhalder@wseu-24.org) at Council 24 for instructions. You should also contact Kay if you have any other questions on these issues.

SPRING ELECTIONS…local elections will be held next spring throughout the state for city councils, school districts, county boards and the like. We know that many members run for and get elected to local governmental positions. If you are aware of any of your members who are running for these positions who would like the union’s endorsement, we need a letter from the applicable local union stating their agreement and recommendation prior to 1/2/2010. We will then take these recommendations to our political action committee and the rest of AFSCME for action.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Outsourcing, 1/8/10; LTE Abuse, 1/14/10; Council 24.

OSER Guidance Related to Inclement Weather Day on December 9, 2009

The Governor’s Executive Order 307 directed state agencies to close state government offices and University of Wisconsin campuses for public business on December 9, 2009, due to the dangerous winter storm that occurred on that day. It also directed state agencies to direct employees not to report to work on December 9 “unless their job duties include the provision or support of an emergency response, public health, or public safety function, and their absence would compromise delivery of essential public health, public safety, or emergency response functions that are required to continue despite weather conditions…”

Below is guidance provided in response to questions related to the Executive Order and closure of state office buildings due to inclement weather on December 9, 2009. The following applies to any shift with a start time at any point on December 9, 2009.

1. Employees, both represented and nonrepresented, who were scheduled to work on December 9, 2009, whose job duties do not include the provision or support of an emergency response, public health, or public safety function, as determined by the agency, and who were advised not to report to work or employees who reported to work and were released early due to the closure of state government, will be compensated at the employee’s base rate of pay plus any applicable differentials for those hours which he/she had been scheduled to work on that day, pursuant to these guidelines. The number of hours could be more or less than eight hours, depending on the employee’s regularly scheduled hours of work.

For affected employees on PTA Web, due to the lack of an applicable leave code, time for this day should be coded as time worked. For affected employees in agencies with a timekeeping system that includes an appropriate leave code, that code should be used (e.g., DOT timekeeping system includes a code for “Other Excused Absence”).

Note: Agencies with specific time reporting requirements, e.g., DHS & DOHAAS, should address those particular situations in the information they distribute to their respective employees.

2. Employees who reported to work on December 9, 2009 (including attending training or performance of other work responsibilities), will be paid for those hours worked. If these employees did not work their full scheduled work hours, those remaining hours should still be coded as time worked as noted in 1., above. Employees who reported to work on December 9 will not receive additional compensation or time off for hours worked that day.

3. Employees who were directed or approved to work at home on December 9, 2009, will be paid for those hours worked. If these employees did not work their full scheduled work hours, those remaining hours should still be coded as time worked as noted in 1., above. Employees who worked at home on December 9 will not receive additional compensation or time off for hours worked that day.

4. Employees whose job duties do not include the provision or support of an emergency response, public health, or public safety function, as determined by the agency, who did not report to work due to the Governor’s Executive Order and their work locations remained open (e.g., UW‑Milwaukee and UW-Superior), will receive their normal compensation for that day, as provided in 1., above.

5. Employees whose job duties include the provision or support of an emergency response, public health, or public safety function, as determined by the agency, who did not report to work or did not work their full scheduled work hours on December 9, 2009, due to the snowstorm, must handle their absence as provided under the inclement weather provisions in the applicable collective bargaining agreement for represented employees. Nonrepresented employees may be required to charge an appropriate paid leave type (as designated by the employee) or be required to make up the lost time.

6. Employees referenced under 5., above, who did not report to work or did not work their full scheduled work hours on December 9, 2009, for reasons other than the snowstorm, must use an appropriate leave code associated with the reason for their absence.

7. Employees whose job duties do not include the provision or support of an emergency response, public health, or public safety function, as determined by the agency, who called in absent from work on December 9 will not be required to use leave time and will be paid for their regularly scheduled work hours by coding those hours as noted in 1., above.

8. Employees who were not scheduled to work on December 9 will not be paid for that day and do not receive time off on a different day.

9. Employees who, prior to December 7, requested and were approved for use of leave time or furlough time for December 9, should use the paid leave code associated with their request (i.e., vacation, sabbatical, personal holiday, leave without pay, sick leave, furlough, etc). This includes any employees for whom December 9 was an agency designated furlough day.

10. Employees who, prior to December 7, requested and were approved use of leave time on December 9 for medical or dental appointments and their appointment was cancelled due to the inclement weather, do not have to use leave time for December 9 and will receive compensation for their regularly scheduled hours on that day as noted in 1., above.

11. Employees who, on or after December 7, requested and were approved to use leave time or furlough time for December 9 in anticipation of the weather conditions will not be required to use the paid leave code they requested and instead will be paid for December 9. These employees should code their time for December 9 as noted in 1., above.

12. Employees who received approval and made up time for December 9 in anticipation of the inclement weather will be considered as not scheduled to work that number of hours on December 9. For December 9, these employees should only record as time worked the difference between the number of hours they made up and the number of hours they are normally scheduled to work on that day.

13. With Employer approval, employees who wish to substitute a furlough day on December 9, may be allowed to do so, provided that the agency’s furlough plan allows for substitutions.

14. LTEs are not paid for hours not worked, so they will not be paid for their normal work schedule for December 9 if they did not report to work.

15. LTEs who reported to work without knowing about the closure of state offices and were subsequently sent home will only be paid for the hours they worked.

16. For purposes of calculating overtime pay, please refer to the applicable collective bargaining agreement or compensation plan.

December 11 , 2009

SNOW DAY…typical Wisconsin winters sometimes bring complicated situations. At 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, 12/9, Governor Doyle issued a proclamation closing all state operations, except essential operations such as institutions and correctional facilities. The proclamation said that employees were not to go to work unless they were “essential” (e.g. correctional officers; psychiatric care technicians; resident care technicians, etc.). The proclamation was then amended at about 9:00 a.m. to exclude UW Superior and UW Milwaukee. However, by that time employees at both campuses had already made decisions about whether or not to go to work. Pursuant to your collective bargaining agreements, if the Governor or appointing authority closes down operations, or orders employees to go home, these employees will be in pay status, including any applicable differentials for that period of time. If employees who were required to work were tardy or late due to road conditions, pursuant to the collective bargaining agreements, they can make up the time, which seems pretty straightforward. However, some agency management, probably drinking snowshoe grog, has interpreted this more ways than there are letters in the alphabet. We know that some people were declared “essential” after the blizzard that never were before; we know that some essential employees, such as correctional officers, were sent home; and we know that in some cases employees were encouraged to sleep over. We have had communication with OSER, who has an interest, as we do, in resolving these issues around the blizzard of 12/9. We ask local union officers having issues about the way the contract was administered or interpreted to send a written description of the details to us by e-mail. Please note “snow day” in the subject line of your e-mail and send them to mbeil@wseu-24.org or jweaver@wseu-24.org. One wonders where some of these HR Specialists lost their common sense and good judgment – apparently they don’t get paid for those two qualities.

LABOR HISTORY…Thursday was a benchmark day for the labor movement. Governor Doyle signed the Labor History Bill, which requires that there be labor history curriculum in grades K-12 in Wisconsin. It has taken about 20 years to get this bill passed, and the intent is simply to teach youngsters the history and accomplishments of the union movement, both nationally and here in Wisconsin. If the kids learn about the tycoons and Wall Street and JP Morgan, they also need to learn about the struggle of auto workers, public employees and others around the 40 hour work week and overtime and their impact on the economy.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, December 18, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Outsourcing, 1/8/10; LTE Abuse, 1/14/10; Council 24.

December 4 , 2009

STATE BUDGET…there have been recent newspaper articles regarding further state reductions and layoffs. We at the Council are carefully monitoring both the revenue and program sides of the budget. The state revenue collections and projections, just like the national projections, are not rosy. We are always on the tipping point of either going further into recession or beginning to find our way out. If we can maintain the current status quo in terms of revenue, in spite of being in a negative position, we think we can manage. But, any further significant drop in revenue could create some real issues for us. We continue to work with the Administration and OSER regarding these issues and will keep you advised.

SCHOLARSHIPS…Applications are now available for the Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarships and Members-only Scholarships. Visit the website at <www.wseu-24.org> for an online request form or contact Shannon Linde at (608) 836-0024 ext. 115 or slinde@wseu-24.org for an application. Applications must be post marked by March 15, 2010.

2010 STEWARDS IN ACTION…We are happy to announce that dates are in place for the statewide 2010 Stewards in Action trainings. Trainings will be held on the dates and times indicated as follows. Visit the Council’s website (wseu-24.org) for more info.
            January 26-27            Eau Claire
            March 15-16             Green Bay
            April 22-23             Madison
            May 12-13             Milwaukee/Racine
            September 14-15            Mauston
            September 28-29            Fond du Lac
            October 20-21            Wausau
            October 28-29            Madison

2010 COUNCIL CONVENTION…For your planning purposes, the dates for next year’s annual convention are July 23-25, 2010.

REMINDER…Please continue to notify the Council when members retire from your local so that we can track them.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, December 18, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Outsourcing, 1/8/10; Council 24.

November 6, 2009

VETERANS DAY…The ongoing service of all our veterans, combined with the recent media coverage surrounding the battle injuries of Brother Chet Millard, has raised our conscience level ever higher as we mark this year’s Veterans Day on Wednesday next week. Please hold our nation’s veterans in your thoughts over the coming days, or better yet, single out a veteran and/or their family and voice your thanks for their service. Many communities have special programs, or ongoing ones, that help and honor veterans – we urge you to get involved.

H1N1 PANDEMIC PLANS… Lately, we have run into several situations where agencies have promulgated outlandish policies regarding employees who get the H1N1 virus. Both OSER and the union have stated quite clearly that if you are sick, you should not come to work. Unfortunately some agencies on their own have come up with policies that allow supervisors to diagnose illnesses and send people home, or make it incredibly difficult to return to work after illness. We are in the process of trying to fix this. If your particular agency or worksite is in the process of promulgating unreasonable rules or procedures around H1H1, we need to be made aware of the specifics. Send details to: mbeil@wseu-24.org.

SCOTT WALKER…Many of you have seen gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker’s press release this week about how, if elected, his first priority would be to go after the wages and benefits of front line workers, and use them to hand out tax breaks to corporations and banks. These comments, plus his history as Milwaukee County Executive, clearly define him as someone who would dismantle all government and disband public employment. We have included a press statement that we released in response to Walker’s comments. Please feel free to circulate this to local news media.

JOB OPPORTUNITY…the state AFL-CIO has announced hiring for two positions, Service Area Organizers, one in Central Wisconsin and the other in the southeast Wisconsin. Anyone interested in learning more should contact them at 414.771.0700; or wisaflcio.org.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Thursday, November 19, Madison.

October 30, 2009

LABOR HISTORY… After almost 20 years of lobbying, cajoling and arguing about the need to teach children about the history of labor and its accomplishments, both the Senate and Assembly passed a bill last week that would require labor history to be taught in public elementary schools throughout the state. The bill is now on the Governor’s desk for signature. Some may think this is not a major accomplishment, but it is in that it allows for the whole story about workers, and what can be achieved when working men and women come together. It will clearly balance the lesson so that our youth don’t just hear about bankers and Wall Street, robber barons and warlords, but also about the contributions and sacrifices of working men and women to make this country great. It’s about time!

CONDOLENCES…thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Clarence Kailin who passed away last week at the age of 95. He was a long time member of Local 171 and a true fighter for workers’ rights, justice, and equality for all human beings. His activism and spirit continued up until shortly before his passing. At one point, the country of Spain awarded him their highest honor as a national hero for his service in the Abraham Lincoln Battalion, one of the international brigades of the Spanish Civil War in their fight against the fascist General Franco. Clarence was a man of many talents, but he was always there supporting peace and justice for all. Though his advice and activism will be missed, his spirit lives on.

INSURANCE …as you probably know, recent changes in state law allow you to carry an adult child up to age 27 on your state health insurance policy. Any state employee wishing make such an addition can do so by filing an application through their Human Resources office prior to 12-31-09. Also, as a matter of reference, ETF has enhanced its website. Contained within these enhancements are details on the process for implementing domestic partner coverage under your state benefits. Interested persons should start here for more info:

http://www.etf.wi.gov/publications/domestic_partners.htm.

STEWARDS IN ACTION…Just a reminder, the next Stewards in Action training will occur on 11/4 and 11/5 at the Doubletree Hotel, 611 W. Wisconsin Ave. Those interested in attending should contact their local union president. The sessions will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Thursday, November 19, Madison.

October 23, 2009

BARGAINING…We officially started the bargaining process this week. Teams were in on Tuesday prepping, reviewing issues and discussing strategy. We met with the state on Wednesday, where we signed the ground rules, exchanged issues and discussed the future of bargaining. Clearly, the meetings were positive, but the ongoing economic meltdown overshadows our bargaining. We have agreed to spend time trying to deal with non-economic contract issues and then go back and look at the economic realities and/or possibilities. We will be attempting to schedule multiple days of bargaining and get into a routine, but most likely that will not occur until after January 1st.

NEW COUNCIL 11 WEBSITE…Council 11, the “service council” serving the three Wisconsin AFSCME Councils for lobbying, public relations and more, has established a new website. Check it out for lots of use information about Council 11 and AFSCME in Wisconsin, its services and a purview into the activities and operations of all three Wisconsin Councils. Find it here: wiafscme.org. We’ll be posting a link on our website as well.

STEWARDS IN ACTION…Just a reminder, the next Stewards in Action training will occur on 11/4 and 11/5 at the Doubletree Hotel, 611 W. Wisconsin Ave. Those interested in attending should contact their local union president.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 10/23, Madison.

October 16, 2009

H1N1…by now you are all aware that agencies have implemented their pandemic plans. We are concerned about the impact of H1N1 on the workplace, both from the perspective of health and safety, and also about the health of each and every one of our members. For the most part agencies have been cooperative as we raise issues about the pandemic plans and H1N1. We strongly encourage local union leadership to meet with their worksite management to have a frank discussion about the impact of the pandemic plan if in fact H1N1 occurs. We know that some agencies have ordered supplies of the vaccine and will most likely vaccinate employees who want to be vaccinated. The protocol for the vaccine will give priority to pregnant employees and employees having significant underlying health problems (diabetes, pulmonary problems, etc.) as well as employees directly involved in health care services, and after that, everyone else wishing to be vaccinated. If an outbreak occurs in your worksite, it is important our respective local unions monitor how the pandemic plan is implemented, and if problems occur, that your area field reps be contacted ASAP. This particular virus is not to be taken lightly, as it has already resulted in 6 deaths in Wisconsin alone. We need to do whatever is necessary to ensure the health and safety of our workers in their worksites.

BARGAINING…bargaining team members report to Madison next week for the initial meetings of bargaining. This will basically be the pro-forma opening of bargaining, with the signing of ground rules and meeting the employer’s team, and exchange of issues. We will set a schedule of regular meetings at a later date. Only bargaining team members (not alternates) will attend next week.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 10/23, Madison.

October 9, 2009

UNION PROUD…Union member and correctional officer Chet Millard from Local 219 at Jackson Correctional Institution, is serving his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. Chet, along with his Company, were attacked and under serious enemy fire that took the life of a Sergeant and wounded seven others, including Chet. His wounds included his head, back and knee and though serious, are not critical. Chet’s photo, as he was being med flighted appears on the cover of last week’s issue of Time Magazine. National magazine covers are usually occupied by world leaders and people in influential positions – but in the case of Chet, his picture was more meaningful than any world leader or policy maker. The picture brings reality to the sacrifices and dangers that our members and the men and women in service to our country encounter every day in Iraq and Afghanistan. We see the war reports on TV every day, and tend to gloss over them over time, but when you see someone in our own union family on the cover of Time magazine, injured and brave; it brings the whole thing closer to home. Our thoughts go out to Chet and his family, as well as all of the men and women from Wisconsin currently serving. We hope to have a link on the Council 24 website very soon featuring the Magazine cover as well as a short video filmed in Afghanistan involving the 951 Sapper Company.

OPEN ENROLLMENT…Just a reminder that all open enrollment is underway for state health insurance, the EPIC insurance plan and the employee reimbursement account program. The open enrollment phase continues from 10-2 through 10-23-09. We strongly encourage everyone, especially in the area of health care, to visit the ETF website and make decisions about what is best for their family’s health care. If you are satisfied with your current health care, you do not have to do anything to change or enroll. However, if you do want to make changes, you must do so by 10-23.

COUNCIL PHONES…If you tried calling Council 24 on Thursday, 10/8 from early morning through mid-afternoon or so, you already know that our phone system was down. This was the case in a large geographic area of Madison/Middleton and not just isolated to Council 24. Things are back to normal now, so please try again if you still need to reach us.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 10/23, Madison.

October 2, 2009

AGENCY REORGANIZATIONS AND LAYOFFS…We are now in the midst of trying to deal with layoffs and reorganizations in four major agencies. Both the reorganizations and layoffs are products of dwindling revenues and fees, or downturns in populations. We have been spending a considerable amount of time with the Department of Health Services regarding the reorganization at Winnebago and Mendota Mental Health Institutes; and with DATCP regarding the closure of three outstate offices affecting Consumer Protection Specialists; and with Commerce regarding the reduction of Wastewater Specialists; and with DNR regarding the reorganization of their Customer Service Centers. Our efforts are to provide opportunities for these affected employees to continue their careers with the State. Although the numbers are not large, we are very concerned about the impact on not only the workers, but on the services they provide. If you or your leaders have information regarding these or any other prospective reorganizations, please contact us.

WELCOME…we are pleased to announce that a new staff representative has been hired for the Madison South Central District. Sean Heiser will begin work on Monday, 10/12/09. Sean comes to us with many years of experience in Local 13 as Chief Steward, as well as an activist within his local and the Department of Health Services. He will be working closely with the staff currently covering this area to ensure a smooth transition. AFTER 10/12/09, you can contact Sean as follows: sheiser@wseu-24.org; or at 608.836-0024, ext. 123.

TRAININGS AND CONFERENCES…AFSCME is sponsoring the following opportunities.
Local Union Treasurer Trainings – Two dates have been set. Locals may attend the one day training in either location that is convenient. Please note that there will be a limit of 4 participants per local in either location. Interested members should contact their local union president for more information.
Friday, October 30, 2009 – Milwaukee, WI
Saturday, October 31, 2009 – Madison, WI

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 10/23, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING...Education, 10/2; Madison.

September 25, 2009

OPEN RECORDS…By now, many of you are aware that because of a recent Supreme Court decision, the state is forced to release to news media certain information regarding state employees. In the case before the Supreme Court, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel made a request for a list of state employees who had lost their ability to operate state vehicles. Also in that case, the Minocqua Lakeland Times requested the release of salary information for certain DNR employees. In spite of the great defense of both our collective bargaining agreements and the law, the Supreme Court ordered the release of that information. Affected employees received a letter this week from the employer notifying them that their information would be released to these two media outlets. Some of these individuals may be members of your local union. We as the union tried everything we could to prevent this release, but were unsuccessful. The letter sent to the parties sets out individual hearings before the courts. Affected employees will have to independently make that decision. We know this may cause concerns related to confidentiality and/or personal security amongst some employees, but at this point there is nothing we can do to prevent it. Any employee having major issues related to this is asked to contact their staff representative with specific information.

BARGAINING…We have scheduled the preparatory meetings to start bargaining with OSER for October. Bargaining teams will meet in an all-team meeting starting on 10/20. We will meet with employer representatives during the morning on 10/21 to promulgate ground rules and discuss other rules of bargaining. No further dates have been set at this time.

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT…The AFSCME Area Office here in Madison has a staff vacancy. Resumes are being accepted for the position of Field Office Assistant I. Interested parties should contact AFSD Debbie Garcia (dgarcia@afscme.org) prior to October 2nd for more information or to submit a resume.

TRAININGS AND CONFERENCES…AFSCME is sponsoring the following opportunities.
Local Union Treasurer Trainings – Two dates have been set. Locals may attend the one day training in either location that is convenient. Please note that there will be a limit of 4 participants per local in either location.
Friday, October 30, 2009 – Milwaukee, WI (Location TBA)
Saturday, October 31, 2009 – Madison, WI (Location TBA)
Detailed and specific information will follow to all local unions next week. Interested members should contact their local union president for more information.

Corrections United Conference – Now known as the AFSCME Public Safety Congress, this is a joint congress of corrections employees and law enforcement officers and will be held on November 13-15 in Las Vegas, NV. For more information, a registration/housing form and a "save the date" flyer, visit this link: http://www.afscme.org/docs/publicsafety2009.pdf. Interested members should contact their local union president.

COMMITTEE MEETING...Education, 10/2; Madison.

September 18, 2009

POLITICS…it is clear that the political season is starting up again, with the announcement by Governor Doyle that he will not seek another term. Candidates are beginning to emerge. There are already at least four major announced candidates on the Democratic side, and two major candidates on the Republican side. Your union is very concerned about the prospect of the gubernatorial election in November of 2010. It is very unlikely that we will make any endorsement decisions prior to the primary. Saying that, however, we strongly encourage our locals to begin familiarizing themselves with the candidates’ positions on the issues. During the next few months they will be everywhere trying to gain exposure and name recognition. We urge you to take advantage of these opportunities to discuss your local issues, or state issues in general. It is crucial that we have as much feedback as possible before making a decision. We are also polling publicly and within our membership around the issue of electability. This will not be an easy decision, but we think as the serious candidates emerge, there will be a clear difference between them.

TRAININGS AND CONFERENCES…AFSCME is sponsoring the following opportunities.

Local Union Treasurer Trainings – Two dates have been set. Locals may attend the one day training in either location that is convenient. Please note that there will be a limit of 4 participants per local in either location.

Friday, October 30, 2009 – Milwaukee, WI (Location TBA)

Saturday, October 31, 2009 – Madison, WI (Location TBA)

Detailed and specific information will follow to all local unions next week. Interested members should contact their local union president for more information.

Corrections United Conference – Now known as the AFSCME Public Safety Congress, this is a joint congress of corrections employees and law enforcement officers and will be held on November 13-15 in Las Vegas, NV. For more information, a registration/housing form and a "save the date" flyer, visit this link: http://www.afscme.org/docs/publicsafety2009.pdf. Interested members should contact their local union president.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 9/25, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING...DATE CHANGE: Education, 10/2; Madison

September 11, 2009

REMEMBERING SEPTEMBER 11TH…we couldn’t let this anniversary pass by without a mention. Though eight years have gone by, it still seems like yesterday. September 11, 2001 was a life-changing day. We believe it serves us all to reflect on some of the lessons of that day, in remembering the heroes who died and those who valiantly survived; as well as our nation’s military still actively defending our country, and their families at home. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

FURLOUGHS…as the implementation and utilization of furloughs continues to roll out, we are attempting to stay ahead of issues and problems. If there is still confusion at your worksites, please contact jweaver@wseu-24.org or mbeil@wseu-24.org with the details and we will try to intervene whenever we can.

TRAININGS AND CONFERENCES…AFSCME is sponsoring the following opportunities.

Local Union Treasurer Trainings – Two dates have been set. Locals may attend the one day training in either location that is convenient. Please note that there will be a limit of 4 participants per local in either location.
Friday, October 30, 2009 – Milwaukee, WI (Location TBA)
Saturday, October 31, 2009 – Madison, WI (Location TBA)
Detailed and specific information will follow to all local unions in the coming weeks. Interested members should contact their local union president for more information.

Corrections United Conference – Now known as the AFSCME Public Safety Congress, this is a joint congress of corrections employees and law enforcement officers and will be held on November 13-15 in Las Vegas, NV. For more information, a registration/housing form and a "save the date" flyer, visit this link: http://www.afscme.org/docs/publicsafety2009.pdf. Interested members should contact their local union president.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 9/25, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING...DATE CHANGE: Outsourcing, 9/18; LTE Abuse, 9/18; Education, 10/2; Madison.

September 3, 2009

LABOR DAY… Monday, 9/6 is a special day for all of us in labor – the national recognition of all the battles that labor and working men and women have secured over the years. It is your day as a working person in Wisconsin, and we all should spend a bit of time on Monday appreciating the value of our contributions to our state and our nation. Of course, it is also a great day to spend with family and try to pass on some of labor’s heritage to our kids. To that end, we encourage everyone to attend a Labor Day celebration in your area (see list below). In these trying times of high unemployment, declining economy, furloughs and negative environments, it is always good when we can join together with other workers to support each other and celebrate our gains and victories.

STATEWIDE LABOR DAY CELEBRATIONS

Milwaukee: Labor Day Parade; Zeidler Square; Sept. 7, 2009; meeting at 9:30 a.m.

Laborfest - Summerfest Grounds; Sept. 7, 2009; 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Kenosha: Laborfest; Saint Therese Picnic Grounds; Sept. 7, 2009; 11:00 a.m.
Green Bay: Labor Day Picnic; Bay Beach; Sept. 7, 2009; 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Janesville: Labor Day Parade; Five Points, by Walgreens; Sept. 7, 2009 12:00 noon

Laborfest - 1795 Lafayette St.; Sept 5, 2009; 12:00 noon – 11:00 p.m.
(Behind Pick n Save) Sept 6, 2009; 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. and
Sept 7, 2009; 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Madison: Labor Day Celebration; Madison Labor Temple; Sept 7, 2009; 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Fox Valley: Labor Day Parade; Downtown Menasha; Sept. 7, 2009; 10 a.m.

Labor Day Celebration Neenah/Menasha; Sept. 7, 2009; 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Labor Temple - 1575 Green Bay Rd.
Labor Day Picnic; South Park – Oshkosh; Sept 7, 2009; 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Wisconsin Rapids: Labor Day Celebration; Robinson Park; Sept. 7, 2009; 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

LEGISLATION… We are currently in the process of putting together our legislative agenda for the January session of the state legislature. If you have some ideas or issues you want addressed legislatively by the Council, please submit them to us as soon as possible. We need time to have proposals drafted prior to their introduction in the House. If you have questions or want to discuss this, please contact Marty Beil (mbeil@wseu-24.org) at the Council office.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 9/25, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING...DATE CHANGE: Outsourcing, 9/18, Madison.

August 28, 2009

FURLOUGHS… For most State agencies, today was the first of the mandatory furlough days. Even though agencies have very specific structures about what occurs on furlough days, it is in all our best interest that we monitor and make sure that there is the least amount of negative impact on the workers we represent. If you are aware of significant problems or issues regarding the implementation of furlough days, please contact Marty Beil (mbeil@wseu-24.org).or Jana Weaver (jweaver@wseu-24.org) at the Council office.

DNR…We are aware that the DNR is issuing “at-risk” letters to customer service reps throughout the state. As you know, there has been a modification of the plan so that only half the customer service centers will be closed. We are interested in hearing about any problems or issues around this reorganization.
If you have questions or comments about this, please contact your Field Representative or Marty Beil (mbeil@wseu-24.org) or Jana Weaver (jweaver@wseu-24.org) at the Council office.

SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT…2010 AFSCME Family Scholarship Program. Ten scholarships of $2,000 will be awarded to each winner selected.
To be eligible, you must:

Be a graduating high school senior in 2010
Be a daughter, son or financially dependent grandchild of an active or retired AFSCME member.
Be an applicant to an accredited college or university and subsequently accepted as a full-time student in a four-year degree program.

For details, please see: http://www.afscme.org/members/880.cfm

THE NEW LOCAL UNION SUPPLIES ORDER FORM… is available at www.afscme.org/forms. The form has been redesigned to be even more user-friendly with great products such as local union forms, cards, buttons, pens and AFSCME-green T-Shirts. All have been updated with our new logo, “AFSCME We Make America Happen.” Also, you can access booklets online at www.afscme.org/publications. Some forms are available online at www.afscme.org/forms. Please use the new form when ordering letterhead, booklets and various forms.

HEALTH CARE COALITION…. next meeting is September 11 @ 10:00 am. Meeting is being held at Mendota Mental Health - contact Vicky Ruppert at vicky.ruppert@wisconsin.gov or Dawn Schott at dawn.schott@wisconsin.gov if you plan on attending this meeting.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 8/28, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETING..DATE CHANGE: Outsourcing, 9/18, Madison.

August 24, 2009

FURLOUGHS…All major agencies have now implemented their furlough plans. We know that there will be bumps in the road, as each agency tries to schedule eight days during this fiscal year. It is important that we at Council are aware of those bumps and problems within the agencies. We do have a commitment from OSER to meet and attempt to resolve furlough problems and are also trying to modify some agencies plans that have not gone to the eight-hour option. As we have said in the past, no one is happy with furloughs, but it is a reality that we need to work with, deal with and move on.

POLITICS…The world of politics is an ever-changing “reality”. In the last ten days, Wisconsin’s political landscape has significantly changed with the announcement of Governor Doyle not running for Governor. The office of Governor is of extreme importance to us as state workers and our futures. Several candidates have announced their intention to seek that office, but we, as an organization representing significant numbers of state workers, have to be cautious and thoughtful in our decision making process about the next Governor. Not only do we need to make decisions about a candidate’s records and positions, but also as it relates to how the candidate views public service and workers that provide that public service. The Union will play a critical roll in that election as we continually tell our members we are in a unique position in that we can hire and fire our bosses at the voting booth. All of us need to be one voice as we make this critical decision for our and Wisconsin’s future.

STEWARDS IN ACTION CHANGE...Fond du Lac area participants please note that the August training has been rescheduled to September 28-29 at the Holiday Inn in Fond du Lac, starting at 9:00 a.m.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 8/28, Madison.

OMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 9/11, Madison

August 14, 2009

FURLOUGHS…for most of the major agencies, the implementation of furloughs will begin with the pay period starting this Sunday. As previously mentioned, we are sure there will be some bumps in the road, as these plans are implemented. We will do everything we can to iron out these problems so that we can go through this challenge with a minimal amount of hassle. Again, questions or issues about furloughs can go to either your field representative or email Director Beil (mbeil@wseu-24.org).

STEWARDS IN ACTION CHANGE...Fond du Lac area participants please note that the August training has been rescheduled to September 28-29 at the Holiday Inn in Fond du Lac, starting at 9:00 a.m.

MORE TRAINING …the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO has scheduled a two-day Health and Safety Conference geared toward workplace safety and health activism under new leadership at OSHA. We urge locals to participate. Please consult the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO’s website (wisaflcio.org) for more info, or see the enclosures with last week’s mailing.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 8/28, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 9/11, Madison.

August 7, 2009

FURLOUGHS…most major agencies have now engaged their furlough plans. As we’ve said before, the issue of furloughs isn’t something that we wanted, and it is difficult to implement. However, it is here and we need to work through it. Clearly, the issue is not going away and we need to do all we can to ensure a minimal amount of disruption for our members. If you encounter serious problems with furlough implementation at your worksite, we strongly encourage you to contact your local union president and/or email Director Beil (mbeil@wseu-24.org) with your questions or concerns. We are sure there will be complications and bumps in the road, but nothing we cannot deal with or overcome. It is important we call work together to get through this without self-destructing. We appreciate the hard work and leadership of our local union activists in making adaption and dealing with these difficult issues.

STEWARDS IN ACTION CHANGE...Fond du Lac area participants please note that the August training has been rescheduled to September 28-29 at the Holiday Inn in Fond du Lac, starting at 9:00 a.m.

MORE TRAINING …the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO has scheduled a two-day Health and Safety Conference geared toward workplace safety and health activism under new leadership at OSHA. We urge locals to participate. Please consult the enclosed information for more details and registration information. Health & Safety Flyer - Health & Safety Registration Form

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 8/28, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 9/11, Madison

July 31, 2009

GET WELL SOON…Executive Board Member Ken Weaver is doing well, and from first hand observation, the doctors have successfully “reconnected” all the wires! He’ll remain in the hospital for the next few days, and is on his way to a full recovery.

FURLOUGHS…we continue to confront the issues of furloughs in our workplaces. Most major departments have established their plans, and it is extremely important for local union presidents to sit down with their administrators, wardens, and/or top level management in their worksites to discuss the specifics of furloughs. If there are insurmountable issues or problems, contact us at the Council and we will intervene and try to resolve the issues if possible. No one is happy with this situation, but our ability to provide input and guidance has lessened the impact and has made this whole issue manageable.

CONVENTION…Council 24’s annual convention wrapped up last weekend in LaCrosse. Nearly 200 delegates from around the state came together to share, learn and guide the future of our union. It was a positive experience for all, and a very visible indication of the strength and solidarity of our union and its leadership.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 8/28, Madison.

OMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 9/11, Madison.

July 16, 2009

FURLOUGHS…Most major state agencies have now released their approved furlough plans. The only major exception is DOC, who has not yet released their plan. We strongly encourage local leadership to meet with their management to discuss implementation of furloughs at their worksites. Although it is not a complicated issue, misinformation and misinterpretations can make this a rat’s nest. We encourage you and your members having questions or issues related to furloughs to send them to mbeil@wseu-24.org, where they will be directed or answered in a timely manner. Please remember that the union does not conduct the furloughs – if it had been within our purview, things would likely be totally different. However, it is our responsibility to make sure these furlough programs are fair and equitable, and that agencies adhere to the OSER implementation rules.

STATE BUDGET…Just a reminder that anyone having questions relative to the state budget should visit our website (wseu-24.org) for a comprehensive and detailed breakdown.

CONVENTION…Council 24’s annual convention, July 24-25 in LaCrosse. Delegates should be receiving their advance packets, which include information on workshops and all resolutions received to date. Please note that registration opens at 8 a.m. on Friday, 7/24.

NO SUMMARY NEXT WEEK…There will be no weekly summary next week, 7/24 due to our annual convention. Watch for the next edition on 7/31.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Thursday, July 23, LaCrosse

July 10, 2009

FURLOUGHS…We continue meeting with the employer to work on the issue of furloughs and options around furlough implementation. Agencies are beginning to submit their plans, and several major agencies have had their initial plans approved by OSER. Even though some agencies may have already released their furlough plans, there is a high likelihood that some of them may be slightly modified. As we meet with OSER on these plans, many complex implementation issues arise that agencies have not addressed in their plans. As a result, the plans now have to go back for amendment. We are confident, that in spite of the consternation over having furloughs, that the agency plans for the most part will mitigate their effects. We strongly encourage you to meet with your employer representatives at your worksite to engage in discussions about furlough implementation. We have included a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the OSER Director and Council 24 Executive Director Beil which allows agencies flexibility and options as they implement furlough days. We are strong proponents of Option 2, which smoothes and spreads the economic impact of furlough days over the year. Given that, however, we want to be perfectly clear that we know there will be issues and problems around furloughs that we will have to deal with. The only way to get through this time is by working together and trying to resolve problems at the earliest possible level. If you run into major issues or sense the employer is not dealing straight up, contact Director Beil at mbeil@wseu-24.org.

STATE BUDGET…Our lobbyists have prepared an analysis of the final budget project. It is an extensive report, and can be found under the State Budget section on the front page of our website (wseu-24.org). You can also download the document there if you wish. We remain interested in knowing about any new or changing issues related to your agency and the state budget. Please make us aware of any major changes by contacting Director Beil.

CONVENTION…Council 24’s annual convention, July 24-25 in LaCrosse.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Thursday, July 23, LaCrosse.

Please see Memo of Understanding on Furlough Implementation.

July 2, 2009

STATE BUDGET…The Governor has not only executed his veto power, but also signed the state budget as amended. At the end of the day, state employees did not fare as well in this version as we did under the Joint Finance version of the budget. Many issues around contracting out and establishing a high level committee on these and other worksite issues were vetoed by the Governor. More importantly, the budget continues to extract large sums of money out of state agencies. Agencies will see a minimum of a 5% cut in operating budgets. We have prepared a lengthy summary of the bill the Governor signed last Monday. You can access this document on our website (wseu-24.org). If you have questions that are still unanswered after reviewing this budget summary, please contact our legislative office at 608.836.6666 or Director Beil (mbeil@wseu-24.org). In many ways, our thought on the budget is simply this: “we live to fight another day”.

PAY ADJUSTMENTS…Effective with the 6/7/09 pay period, your salary is to be adjusted by 2%, and the payout would be on 7/2. We ask that you carefully review your pay stub information to make sure that the employer has accurately applied the 2% to your wages. You never can be too careful.

FURLOUGHS…We continue working with OSER regarding the implementation of the furlough program. We are in the process of signing Memorandums of Understanding (MOU’s) giving the employer flexibility to schedule and defray the cost of these furloughs. Although we have not been able to stop the furloughs, we have tried to do what we can to cushion the impact and provide employee protections as the agencies develop their plans. Since the MOU’s have been signed, we’re sure that in the coming week, agencies will be forwarding their plans to OSER. The union continues to be in the loop with OSER, to guard employee protections and flexibility and worksites for employees. We are not naive enough to believe these will come off without problems – and we would rather know about issues, have involvement in their discussion and attempt to fix the problems, rather than let them fester. Please forward any information you receive regarding your worksite’s furlough plan to mbeil@wseu-24.org. Our public statements to the media and others are that state employees are not happy about these furloughs, but understand them and are willing to make sacrifices, as long as we have fairness and equity and continuing involvement.

BARGAINING…teams met today for the first time and spent considerable time discussing the furloughs and budget issues and the implementation process. It was a positive meeting, with lots of information sharing and interaction amongst the teams. However, we are not at a point of beginning the bargaining process – there are still too many unknowns, including where revenue is going, for us to be at the bargaining table.

CONVENTION…Council 24’s annual convention, July 24-25 in LaCrosse.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Thursday, July 23, LaCrosse.

June 26, 2009

STATE BUDGET…The Conference Committee met this week to resolve the differences between the Assembly and Senate version of the state budget. As the Budget goes to Conference Committee, new issues arise. At this time of this writing, we are not sure of all of the new issues that were included in the Conference Committee report, which passed late Thursday night. Our lobbyists are analyzing the product, which now goes back to the Assembly and the Senate for approval. They are scheduled to meet on Friday and Saturday to vote either up or down, accept or reject, on the package – no amendments are allowed. The first general review indicates there are many different issues in this product. We will keep you informed as we come to understand what the budget contains.

FURLOUGHS…Agencies should have received the directive and template from OSER regarding furlough implementation. We are certain these agencies are now meeting, and should also be meeting with you, to talk about implementation. We have had tremendous input into the plans, but as these things go, once they move to the agency level, things get muddy. We urge you to engage your superior, warden, superintendent, etc. to talk about how the implementation will occur in your workplace. Our one saving grace is that all agency plans must be approved by OSER prior to implementation, and we remain in the loop with OSER as to the review of some of these. Questions on furloughs or their contract implications should be directed to your field rep. As a reminder, an updated FAQ has been published on the OSER website (http://oser.state.wi.us/).

CONVENTION…Council 24’s annual convention, July 24-25 in LaCrosse.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Thursday, July 23, LaCrosse.

June 18, 2009

CONVENTION…Council 24’s annual convention is rapidly approaching, July 24-25 in LaCrosse. Please note the following: Convention Committee Appointments - even though this deadline has passed, WE NEED MORE RECOMMENDATIONS as soon as possible for all of the following convention committees: Credentials; Rules; Resolutions; and Sergeant-at-Arms.
            Proposed Resolutions – are due at Council by 6/19 for inclusion in the advance mailing to delegates;
            Proposed Constitutional Amendments – are due at Council by 6/23 at 4 p.m.

STATE BUDGET…The Assembly passed their version of the state budget at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, 6/13.   The Assembly version is substantially different than the Budget adopted by Joint Finance. There were winners and losers for us in the Assembly version, and we immediately began working on the Senate to do some remedial action on the Assembly budget version. The Senate took the Joint Finance budget proposal up on Wednesday, 6/17 and debated it and passed their version which was substantially different from the Assembly version. The versions passed by both houses were also substantially different from the Joint Finance version. Some of our issues were fixed, and some were not. The matter now goes to a Conference Committee to try and work out the differences between the three versions. We are currently in the process of examining the Senate version as to its impact on the funding of public services. These Conference Committee exercises become very treacherous for us, because the M.O. is “horse trading”. So, we will see lots of “brilliant” ideas put forward that don’t have very “brilliant” outcomes. Your lobbyists continue devoting a tremendous amount of time and resources to protecting our interests, both economic and employment-wise.

FURLOUGHS…an updated FAQ has been published on the OSER website (http://oser.state.wi.us/). We urge you to refer to it to find new modifications and responses related to Income Continuation Insurance and pro-ration issues. You can also determine if this new information addresses concerns you may have. We continue meeting with OSER regarding the template for agencies to follow regarding implementation of the furlough program. There are no official authorized agency furlough plans. Agencies have been told to have discussions about furlough implementation, but that OSER will retain the ability to authorize agencies’ final plans. No plans have yet been reviewed or authorized by OSER. However, if your management want to talk with you about furlough implementation, we encourage you to do so. Just remember that guidelines have to be approved and published, and nothing is reality until that happens.

JOHN DOE…the Governor signed SB 51 (John Doe Reform) at Waupun Correctional Institution last Friday afternoon. This brings closure to an incredible misuse of the court system by inmates while providing a modicum of protection and legal rights to correctional employees involved in the John Doe process. Signature of this bill speaks loudly for the phrase “Justice will Prevail”.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday June 26, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… LTE Abuse, 6/25.

June 11, 2009

STATE BUDGET…both houses of the legislature have been in caucus status throughout this past week. Most of the time, they have been in closed caucus. Our understanding as of Thursday morning is that the Assembly has over 100 amendments to the Joint Finance version of the budget. Some of these amendments undo the actions of Joint Finance, and some add to it. It appears that the assembly is having a difficult time mustering enough votes to pass an agreed upon bill out of their house. Your lobbyists have been extremely busy trying to repair some of the issues undone by the Assembly and/or strengthening some of the Joint Finance pieces. Our understanding is that the Assembly will convene either late Thursday night or early on Friday to take up their version. It then goes on to the Senate, where we understand there are fewer amendments. The issue will be whether a majority of the Senate agrees with the product of a majority of the Assembly. If not, the matter then goes to a Conference Committee for continued discussion, bargaining, and consensus building. In short, it doesn’t look like the budget will be passed through this week. If you are following any important amendments, we suggest you contact your Senators and Representatives and urge them to make sure they are not deleted from budget discussions. This gets more and more difficult with the turn of each new week.

FURLOUGHS…We are currently scheduling a meeting with OSER regarding the second chapter of the furlough communications. Our understanding is that they are fairly close to completing another document regarding implementation of the furloughs. We have seen and heard some fairly recriminating articles and memos about our refusal to open our contract and forego the 2% wage increase. In fact, at one UW campus, we were actually blamed for the cancellation of the baseball and tennis programs – because we didn’t rollback our 2%. We would like to send you all a message in the strongest terms – none of us has any reason to be ashamed, the right decision was made regarding retaining your 2%, and if you supervisor says anything about it; tell them they need a union! We negotiated and you ratified a contract with a 2% wage increase. We all know it should be more, but you deserve every penny. Hold your heads high.

SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT…Wisconsin Council on Children and Family (WCCF) announces its 2009 scholarship contest. Three $1,000 scholarships can be awarded to teens from 15-17 who are: Wisconsin residents; have a C average or above in high school; and planning to attend two or four year college. Applicants can submit one of the following: essay; visual depiction; or poem conveying “What Family Means to Me” by the deadline of 7/31/09. Further info: WCCF.org.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday June 26, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 6/5, Grievance, 6/16; LTE Abuse, 6/25

June 4, 2009

STATE BUDGET… We are still dissecting the Joint Finance version of the state budget. It appears there are both positive and negative significant impacts on state workers and the services they provide. We have asked the Legislative Fiscal Bureau to decipher some of the adopted amendments as to their impact on state agencies. The JFC budget now goes to both legislative houses for approval, and early indications are that both the Senate and the Assembly will attempt to amend the JFC version, which will result in a Conference Committee. Even though Joint Finance has adopted several amendments, a good portion of that could be changed by either legislative house. We continue to be extremely vigilant of the situation, and continue meeting with legislative leadership to try to protect our interests.

FURLOUGHS…by now, everyone should have had access to the OSER list of Frequently Asked Questions about the furloughs. If you have not, you can visit our website for a link (wseu-24.org); or you can go directly to the OSER website at: http://oser.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=6977. This is only the first of several information pieces regarding implementation of the furloughs, and not all questions will be answered in this first edition. We will keep working with OSER with a goal of implementing these furloughs in a manner that does not create extreme hardship for our members. One last time - your 2% wage increase effective 6/7/09 is still in place.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday June 26, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 6/5, Grievance, 6/16; LTE Abuse, 6/25.

May 29 , 2009

STATE BUDGET… The Joint Finance committee met through the night on Thursday and reached final agreement on the state budget. While we have not had the opportunity to examine every aspect, it is generally understood that this budget is doom and gloom. For the most part, every part of state operations - state funding, local units of government, K-12 – all will have significant reductions in funding and in some cases, actual reductions to the base. Part of motion was to rescind the 2% pay increase for non-represented, faculty, and academic staff, as well as most elected officials and judges. SO THAT THERE IS NO MISUNDERSTANDING, WE HAVE NOT AGREED TO RESCIND OUR 2% ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASE EFFECTIVE 6/7/09. The legislature cannot take this away, and the governor cannot take this away. Your supervisors will not get the 2%, but you will. Once we have had an opportunity to fully digest the specifics of this omnibus budget bill, we will report to our leadership about the details.

FURLOUGHS…we continue meeting with OSER regarding the impact of furloughs. We have presented them with our suggestions regarding flexibility, lessening the economic impact, and issues around pro-ration. Sometime within the next two weeks, OSER will be releasing documents to the agencies regarding the implementation of furloughs. We will continue to stay involved in this process so we can protect our members’ rights and make sure that it is a fair process. Agencies may be establishing work groups to deal with furloughs, but all of that is premature until OSER releases their implementation plan. It is safe to say that unless you receive information from us, or directly from OSER, other information is unreliable.

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS….Congratulations to the following 2009 winners of the Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarship awards. We are very proud of these highly accomplished students. Look for more information in AFSCME Reports.

1st Place-- $4,000 2-year scholarship

Stephanie Schmidt

Parent: William Schmidt, Local 15

2nd Place--$2,000 2-year scholarship

Adam Miller

Parent: Thomas Miller, Local 178

3rd Place--$2,000 1- year scholarship

Bobbi Will

Parent: Michael Will, Local 126

4th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship

Trace Borchardt

Parent: Julie Borchardt, Local 6

5th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship

Katelyn Patzlsberger

Parent: Jon Patzlsberger, Local 3394

6th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship

Eric Benzel

Parent: Pamela Benzel, Local 973

7th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship

Alison Lindner

Parent: Keith Lindner, Local 1218

8th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship

Naomi Behm

Parent: Teresa Behm , Local 973

9th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship

Kayla Lubenow

Parent: Dennis Lubenow, Local 48

Members Only Scholarship:

Lesa Woitas, Local 351

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday June 26, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 6/5, LTE Abuse, 6/25.

May 20 , 2009

STATE BUDGET… our discussions continue with the Administration around implementation of furloughs. There is nothing specific to report yet – we hope to have some final and solid information early next week. As we’ve said all along, despite what you may see or hear, there will be NO EXEMPTIONS - ALL STATE EMPLOYEES WILL EXPERIENCE FURLOUGHS. We suggest you check the report on Wisconsin Public Radio on 5/21/09 quoting OSER Director Jennifer Donnelly specifically stating there are no exemptions – “furloughs apply to everyone”. At the JCOER meeting set for Wednesday, 5/28 under consideration will be the matter of rolling back wage increases for unrepresented employees, including faculty and staff. Also, before the Joint Committee will be the matter of rolling back legislators’ pay increases, as well as the authority to furlough those workers not represented by contracts. We will provide you with any information that is real when we get it – whether it is regarding furloughs, layoffs, or other budget issues.

UWHC CONTRACT…congratulations again to the UWHC bargaining unit. Their contract was resoundingly approved by the membership during their ratification vote earlier this week. It’s the end of a long road for this unit.

AFSCME’s NEXT WAVE…please check www.afscme.org for more info on this upcoming program. Interested members are asked to notify Jana Weaver at Council 24 (jweaver@wseu-24.org) once they are registered and planning to attend.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, May 22, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 6/5.

May 15 , 2009

STATE BUDGET… our discussions continue with the Administration around implementation of furloughs. Just so it is absolutely clear to everyone – we have NOT agreed to reopen the contract to rollback the 2%. In all of our discussions, it is apparent that even if we were to rollback the 2% increase, it would not prevent furloughs or layoffs – so it was not a decision of rolling back wages to prevent layoffs. To further clarify, in spite of what you have read or heard, there will be NO EXEMPTIONS - ALL STATE EMPLOYEES WILL EXPERIENCE FURLOUGHS. We know many of you have unanswered questions. There are difficult times ahead for state employees and for that matter, all public employees. Your union is at the frontline, trying to make the best of a bad situation, and protecting the interest of working families. As we receive answers, we will forward them to our leadership so that our members will have the most accurate and up to date information possible. Make no mistake – this is not some political, budgetary sleight of hand, we are truly in a serious economic tailspin now pegged at almost $7 billion. The impact on state employees is just a small part of that $7 billion. We need to stay together and work together so that we can come out of this together.

UWHC CONTRACT…congratulations on a job well done to the UWHCA bargaining team. They recently reached a settlement through mediation, ending protracted negotiations for their successor agreement. Even with the tough economic times, this team was able to protect the members’ benefits and secure a wage increase. Their bargaining unit conference will take action on the tentative agreement today, 5/15 and the membership vote is set for next week. We wish them much success through this process. Members having questions should direct them to the UWHC bargaining team, or contact field rep Maggie Merdler at our Madison office (mmerdler@wseu-24.org).

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, May 22, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 6/5.

May 7 , 2009

STATE BUDGET… By now, obviously you may have all heard that the governor issued a press release today on the continuing deterioration revenue and economic picture in Wisconsin. We have been directly involved over the last several days with the governor and his administration about the potential impact of this $1.5 billion addition to the revenue shortfall. Simply put – this quarter the State is now over $7 billion short in its revenue. While not one of us can be happy or comfortable with this kind of deficit and its impact on state workers – it is the reality we now face. The administration has asked us to re-open the current contract to rollback the 2% wage increase, and we have advised that we are unwilling to do so. All unrepresented, confidential, executive, and legislative employees, as well as faculty and academic staff employees not represented by a collective bargaining agent will have their June 2% wage increase rolled back. The governor has made the decision to invoke provisions of your collective bargaining agreement, under article 8, section 4, which says that management can reduce the hours of work by no more than 64 hours in a 12 month period (64 hours is equivalent to 8 days). Employees, both represented and unrepresented, will have a reduction in their annual hours by 64 hours over the period of the first year’s biennium. How that will happen, the procedure and method, is as yet undetermined and we will be part of those continuing discussions. This budget adaption dealing with state workers amount to a number less than $100 million; which leaves approximately another $1.4 billion to make up. There will be proposals coming on more agency cuts, possibly 1 – 3%; cuts in shared revenue; cuts in school aids; transportation and every budget allocation in order to make up the $1.4 billion. With additional agency cuts, we could actually see layoffs, rather than furloughs. This is harsh – but we feel it is important to put this reality forward. While we are at it – we feel it is important for everyone to understand this economic meltdown is by no means turning around. And while hard decisions were made this quarter due to the shortfall, our biggest fear is that the next quarter could bring another billion dollar shortfall, which would be devastating to everyone. We know none of this news is good. We believe that it is important for all of us to try and work together to deal with these realities. We remain committed to protecting state workers and their families in these incredibly trying times. We are not immune from the economic reality.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, May 22

April 30, 2009

JOHN DOE…After many years of lobbying, frustration, and cajoling, this week the Assembly passed a John Doe bill with some minor amendments which we believe are beneficial to our workers. We have an absolute firm commitment from the majority leader of the Senate and the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee that they will take up the Assembly version as an early order of business on their next session day, 5/13/09. We feel very confident about the bill, and are even in discussion with the Governor’s office about where to sign it. It wouldn’t hurt for everyone to make one last contact with your state senator to urge them to adopt the Assembly version of John Doe on their next session day.

STATE BUDGET… last week we hit a setback with an unsuccessful effort to restore the Tourist information positions. This week Joint Finance is taking up the budget dealing with Southern Wisconsin Center. We are working with members of Joint Finance to develop and provide more certainty and protection for the residents and their parents and guardians in terms of voluntary placement and monitoring of community placements. That amendment will be introduced late in the day on 4/30. We have every reason to believe it will pass through Joint Finance.

FIELD REP POSITION OPENING…We are accepting resumes for the position of Field Representative for the Madison/South Central District for Council 24. This district includes the following local unions in its service area: Locals 1, 68, 98, 145, 333, 973, 1131, 3021, and chapters of 1218 and 2748. Anyone interested in applying should forward their resume to lmegonigle@wseu-24.org before Friday, 5/8/09.

BOWLING TOURNAMENT…Last weekend we wrapped up another hugely successful tournament. We would like to thank everyone for their incredible participation and support of the Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarship fund. In these tight economic times, it is truly amazing how folks continue to go the extra mile to support these important causes. We cleared an even larger profit than last year for the scholarship fund. On behalf of the Executive Board and membership, we thank everyone involved in making this a tremendous success. Enclosed with this mailing is a listing of the team standings, as well as a listing of prize winners.

AUDIT OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AT CORRECTIONAL FACLITIES…The Joint Legislative Audit Committee met on Wednesday regarding the audit on mentally ill in Corrections. We testified at the meeting. The basis of our testimony was that correctional officers should not distribute medications - that this should be done by health care professionals. Last week’s federal court decision reinforced our position. The Joint Committee received and accepted our testimony well. There is a high likelihood that we are finally getting to a point of being able to resolve the issue of CO’s passing meds. It will take a bit more effort and legislative education. Now more than ever we may be able to make legislators understand the liability as it relates to CO’s distributing medication.

AFSCME’s NEXT WAVE…local presidents have received information about this new program directed toward members under age 35, and an upcoming training session in Chicago this June. We urge interested, eligible members to contact their local presidents for more information.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, May 22, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 6/5.

April 23, 2009

STATE BUDGET…Joint Finance resumed their deliberations on the state budget on Tuesday and Thursday of this week. Many of the topics were inconsequential as related to our concerns, except for two. On Tuesday, Joint Finance adopted an amendment that would allow our retirees, in fact any retiree of the Wisconsin Retirement Fund, to have dues deducted from their annuity for membership in the union’s retirement program. We have tried to get this done for the last twenty years. It was approved on a vote of 11-4, and was inserted into the state budget. The other issue we have before Joint Finance is that on Thursday they will take up the Tourist Information positions. We are prepared with an amendment regarding the retention of the 11 positions, with a proposal for alternative funding. At the time of this writing, we don’t know what Joint Finance’s decision will be on these positions. Council staff and lobbyists continue meeting with legislators, especially those on Joint Finance and their staff, regarding budget issues having impact on our members and the services they provide. If you are aware of state budget issues that you feel it is important for us to know about, please e-mail them to mbeil@wseu-24.org.

JOHN DOE…The Assembly Judiciary Committee met on Tuesday and took up AB 78 – John Doe. Unfortunately the committee didn’t handle the issue cleanly, and instead adopted two amendments to the original bill, which puts the Assembly version out of line with the Senate’s adopted bill. We are attempting to do everything possible to avoid yet another partisan meltdown of this bill. Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan has advised us that he will schedule the John Doe version that the Senate passed without amendment on the assembly floor on 4/28, when they take up several other “labor” bills. That day, by coincidence, is the fist day of the AFL-CIO legislative conference. This issue of John Doe has already been adopted by the AFL-CIO as priority legislation. We need you to contact your state assembly representatives and urge them in the strongest possible terms to support the John Doe legislation without amendment on Tuesday, 4/28 on the floor of the Assembly. Make it clear that it will be AB 78 WITHOUT amendments. We are so close this time – we cannot allow some trivial ego games to get in the way of passing this substantial fix to a very real problem. Please contact your state assembly representatives TODAY – ASAP – RIGHT NOW! Need help finding your rep? Consult the SEPAC website (www.wseu-sepac.org).

POSITION OPENING…We are accepting resumes for the position of Field Representative for the Madison/South Central District for Council 24. This district includes the following local unions in its service area: Locals 1, 68, 98, 145, 333, 758, 973, 1131, 3021, and chapters of 1218 and 2748. Anyone interested in applying should forward their resume to lmegonigle@wseu-24.org before Friday, 5/8/09.

STAFF E-MAIL…We ran into a few problems during a recent upgrade. We believe all of the issues have been handled, however if you e-mailed any of your Council staff late last week, and haven’t heard anything back yet, you might want to send your message again just to make sure they received it.

REMINDER…just a reminder that locals are encouraged to contribute to the memorial established for family of member Heath Van Handel, who was recently killed while on the job. Donations can be sent as follows:
Memorial Account for the Heath Van Handel Family

Community First Credit Union

PO Box 1487

Appleton WI 54912-1487

STEWARDS IN ACTION…4/29 and 4/30 at UW Barron Campus, Rice Lake. Registration information available on Council 24 website. Further information: Field Rep Carolyn Kaiser, 715-874-4544. Please remember that your local president is required to sign your registration form in order for you to attend; and you must attend both days to complete the course (i.e. you cannot just attend day two without having completed day one).

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…MONDAY, 4/27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 6/5.

April 17, 2009

IN MEMORIAM…Last Thursday, all of our realities were awakened by the death of one of our members, Heath Van Handel. It made us all very aware of how risky and dangerous working in public service can be. Heath Van Handel is the second employee who, while engaged in fire control in the DNR, has made the ultimate sacrifice. He was a Local 1218 member and a dedicated public servant. He leaves behind two young children, aged 2 and 4, as well as a widow. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his family, friends and coworkers. We encourage all locals, at the very least, to contribute to the memorial established for his family. Donations can be sent as follows:
Memorial Account for the Heath Van Handel Family

Community First Credit Union

PO Box 1487

Appleton WI 54912-1487

Aside from contributing to the fund, it is also important to raise our members’ conscience level as to the inherent risk and dangers of public service, especially timely with the approach of Workers Memorial Day on April 28th (the day the unions of the AFL-CIO have set aside to remember those who have suffered and died on the job and to renew the fight for safe workplaces).

STATE BUDGET…public hearings on the budget have concluded, and now the Joint Finance Committee has begun its work on the governor’s proposed budget as of Tuesday, 4/14. At this point, the focus of the deliberations has been on small agencies and minor elements of other larger agency budgets. We had a successful day on 4/16, when Joint Finance amended and restored six Radio Technician positions at State Patrol, and provided a safety against outsourcing those positions in the future. Council staff as well as our lobbyists continue meeting with legislative leadership and Joint Finance members regarding a variety of issues in the budget proposal that have impact on our members and the programs they deliver. If you have issues with the state budget, we urge you to contact your state legislators about them; and to also make us aware here at the Council of those issues. Interested members can go to the SEPAC website (wseu-sepac.org) to access the Legislative Fiscal Bureau papers on each topic before Joint Finance.

JOHN DOE…we are still trying to pressure the Assembly Judiciary Committee to convene an executive session early next week on the John Doe legislation currently before them. Again, it would not hurt if interested members could contact their state assembly representatives and urge them to contact their caucus members on the Judiciary Committee to take executive action on AB 78 unamended.

BOWLING TOURNAMENT…is rapidly approaching on 4/24 and 4/25 in Beaver Dam. Please contact the Council if you want to bowl, donate or otherwise get involved..

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…MONDAY, 4/27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 6/5.

April 9, 2009

ELECTIONS…The results of Tuesday’s spring elections were generally very positive as our endorsed statewide candidates prevailed. Especially important was the re-election of Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson, which guarantees the continued integrity of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. We know that during these local spring elections, many members run and are elected to local offices, whether town, village, school district, or county board. It is important that we are aware of who these elected members are, so if you know of someone who is a local government official, please get that information to us at the Council. Many thanks go to all who volunteered, phoned, dropped lit and/or otherwise supported these campaigns to make them successful. AFSCME’s presence again was known.

STATE BUDGET…The Joint Finance Committee has concluded their public hearings. Our information is that we had at least one union member or leader testifies at every one of these hearings on issues from the closing of Tourist Information and DNR Service Centers, to the elimination of the cost benefit analysis on ACT 89, and everything in between. We obviously made a positive impact since the co-chairs of Joint Finance have already removed the Governor’s proposal on the elimination of the cost benefit analysis from the budget. One less issue for us to worry about. We continue meeting with legislators and leadership about budget issues. It is very important that we support these legislators as they debate and pass legislation closing corporate loopholes and tax policies as set out by the Governor, since the WMC and right-wingers have launched a highly visible campaign against all legislators supporting them. We have to convince legislators that we will be there to support them, work for them, and fight for them against this corporate backlash.

JOHN DOE…We still await action by the Assembly Judiciary Committee on their version of John Doe (AB 78). If you have not done so, we strongly encourage you to contact your assembly representative and urge them to talk to their leadership and get this bill moving, so that we can have passage and the Governor’s signature in May. This one is critical.

WISCONSIN STATE AFL-CIO LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE…A big turnout for the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Legislative Conference & Lobby Day on April 28 & 29 is needed, not only for the issues we will lobby on at that time, but to show that the labor movement and our issues must be taken seriously. Meetings with legislators are being arranged for all 33 Senate Districts so union members attend from all over the state are urged to attend. For conference and registration information visit www.wisaflcio.org. (Note - the Concourse Hotel has extended to Friday, April 10, the cut-off date to receive the lower conference room rate.)

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…MONDAY, 4/27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Education, 4/13, Scholarship, 4/13; Organizing, 4/17; LTE Abuse, 4/16; Outsourcing, 6/5.

April 3, 2009

ELECTIONS…This coming Tuesday, 4/7 is Election Day. Some may say that spring elections are unimportant and inconsequential. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Wisconsin citizens will be voting on two statewide offices, and a whole host of local elections from county to city to village and school district. Critical to all of us is the integrity, independence and fairness of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. We can all remember the last two supreme court elections, when corporate Wisconsin bought and installed two of their cronies on the state supreme court. We cannot allow that to happen again on Tuesday. Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson has been the paragon and model of the highest standards of fairness, equality and justice on our highest court. She has been held up as a national model amongst her peers. Jurists everywhere talk about the Wisconsin Supreme Court under the leadership of Chief Justice Abrahamson. Your union has cases pending before this court, and the ability to get a fair, just hearing and decision is of the highest priority. We know from past experience that that is the Chief Justice’s way of doing business. We also know that her opponent holds a bias against working men and women and working families.

The other statewide race is for Superintendent of Public Instruction, where Tony Evers, the current deputy, is in a close election with his opponent. Our interest in this race is that we represent workers at two DPI run schools in Janesville and Delavan, as well as administrative support workers at DPI offices. Tony Evers is a known quantity. He believes in public education, not cyber space education. He believes in a quality K-12 education, not a cartoon on a computer monitor, and he believes in the integrity of public schools. We encourage you, your families, friends and neighbors to first of all go and vote on Tuesday for those candidates who best represent your interests. Secondly, we urge you to seriously consider voting for Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson and for Tony Evers as DPI Superintendent.

STATE BUDGET…We know that many of you waited endless hours to be able to testify before the Joint Finance Committee on our budget concerns. The last of the hearings occurs today in Cambridge, where we know state employees will again be vocal and visible. As soon as these hearings are done, the hard work starts as the committee begins deliberations on the Governor’s budget. We urge you to keep the lines of communication open with your state senate and assembly representatives so that you can communicate our concerns on the direction the budget talks may go. We know there will be a tremendous amount of money spent and pressure to bear on these legislators brought by corporate interests and taxpayer revolt kinds of folks to reduce the budget to a zero based document, which would force the furloughing and layoff of thousands of state workers. We cannot allow these marauders to prevail, and we need to hold all these legislators, Democrat and Republican, new and old, accountable for their decisions and actions. Watch the Weekly Summary and Legislative Bulletin for specific information as it unfolds.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…MONDAY, 4/27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Education, 4/13, Scholarship, 4/13; Organizing, 4/17; LTE Abuse, 4/16; Outsourcing, 6/5.

March 26, 2009

LOBBY DAY…was held on Wednesday and was a huge success. We had the largest sea of green ever for a Lobby Day. The unofficial count was over 500 people. There is no question legislators knew AFSCME was in the building. Reports indicate there was a significant amount of quality time spent with legislators and their staff around budget issues and other issues important to state employees. One of the very positive parts of Lobby Day was the number of new members attending for the first time. Their involvement makes the future of Lobby Day even greater. We’d like to thank all of the members who attended for making it such a huge success. We’re sure the message we carried to these legislators and their staffs will have an impact on the state budget and on our legislative agenda.

STATE BUDGET…These are the remaining public hearings have regarding the state budget. We urge all interested members to attend and testify on issues of importance.

Saturday, March 28. Ashland. Ashland High School Auditorium, 9 a.m.
Monday, March 30. Racine. Case High School Theater. 7345 Washington Ave., 10 a.m.
Wednesday, April 1. Appleton. Lawrence University Stansbury Theater, 420 College Ave., 10 a.m.
Friday, April 3. Cambridge. Amundson Community Center, 200 Spring St., 10 a.m.

JOHN DOE LEGISLATION…The state senate passed their version of the John Doe reform bill on Tuesday. It was done by voice vote, and was unanimous. The attention now goes to the Assembly, where we are working very hard with the Assembly Judiciary Committee and Assembly leadership to have them pass the same bill as the Senate passed ASAP. As mentioned earlier, it would help if you and your members contact your state assembly representatives and strongly encourage them to do whatever they need to do to make sure AB 78 is reported out of committee and passed on the floor. Information on who your assembly representatives are, as well as the content of the bill, is available on the SEPAC website, www.wseu-sepac.org.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 3/27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Education, 4/13, LTE Abuse, 4/16.

March 20, 2009

LOBBY DAY…It is not too late to make plans to attend the all-AFSCME Lobby Day on Wednesday, 3/25. We have busses coming from every corner of the state, as well as carpools and vans. While we all have interests in current legislative activity, obviously the state budget will be the center of discussion both from a positive and a critical perspective. If your job is at risk, we encourage you to come and talk to your legislators about why it doesn’t make economic sense to delete your job. If the programs you deliver are at risk or seriously under funded in the budget, you need to come and tell your story to these legislators. If you are concerned about John Doe, you need to come to Madison to tell legislators about the priority of passing the bill. We already have 400+ rank and file members pre-registered. Remember, our strength lies in our numbers; our persuasion lies in the power we bring to the Capitol. Bus schedules are available on the SEPAC website along with other information, or by contacting AFSCME International at 608.836.6666. It is important that you pre-register so that we can make appointments for you and your delegation with your respective legislators. We have been promised a beautiful spring day – what better way to enjoy it than by spending time in our state capitol.

STATE BUDGET…A series of public hearings have been scheduled in different locations around the state as follows.

Monday, March 23: Sparta. American Legion Hall, 1116 Angelo Road.
Wednesday, March 25: West Allis. State Fair Park, Banquet Rm 2, 640 s. 84^th St.
Friday, March 27: Eau Claire. UW-Eau Claire Haas Fine Arts Center, 121 Water St.
Monday, March 30. Racine. Case High School Theater. 7345 Washington Ave.
Wednesday, April 1. Appleton. Lawrence University Stansbury Theater, 420 College Ave.
Friday, April 3. Cambridge. Amundson Community Center, 200 Spring St.

We encourage you to attend the hearing closest to you. We are preparing general talking points to use in preparing your testimony, which will be posted on the SEPAC website.

JOHN DOE LEGISLATION…has been scheduled for Senate floor action on Tuesday, 3/24 at 11 a.m. All indications tell us that the Senate Bill will pass overwhelmingly, maybe even by a unanimous senate vote. But that is only half of the trip. We need to spend time, energy and resources talking to our state assembly representatives, where things are less certain. We are still trying to get the bill reported out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee. We urge you to take an extra minute to contact your state assembly representatives and strongly encourage them to do whatever is necessary to move AB 78 out of committee and onto the floor for debate and action. We cannot let this important measure get bogged down in the Assembly.

09-11 BARGAINING…Bargaining unit conferences for all five units were held on Monday in Madison, and all units approved their issue packages as prepared by the bargaining teams. We are now in position to begin bargaining, and are just waiting to set up and confirm dates with the state. Contact info for the teams follows. Please note that the teams have returned to their worksites, so these accounts may not be checked each day.

E-Mail Contact List:

Administrative Support Unit –asuteam@wseu-24.org; Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org; Professional Social Services Unit – pssteam@wseu-24.org; Security & Public Safety Unit – spsteam@wseu-24.org; Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org.

JOB OPENING – NEW POSITION…We’ve created a new staff position based at Council 24 headquarters here in Madison. The “Confidential Staff Assistant” will work with the four members of the management staff on a variety of confidential human resource, financial and other administrative functions. Experience in human resource management or administration is beneficial; as is AR/AP experience; experience with Microsoft Word and Excel; and transcription. This person should also have the ability to multi-task and work with and maintain privacy of confidential information; and the ability to learn and use customized computer software. Interested persons should forward resumes before 3/25/09 to Lynn at: lmegonigle@wseu-24.org. No phone calls, please.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 3/27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Education, 4/13, Outsourcing, 3/20, LTE Abuse, 4/16.

March 12, 2009

HEALTH CARE…Executive Director Beil has been selected by Governor Doyle to attend a health care summit with high level representatives of the Obama Administration in Michigan this week. It’s quite an honor to have our union selected for this meeting, out of all the other unions in the state. The Governor has invited Director Beil as his guest to talk about the reality of health care and its importance to working families. Director Beil’s invitation goes to the fact that our union has become an influential leader in Wisconsin as it relates to the issues of working men and women.

LOBBY DAY…The all-AFSCME Lobby Day is Wednesday, March 25^th. The focus of this year’s Lobby Day will be elements of the state budget. Bus schedules and other information has been posted on our websites. We hope to make this the largest Lobby Day that AFSCME has ever had. Without your involvement, Lobby Day would be meaningless. We need to show the legislature not only who we are, but that we are a united voice on common legislative issues. The Wisconsin Restaurant Association has also set their Lobby Day for March 25^th. They will be flooding the Capitol with people who will be trying to kill Wisconsin’s minimum wage initiative. We cannot let the Restaurant Association show more numbers and strength than the mighty, mighty AFSCME. We know that March 25^th will be a beautiful early spring day to enjoy a family picnic on the Capitol grounds. We encourage all members to attend for a great family experience. Please make arrangements to be there. Again, specific info is on the Council 24 and/or SEPAC website.

STATE BUDGET…the Joint Finance Committee has scheduled a series of public hearings around the state on the budget. See the enclosed Legislative Bulletin for a listing of hearing dates. Attending these public hearings provides and opportunity for our leadership and members to engage elected officials about our issues in the state budget. While we certainly don’t expect anyone to sit and wait for 6-8 hours to testify, there is opportunity in the mere sense of your presence. Many times just being there at the right time, during a break or after the hearing ends, for example, provides you a one on one opportunity with these legislators.

09-11 BARGAINING…All five units have prepared a packet to submit to their respective bargaining unit conferences on March 16 in Madison for approval. We want to be in a position to begin bargaining in early April. Contact info for the teams follows. Please note that the teams have returned to their worksites, so these accounts may not be checked each day.

E-Mail Contact List:

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 3/27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Education, 4/13, Outsourcing, 3/20, LTE Abuse, 4/16.

March 5, 2009

LOBBY DAY…The all-AFSCME Lobby Day is Wednesday, March 25^th. The focus of this year’s lobby day will be elements of the state budget. There will be some issues that we are lobbying legislators to correct in the state budget (i.e. closing Tourist Welcome Centers; and DNR Customer Service Centers); and there will be issues in the budget that we will be asking legislators to support, such as tax and fee increases and additional social work personnel for BMCW, to name a few. We know that March 25^th will be a beautiful early spring day to bring along any children who may be on spring break to Madison to spend the day learning about the Capitol and workings of the legislative process. March 25^th provides an opportunity for all public workers to come together under the banner of their union and support each other’s concerns and issues. The last four lobby days have been hugely successful, and we know this one will be, too – because you will make it so. Visit the SEPAC and/or Council 24 websites for bus schedules and activity calendars for the day.

STATE BUDGET…speaking of the state budget, the Joint Finance Committee has scheduled a series of public hearings around the state on the budget. Hearings are set for:

Monday, March 23: Sparta. American Legion Hall, 1116 Angelo Road.
Wednesday, March 25: West Allis. State Fair Park, Banquet Rm 2, 640 s. 84^th St.
Friday, March 27: Eau Claire. UW-Eau Claire Haas Fine Arts Center, 121 Water St.
Monday, March 30. Racine. Case High School Theater. 7345 Washington Ave.
Wednesday, April 1. Appleton. Lawrence University Stansbury Theater, 420 College Ave.
Friday, April 3. Cambridge. Amundson Community Center, 200 Spring St.

Attending these public hearings provides and opportunity for our leadership and members to engage elected officials about our issues in the state budget. While we certainly don’t expect anyone to sit and wait for 6-8 hours to testify, there is opportunity in the mere sense of your presence. Many times just being there at the right time, during a break or after the hearing ends, for example, provides you a one on one opportunity with these legislators.

09-11 BARGAINING…Bargaining teams for the five state units reported to Madison for the first time this week and spent three days reviewing issues as submitted by members. All five units have prepared a document to submit to their respective bargaining unit conferences on March 16 in Madison for approval. In essence, we have started the bargaining process. Questions, issues or communication with your bargaining teams can be channeled to the e-mail addresses listed below. Please note that the teams have returned to their worksites, so these accounts may not be checked each day.

E-Mail Contact List:

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 3/27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Education, 4/13, Outsourcing, 3/20, LTE Abuse, 4/16.

February 27, 2009

STATE BUDGET…We continue meeting and analyzing the 1800 page state budget document. We have found some issue areas, which after discussion with the Administration, we are confident will be resolved. One such area was the removal of the cost benefit analysis requirement in state contracts.

As we have reported, there have been no significant numbers of layoffs, however even one person being laid off is certainly substantial and significant especially to that individual. We are working with OSER and other agencies to deal with the issue of those employees that will be separated – most immediately, the 11 employees in the Division of Tourism at the Information Centers.

Although we’ve reported it continually, we are still receiving a high level of inquiries asking if the 2% pay increase scheduled in June remains in place. There are no changes to your collective bargaining agreement – the 2% increase as negotiated will be paid out on June 7, 2009. Please advise your membership so that they fully understand the 2% pay increase is not in jeopardy. As to the issues of health insurance and pension, these are topics for discussion at the collective bargaining table. They are complicated issues that obviously need more than a statement in the budget message to resolve. We look forward to meeting with the employer this spring in the collective bargaining forum to deal with them.

We ask our members to remain vigilant at their worksites about major changes – situations like significantly more student workers hired to perform work of classified represented positions left vacant; or enhanced contracting out of functions traditionally performed by classified represented workers, or other significant kinds of initiatives. We need to know about these occurrences – please contact your field representative or Executive Director Beil with your information.

LOBBY DAY…As connection with budget deliberations, the all-AFSCME Lobby Day has been announced for Wednesday, 3/25 at the State Capitol. The message of the day will focus on the state budget and issues pertinent to public workers. Bus schedules are included with this mailing, and further info is also posted on our websites. If you don’t see a bus stop listed for your city, and you have a large group of interested members, contact PEL Coordinator Steve Williams for assistance. We urge as many members as possible to attend, along with our brothers and sisters from Councils 40 and 48 so that organized public workers will have a strong presence in the Capitol that day.

JOHN DOE…On Wednesday, 2/25, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 51 (John Doe reform). Several of us appeared and testified in support of this legislation. There really was no one testifying against the legislation. The Attorney General suggested some changes to enhance the legislation, but it seemed to us the Committee was pretty firm in maintaining the bill as introduced in the Senate. This is the first major step in making these changes a reality. The next step is for the bill to move out of committee and to the Senate floor, and then on to the Assembly. We have been able to put this bill on priority status and hope for passage by this spring. If you get the opportunity, please encourage your state legislators to support either SB 51, or it’s Assembly companion, AB 78.

JOB OPENING…we are accepting resumes for a support staff position at Council 24’s Madison office. This full-time position, Technical and Communications Assistant, works with our member-based dental insurance program, our scholarship program and annual bowling tournament, and the Union Information Network e-mail program and website maintenance. Requires proficient skill in Microsoft Word and Excel; database and/or website experience also helpful. Interested applicants should forward their resume to: lmegonigle@wseu-24.org before 3/6/09.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 2/27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Education, 4/13, Outsourcing, 3/20, LTE Abuse, 4/16.

February 19, 2009

STATE BUDGET…The governor released his budget proposal on Tuesday. All of us are currently in the process of trying to thoroughly analyze and digest exactly what is in or not in this budget proposal. There is no question that this budget is not easy because of the continued meltdown of the economy nationally, and here in Wisconsin. Much to the governor’s credit, he has looked at budget cuts, as well as revenue increases such as closing corporate loopholes, expanding the sales tax on professional services such as attorney fees, and establishing the hospital tax, to name a few. Even with these revenue enhancers and federal stimulus money, there will still be a $2.7 billion hole, which the governor tries to close in this budget. There are some significant cuts to programs, agencies, and cooperative funding relationships with local governmental entities. In at least two agencies, the closure of service centers would result in the layoff of 75-100 state employees. The governor continues to freeze positions in this budget and has stated that there will be no pay increase. Obviously, that is subject to collective bargaining for the 2009-2011 contract. To be very clear – the pay increase of 2% scheduled for June, 2009 will be paid as provided for in the collective bargaining agreement. Unlike other states, we are not seeing massive furloughs, layoffs, or benefit cuts. Even though it may be difficult, we will try to maintain the integrity of both our wages and benefits. Included with this mailing is a general summary of the budget as prepared by your lobbyists. We emphasize that this is very general, and a broad cut as it relates to the budget proposal. All of us need to remain vigilant about budget cuts. We continue meeting with legislators on revenue enhancements and budget issues to try and assure that even with these cuts, we continue to provide services to taxpayers and to monitor whether or not these cuts make economic sense. We hope to have an in-depth analysis, line by line and department by department, in the next couple of weeks.

JOB OPENING…we are accepting resumes for a support staff position at Council 24. This position, Technical and Communications Assistant, works with our member-based dental insurance program, our scholarship program and annual bowling tournament, and the Union Information Network e-mail program and website maintenance. Requires proficient skill in Microsoft Word and Excel; database and/orwebsite experience also helpful. Interested applicants should forward their resume to: lmegonigle@wseu-24.org before 3/6/09.

LOBBY DAY…The all-AFSCME Lobby Day has been announced for Wednesday, 3/25 at the State Capitol. Buses will run from the following areas: Milwaukee, Racine, LaCrosse, Eau Claire, Wausau, Green Bay, and Manitowoc. The schedule of departure times and pick up locations is on our websites. We will also include the listing with this mailing next week. If you don’t see a stop listed for your city, and you have a large group of interested members, contact PEL Coordinator Steve Williams for assistance.

TREASURER TRAINING…The International Union will be conducting training for local treasurers on Saturday, March 14 in Madison. Local unions will receive registration information by mail. Further info available from Wisconsin Area Office, 608.836.6666.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 2/27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Education, 4/13, Outsourcing, 3/20.

February 13, 2009

STATE BUDGET …The Governor is scheduled to publicly release his state budget on 2/17. We know that the recently agreed-upon federal stimulus bill will provide significant relief to states, including Wisconsin, as soon as President Obama signs the bill. Although the stimulus bill does not necessarily directly fund state positions, it does provide funds – money for programs and infrastructure repairs – that normally would come out of the General Purpose Revenue (GPR) pot. More stimulus money means more money available in GPR to deal with the $5.7 billion deficit. Our discussions continue with the Administration about certain parts of the state budget and we feel very confident these discussions will continue as the budget moves through the legislature. Our lobbyists have been meeting with key legislators over the last 10 days, having frank and candid discussions with them about the revenue menu and how we raise money to meet the shortfall. In the governor’s release this last Tuesday, you saw the product of some of these discussions where the governor announced as part of his own stimulus package the support of the hospital tax; support of the combined reporting provision that forces corporations to pay their fair share of Wisconsin’s taxes; and strengthening the closure of property tax exemptions for some corporations, to name the some major issues. With all this being said, we don’t want to mislead anyone that this budget message will be rosy. We still believe there will be serious impact on the state and its employees as a result of this budget and the economic meltdown. We will continue trying to deal with these issues and to protect employees from drastic cuts and unfair treatment. As the budget unfolds we will be providing information and position papers to affected local presidents and other leadership. Any specific questions about budget provisions should be directed to Martin Beil, Susan McMurray or John Grabel.

JOHN DOE STATUTE…We now have a date for the legislative hearing on this legislation. It will be held on 2/25. We are making contact with local presidents and others about testifying. More information will follow as this date approaches.

PRIMARY ELECTION DAY…Tuesday, 2/17 is the spring primary election. This election is about local governmental leadership. From our perspective as state employees, this may not seem important, but these are the folks who set the levee limits and make decisions about property taxes and our children’s education. Therefore, in our personal lives, these are very important elections. We strongly encourage voting in the primary election – it’s a great “dry run” for the upcoming spring general election where there is a critical race regarding the state supreme court.

LOBBY DAY…The all-AFSCME Lobby Day has been announced for Wednesday, 3/25. Buses will run from the following areas: Milwaukee, Racine, LaCrosse, Eau Claire, Wausau, Green Bay, and Manitowoc. We will post the schedule of departure times and pick up locations on our websites by next week. If you don’t see a stop listed for your city, and you have a large group of interested members, contact PEL Coordinator Steve Williams for assistance.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 2/27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Education, 4/13.

February 6, 2009

STATE BUDGET …The Governor has delayed his state budget address for one week because of the uncertainty of the federal stimulus bill. Whatever version of the federal stimulus bill passes, it will not fill the $5.7 billion hole in the state budget, but there will be money available for funding and to take the pressure off of other parts of the budget. We continue to have discussions with the administration about the budget and its impact on state operations. One positive event occurred this week – we found out that DOT was including a 3-4% wage increase in all consultant contracts. The question is obvious – if state employees are not getting increases, why should consultants receive increases using the same funding source - general purpose revenue. On Thursday this week a directive was issued to DOT that basically stopped the practice and reversed it so that no pay increases would roll into any consultant contracts. This happened as a result of our continuing discussions with the administration about fairness of cuts and responsibility in the budget process. This is not to mislead you, there will definitely be difficult times and hard decisions ahead, but we continue to work and discuss with the administration the major issues around this economic crisis. We also continue meeting with our friends in coalition to provide support, research and persuasion around new revenue sources. As we’ve mentioned earlier, we have been using the menu of the Institute for Wisconsin’s Future for revenue enhancers (see www.wseu-24.org) as a basis of these discussions. We have been well received by many legislators and have had positive discussions with the Governor and his staff. We continue to maintain that we cannot manage our way out of this; we must raise revenue and create new revenue sources. Our coalition of the IWF and the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families has begun a series of “train the trainer” courses in various areas of the state regarding this new revenue menu. We encourage you to avail yourself and your leadership to attend these courses so that everyone can gain a complete understanding of what the issues are and the impact of these revenue sources.

JOHN DOE STATUTE…The draft bill correcting the John Doe law is done circulating and has received bipartisan sponsorship in both houses of the legislature. That means that passage of the bill is more likely than ever before. Initial word is that the Senate Judiciary Committee will possibly convene a public hearing on the bill in about two weeks. This is a signal to us that the legislature wants to take action on this in the first part of the legislative period. It is far different than last period – it is obvious to us these changes will be a reality.

STEWARDS IN ACTION … Monday February 16^th 2009 and Tuesday February 17^th 2009, Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, 333 W. College Ave, Appleton. Registration forms are available the Council 24 web site, and MUST be signed by the President of the Local. Please mail or fax completed forms to Kristi Whiteside at Council 24, Attn; Appleton Steward Training. Anyone with questions should contact glonzo@wseu-24.org.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 2/27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Organizing, 2/13; Education, 4/13; LTE Abuse, 2/9 (note change of date).

January 30, 2009

STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS …Everyone is most likely aware, in some form or another, of the governor’s state of the state address this week. Although his message did not deliver any specifics or hints about what would be in the budget, clearly it was a sobering message. You need only look to the announcement of some 70,000 layoffs on Monday of this week to reinforce the seriousness of the situation. Revenues are off, interest earnings are off and this state and others are challenged in terms of economic survival and program resources. We will truly see the roadmap of the governor’s plans as he lays out his budget in February. While we understand this fiscal crisis, our members must be ever vigilant that necessary programs aren’t shelved, or our benefits and protections set aside because of it. We as advocates for state employees have to walk a careful line when it comes to our public position. We are adamantly quite vocal in lobbying our elected officials, the news media, and others on the need to find or develop new revenue enhancers, while extending current tax coverages. We believe that in the end, the only way we can make it through this budget deficit is through extended taxes and new fees. As we have said again and again, there is no way the governor can manage the state out of a $5.4 billion deficit without these. Stay tuned.

On a related note, we urge you to review the enclosed Legislative Report, especially regarding the upcoming “train the trainer” sessions by the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families and the Institute for Wisconsin’s Future. We encourage as many of our members as possible to attend these sessions to gain a well-rounded understanding of the issues of tax and revenue sources for Wisconsin. Further information is available from Susan McMurray at 608.836.6666.

JOHN DOE STATUTE…Both legislative houses are currently circulating a Bill Draft that meets our concerns regarding the current John Doe statute. We are very supportive of this legislation, and encourage bi-partisan sponsorship. The bill provides for legal counsel or payment of legal fees for state employees caught in the John Doe “net”, and mandates Judges review reports, investigations, and witnesses before issuing complaints against the employee. Please encourage your legislators to support this bill.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 2/27, Madison.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Organizing, 2/13; Education, 4/13; LTE Abuse, 2/9 (note change of date).

January 23, 2009

THERE’S A NEW WIND A BLOWIN’…It has been a momentous week in American history with the inauguration of Barack Obama as our 44^th President. As our new president took the oath of office, it signaled a new day, a new way and new goals for our country. Even before taking any substantial actions in the first couple of days, the President has won the confidence of the American public. Indications from the state DOA Budget Director are that the proposed initial stimulus package could bring as much as $3 billion to Wisconsin. That certainly would provide some relief to our huge $5.4 billion shortfall. This new administration is about jobs, it’s about economic development, it’s about workers’ rights and the middle class – all things foreign to our immediate past president and his administration. Of course, the facts don’t change – our state’s economic crisis is not over, but there is a sign that the cavalry is coming. We continue working very hard alongside our lobbyists regarding proposals in the state budget and new revenue sources. We know as public employees that we are not in this alone, and so, we continue working in coalition with advocacy groups, groups representing local units of government, teachers and others. Open and candid discussion continues with the Governor’s office every week. We suggest that everyone take a look at the catalog of new revenue sources posted on our website (wseu-24.org). Then, give your state legislators a call and find out where they stand on these revenue ideas and/or what ideas they have to lead us out of this economic jam.

RETIREES…we know anxiety continues to ride high regarding the condition of the Wisconsin Retirement Fund. This union isn’t in a position to give retirement or investment advice, in fact it would be unlawful to do so. We urge you to contact the Department of Employee Trust Funds at http://etf.wi.gov/index.htm; or by calling Toll Free: 1-877-533-5020; or in Madison: 608-266-3285 to talk about the impact of the economic recession on your annuity, or for advice on the timing of retirement plans. We do know that Governor Doyle has a huge interest in restoring the balance back to the fund that’s been lost in the downturn. We are looking within the state budget to find a mechanism to deal with that restoration. Again, specific individual inquiries should be directed to DEFT advisors.

STEWARDS IN ACTION …a “Stewards in Action” training workshop will be held on Monday February 16^th 2009 and Tuesday February 17^th 2009 in Appleton. Registration forms are available on the Council 24 web site, and MUST be signed by the President of the Local. We have room for only 30 people, for this workshop. Please mail or fax completed forms to Kristi Whiteside at Council 24, Attn; Appleton Steward Training. Times and place will be sent out later. Council 24 will provide the workshop and lunch. Locals will be responsible for all other expenses occurred by those in attendance. Anyone with questions should contact glonzo@wseu-24.org

SCHOLARSHIPS…Applications are now available for the Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarships and Members-only Scholarships. Either visit the website at www.wseu-24.org for an online request form or contact Kelly Becker at (608) 836-0024 ext. 135 or kbecker@wseu-24.org for an application. Applications must be post marked by March 20, 2009.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 4/13; LTE Abuse, 2/6; Education, 4/13.

January 16, 2009

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY OF SERVICE…During the 1950s and ’60s, civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. recognized the power of service to strengthen communities and achieve common goals. King Day of Service builds on that that legacy by transforming the federal holiday honoring Dr. King into a national day of community service grounded in his teachings. The aim is to make the holiday a day ON, where people of all ages and backgrounds come together. This year’s King Holiday is one day before the Inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama. The President-elect will participate in community service on King Day and is asking Americans to serve on the holiday and make an ongoing commitment to service. We urge Council 24 members to find a service opportunity on Monday, 1/19 to honor the memory of the man who died while supporting striking AFSCME sanitation workers.

STATE’S ECONOMY …The news didn’t get any better over the last week. We know that current retirees are very worried about the impact on their pensions. Since we do not have the ability at Council 24 to look specifically at individual retirement accounts, we are not equipped and will not give individual advice in these matters. We urge those with questions to contact the Department of Employee Trust Funds at http://etf.wi.gov/index.htm; or by calling Toll Free: 1-877-533-5020; or in Madison: 608-266-3285 for accurate information. Lines of communication remain open with the Governor and his staff regarding the more general impact on state programs and agencies. Again, nothing certain has been discussed with us about future reductions, cuts, or freezes. Our position is unchanged - we need to be courageous and talk about new revenue sources, both permanent and temporary to begin to move Wisconsin’s economy back where it should be. Now is the time for all local unions to talk amongst their membership about these issues. If you have questions, comments or concerns please forward them to mbeil@wseu-24.org; or contact any of our lobbyists.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 4/13; LTE Abuse, 1/26/09.

JANUARY 9, 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR…best wishes for good health to you and your families for the coming year. As we face down new challenges like we have never seen before, we are grateful for the support and strength of not only our own Council 24 members, but all of AFSCME. We are all in this together.

STATE’S ECONOMY …As you’ve seen, the economic meltdown has almost daily impact on all of our lives. We as public employees will probably feel the impact of the downturn a bit harder than others, in that state tax revenues and fee revenues are seriously off budget because of high unemployment, inflation and the general economic downward spiral. This week we all saw the reports related to the Wisconsin Retirement Fund. Again, because of the collapse of the market and economic meltdown, it will be the first time in history where there will be a negative adjustment to annuitants. Our information is that the core fund lost approximately 26% of its value and will result in a reduction of annuities between 2.5 and 3%. The variable fund has lost 39% of its value, and will result in a reduction of the variable portion of annuities of 44%. Obviously those long term employees currently on a fixed income through retirement will feel the pressure of this economic crisis in the early spring of this year. We continue communicating with the Governor and his staff regarding the more general impact on state programs and agencies. While nothing certain has been discussed with us about future reductions, cuts, or freezes, the fact that we are in the “loop” is positive and allows us input into making sure reality becomes a factor in the decision making. As we have told the governor and other elected officials, we cannot manage our way out of this – we cannot position freeze our way out of this – we cannot cut our way out of this – we need to be courageous and talk about revenue sources, both permanent and temporary to begin to move Wisconsin’s economy back where it should be. We are heartened that the governor has begun to publicly speak about ways to enhance revenues, either through reinstituting indexing of the gas tax, or sales tax on articles purchased through the internet. Obviously there are many other potential revenue sources. We continue meeting with legislative leadership as well as the governor and his staff regarding these proposals.

It is important that you share this information with your membership and start to have discussions with them. It’s also important that we all know what is at stake, but also, what we need to do to bring us back. If you have questions, comments or concerns please forward them to mbeil@wseu-24.org; or contact any of our lobbyists.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 1/12/09; LTE Abuse, 1/26/09.

DECEMBER 19, 2008

MERRY CHRISTMAS…On behalf of all of your staff at Council 24, we forward best wishes for a safe and happy Christmas, and other any holiday you may observe. We hope that you’ll find time this holiday season to enjoy family, friends and good health. This is the last edition of the Weekly Summary for 2008. We will pick it up again on 1/9/09. In observance of the holiday, all Council offices will be closed on the following dates: Wednesday, Thursday AND Friday, 12/24 through 12/26/08; and Wednesday, 12/31/08 and Thursday, 1/1/09.

STATE’S ECONOMY …This is becoming a regular feature, in that week to week the economic crisis continues. At the beginning of the week, the governor held a press conference to address questions about the economic crisis. Media reports would have you believe he talked about the layoff of 3500 state workers; however, that is just not the case. What the governor was actually talking about was freezing 3500 vacant positions in state service – something that has been ongoing since the beginning of the early days of the economic crisis. In this week’s conversation with the administration, we were once again advised that the impact on state workers will be in positions. Again, there is no talk or plan of layoffs, payless paydays, or any other cost saving mechanism. We have no reason not to believe this, because all of our discussions with the governor and the administration have been straightforward and upfront. Even though we are in crisis mode, as we look around we find ourselves better off than some other states. For example, in New York, the governor just substantially changed workers’ pension benefit eligibility as a cost saving measure. In Ohio and Michigan, there is talk of layoffs. Other states are talking wage reductions and changes to collective bargaining agreements. Other rumors we have been hearing more frequently in Wisconsin include the option of a retirement proposal or opportunity. This is not the case. There has been absolutely no discussion with us or anyone else about early retirement windows. In last week’s summary we talked about the need to look at new revenue streams. There was a lot of interest during the week from our readers about the specifics of these ideas. Therefore, we have placed a link to a “catalog” of new revenue mechanisms on our Council 24 website (wseu-24.org). We urge you to look at these proposals as we continue working with other groups and the administration to find new revenue sources to deal with the economic shortfall. We again ask that if you have any comments, suggestions or know of agencies that are gaming with this whole economic crises, that you forward the information to mbeil@wseu-24.org.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 1/12/09; LTE Abuse, 1/26/09.

DECEMBER 12 , 2008

STATE’S ECONOMY …Wisconsin AFSCME, as a whole, has made a clear decision that the legislature and the governor cannot manage their way out of this economic crisis. We are not alone in that conclusion, and we have been meeting and coalescing with like-minded organizations regarding new revenue streams to fund all levels of government and their services in the state. As the leaders who attended the recent Education Conference know, there has been a new catalog of revenue-enhancers developed. We, along with our lobbyists, have been meeting with legislators and representatives of the Administration to talk and plan around how we can get these revenue increases passed and implemented. While no one wants to pay more taxes or higher fees, there comes a point where there is no other option if we are to continue providing the same quality of service and maintain economically secure governmental worksites. We encourage you to review the enclosed Legislative Bulletin and start the discussion among your rank and file members regarding these revenue increases. Every participant who attended the Education Conference received the catalog of revenue increases – it should be made available to all members. Council staff is more than willing to engage members specifically on this issue. It is important to begin the educational process now for members and elected officials about what needs to be done to claw our way out of this recession.

SCHOLARSHIPS…Applications are now available for the Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarships and Members-only Scholarships. Either visit the website at www.wseu-24.org for an online request form or contact Kelly Becker at (608) 836-0024 ext. 135 or kbecker@wseu-24.org fo an application. Applications must be post marked by March 20, 2009.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING...Friday, 12/19; Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 1/12/09; LTE Abuse, 1/26/09.

DECEMBER 5 , 2008

THE ECONOMY …There’s no longer any question that we are all being affected in one way or another relative to the economic meltdown, both nationally and internationally. Our lives are affected by the impact on the auto industry, credit and banking industry, and the insurance industry. Even more so, however, is the impact on us by the serious loss of tax revenue and investment earnings integral to our compensation plans and the public services we provide. This is not a hoax or political gamesmanship – this is a real crisis. We all need to take a close look at our economic interests, from our pensions, to compensation, savings and mortgage investments. As a union, we cannot and will not give specific individual advice on these matters, but we do urge you to take this seriously and know where you are at relative to investments and pension. We urge you to use the tremendous assets of the Department of Employee Trust Funds, who can give you an accurate, real snapshot of your pension plan.

We are fortunate in that our weekly contact with the Doyle Administration continues regarding the enormous budget shortfall. We are “in the loop” so to speak and are being asked for our input. The reality of the situation is that the state simply cannot manage its way out of a $5.4 billion deficit. There just aren’t enough state employees and state programs to go around that would afford that kind of savings. At the end of the day, the Administration and the Legislature will have to move forward a serious agenda containing increases in revenue through fees and variations of tax policies. That’s the reality and we now have to be prepared to support it. We are working with several groups who have already developed a “catalog” of tax and fee devices, which will be presented to the Governor and his Administration. We all knew that after the hard work of electing worker-friendly legislators and politicians, the time to savor the victory would be short – and so it is. We are working on developing a plan and will be asking all members to get involved to assure that the necessary state revenues are in place to avoid wholesale layoffs, job cuts and/or agency cuts. Stay tuned.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING...Friday, 12/19; Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Jt. Health & Safety, 12/12; Grievance, 12/12; Education, 1/12/09; LTE Abuse, 1/26/09.

NOVEMBER 21, 2008

FROM THE PRESIDENT-ELECT …The message below certainly an appropriate communication from President-Elect Obama to working families. This is the reason we all worked so hard for the change.

A Message from Sen. (now President-Elect) Obama to Union Families…America was built by its laborers, but today our workers are struggling just to get by in an economy that no longer works for them.

That’s why we can’t afford four more years of the failed George Bush economic policies – policies that Sen. McCain has proudly embraced and promised to continue. It is time we had a president who will stand up for working men and women by building an economy that rewards not just wealth, but work and the workers who create it. It’s time you had a partner in the White House who knows that the struggles facing working families can’t be solved by spending billions of dollars on more tax breaks for big corporations and wealthy CEO’s, and that hardworking families need immediate relief…

It’s time you had a president who honors organized labor – who’s walked on picket lines; who doesn’t choke on the word “union”; who lets our unions do what they do best and organize our workers; and who will finally make the Employee Free Choice Act the law of the land. That is the choice in this election. We can choose to remain in so much trouble, or we can reclaim the idea that in America, opportunity is open to anyone who’s willing to work for it.

STATE BUDGET…As you continue to hear and see, the revenue situation for the state doesn’t get any better. The current projection is a $5.4 billion deficit through 2011. The governor has been very public about trying to manage this historic deficit. We have been in regular weekly contact with the Administration around their plans of handling the deficit. Just to dispense with some rumors – no agencies have been authorized or should be planning layoffs or reduced work weeks. There is a position control procedure in place that reviews each vacancy prior to decisions on filling. There is no discussion or interest in reopening the contract, or taking away the 2009 general wage adjustment. There is no discussion or decision about early retirement windows. We are working closely with the administration and everyone knows that this is difficult and brings tough times in terms of work sites and work processes, but we like the rest of government, have to try to manage our way through this economic crisis. We’d be interested in knowing about any rumors circulating in your workplace concerning the budget shortfall. Please forward anything you hear to mbeil@wseu-24.org.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING...Friday, 12/19; Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Jt. Health & Safety, 12/12; Grievance, 12/12; Education, 1/12/09; LTE Abuse, 1/22/09.

NOVEMBER 14, 2008

EDUCATION CONFERENCE…On Thursday this week we wrapped up our biennial Education Conference. About 130 or so union members, officers and leaders representing all but three of our local unions participated in two days of learning. These members also gave us valuable input on the first step of putting in place a formal strategic plan for our union. They also heard from and worked with staff from four different departments from AFSCME International. In addition, they chose from 12 different workshops, old and new, on a range of subjects. Speakers included friends and coalition partners from outside our union, as well as Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson. A brief preliminary review of the evaluations indicates a solid approval rating for the conference. We urge you to get in touch with your local’s participants and/or Council executive board members for more info. Thanks to everyone who attended, participated, and helped out in any way.

ELECTIONS, PART 2…There are still a few state races that are as yet undecided. Recounts are underway in at least two state legislative districts, where AFSCME members are assisting. It’s quite possible that we could still add to our incredible gains from the 11.4.08 elections. We’ll keep you posted.

STATE’S ECONOMY…This week we learned the latest projection of the state’s budget deficit. Because of this economic downturn, Wisconsin’s projected budget shortfall is now $5 billion. We know the affects of the depressed economy will be long term, and far reaching. We have already seen the vast impact on pensions and retirement savings. We are staying on top of the budget situation and continue to work with the administration to bring about thoughtful, sensible and workable solutions to this gigantic mess.

PLEASE INFORM US…Local unions are reminded to report information on recent retirees to the Council; along with regular membership changes. It’s the only way we can determine who our retirees are, and therefore build strength in retirees Chapter 7.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING...Thursday, 11/20; Council 24.

November 7, 2008

We “Remembered in November”!!!

The outcome of Tuesday’s elections, from the top to the bottom of the ticket, was a clear victory for not only for us as state employees, but also as working Americans. The tremendous amount of internal activity amongst our members and the thousands of hours volunteered to the campaigns created an environment that has brought a historic change to the face of this great nation. The election of Barack Obama as President in many ways is a fulfillment of the American dream where anyone can overcome tremendous challenges to one day become President. Our union was involved in these activities in all 72 counties in the state. Members came out of the woodwork to volunteer time and resources in all of the campaigns. In the down ballot races for senate and assembly, through the hard work of AFSCME and other unions, we were able to maintain a majority in the senate and create a majority in the assembly. In theory this means there will be more realistic discussion and activity about the State’s economy, budget, laws pertaining to our worksites and the services we provide. It should also signify that we won’t have to walk another 131 days in the rotunda during the next budget cycle. We promised state Republicans we’d remember in November – and we delivered. They are no longer in control of the Assembly. Yet, with all of this victory, our work continues. Now we need to educate these new legislators about our issues, and more importantly, hold them accountable to their campaign promises and the pledges they have made to you as you worked for them. Your union’s activity from the highest levels, to the rank and file, is something to be extremely proud of – these candidates knew we were there and they know we delivered. Huge thanks goes to everyone for your leadership and commitment in changing both our state and the nation.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION…goes to Patrick Ploc. Patrick, a member of Local 758, retired on November 6 after 42 YEARS with the DOT. Patrick had more time in that many state workers are old! Congratulations to him for a long and successful career, and best wishes to Patrick and his wife for a tremendous retirement together.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING...Thursday, 11/20; Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… SEPAC, 11/7; Council 24.

OCTOBER 31, 2008

GET OUT AND VOTE!!!

ELECTIONS...The time has come! Tuesday, November 4^th is Election Day. This is time when the undecided become decided and when in the course of exercising your democratic right, you must make a choice based on your family’s future. By now you have received volumes of literature and hours of phone calls from all of the campaigns, and now it is time. Your decision will direct how your family, our state and our nation will go into the future. It’s about accountability, it’s about change, and it’s about doing the right thing. There is no excuse for not voting on Tuesday, November 4^th. Nothing could be more irritating than someone saying they don’t vote. Our great country was built on a democracy established by elections. Our soldiers have died on foreign lands in battle to maintain our right to vote. It’s the only orderly way to make decisions in a democracy.

Included with this week’s mailing is a thank you letter written by a state assembly candidate to a local newspaper after the primary. Though he was unsuccessful in his bid, the tone of his writing goes to what a democracy is all about – to what elections are all about – to what we are all about. Read the letter. Then made a decision that you can’t or won’t vote…

There is still room to get involved, from the bottom of the ballot all the way to the top. Get out the vote activity is occurring between now and 8:00 p.m. on November 4^th. We encourage all of our locals and members to get involved. Please consult the SEPAC website (wseu-sepac.org), or contact PEL Coordinator Steve Williams or your field representative for more info, including a listing of candidates screened and recommended by your SEPAC Committee.

You and your fellow union members hold destiny in your hands, you hold change in your hands – the time is now – make it happen!

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING...Thursday, 11/20; Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… LTE Abuse, 11/6; SEPAC, 11/7; Council 24.

Letter to the Editor

9/18/08

By Assembly Candidate Peng Her

The Day After The Election

Running for the State Assembly has been an experience like nothing I could have every imagined. Besides the birth of my three children and my marriage, running for office has been the best experience of my life.

It is truly a humbling experience. To have total strangers contribute because they believe in me but yet have never meet me. Who would have ever thought a little Hmong boy born in the hills of Laos would one day run for the Wisconsin State Assembly.

The thing that made me the proudest was seeing my three children getting so involved and so proud of their “Poppy”. Even though my youngest daughter, age 3, cannot read, when she sees my yard sign in someone’s yard, she says out loud “Poppy Her for State Assembly”. My oldest daughter, age 5, walked almost one mile during the Waunakee parade proudly holding her Poppy’s sign. After the race, my son, age 7, said to me, “That’s o.k. Poppy if didn’t win. When I run for President, you can vote for me and I will win for you”.

To me, that’s what it is all about. Even though I may not have won the election, I have won just by running. I was able to share my passion with my children and inspire people who had never voted before to vote for the first time. For this I owe each and every one of my volunteers, supports, opponents, and the voters of the 81^st district a great big thank you for believing in a little guy who dreams big.

Having been a candidate, I encourage everyone to vote in the upcoming Presidential election on Nov. 4. Voting gives you a voice in a world full of people ready to speak their minds. By voting, you have the opportunity to have an opinion and make it stand for something. On election day, it does not matter if you make $7 an hour or $700 an hour; if you are Caucasian, Asian American, African American, or Latino American – we are all equal (one person one vote). Go out and vote!

-- Peng Her, former candidate for Assembly District 81

OCTOBER 23, 2008

ELECTIONS... Less than two weeks remain for us to make sure that we elect candidates who are pro working family and concerned about our future. From the top of the ballot to the bottom, we all have important decisions to make. At the top of the ballot, there is an easy choice – in that we have one candidate whose history reflects a 100% AFSCME voting record; while the other candidate in 30+ years reflects a mere 16% AFSCME voting record. We don’t need someone who has supposedly discovered a new found conviction toward working class men and women. Bringing it closer to home, on 10/21/08, Senator Obama sent a personal letter to the CEO of Midwest Airlines expressing his concern about how that airline was treating its pilots and flight crews in terms of wage and benefit cuts. It is obvious that this candidate’s interest is in our backyard, not in some contrived environment in Washington, DC. All of our members need to get fully engaged over the next 10 days. If we don’t we could easily see the State Senate go back to Republican control under Scott Fitzgerald and see the Assembly remain in the clutches of Mike Huebsch and his band of ultraconservatives. November 5^th is too late. Whining and crying about the outcome of the election accomplishes nothing. We face critical times as public employees, with the softening of the economy and the falling off of revenues. We need strong, innovative, progressive decision-makers in our legislature to help us work through these critical issues. We hold our children’s future in our hands – will we grab the opportunity, or let it slip away? Please consult the SEPAC website (wseu-sepac.org), or contact PEL Coordinator Steve Williams or your field representative for more info on how to get involved.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING...Friday, 10/24; Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 10/31; LTE Abuse, 11/6; Council 24.

OCTOBER 17, 2008

ELECTIONS...19 days to Election Day…19 days to control our destiny as public workers. It goes without saying that we have a critical election at the top of the ticket for President relative to working men and women, not only here but across the nation. There are also extremely important elections down the ballot in races for state assembly and senate. These seats are key players, and are critical in terms of your jobs, your pay and your future. If there’s any doubt about that, all we need do is look back to what the Republicans in the state assembly wanted to do to state workers in the last budget. It is time we retire this caveman mentality toward public service and public workers. There should be no reason why state employees are not engaged in state senate and assembly races to affect a positive outcome. There are endless opportunities across this state for involvement. Please consult the SEPAC website (wseu-sepac.org) for a listing of these opportunities and strongly encourage your members to participate. Without you, we are paper tigers – 19 days to your future!

STEWARDS IN ACTION…10/23 and 10/24, Wausau Labor Temple. Two day training, approval by local president is required for attendance, as is advance registration. For further info, contact field rep Bill Schmit (bschmit@wseu-24.org).

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING...Friday, 10/24; Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 10/31; Council 24.

OCTOBER 3, 2008

WHO IS BEING BAILED OUT?...Again, we have found ourselves in the untenable position created by the corporate good old boys network of George W. Bush. Congress and our country has found itself so far in debt, given the recent crash of financial institutions and mortgage brokers, they are grasping at straws to pull us out of the quagmire - $780 billion! To give you an idea of the value of that – we could pay every U.S. citizen 18 or older $200,000 each and never hit $780 billion. All these years we have heard that there is not enough money to fund infrastructure improvements; or rehabilitate New Orleans; or provide health care for all; or education our children – yet in a matter of five days – we can find $780 billion to bail out corporate America. It is a scary thing – not so much for us, but for our kids and grandkids when China decides to call in their note.

All of this leads to the same conclusion – we need new leaders, a fresh new change toward leaders who understand these issues and their impact on working men and women, investors, and the treasury. We need someone who can put in place an ordinary person’s fix to this mess; someone who can restore the financial credibility of our country; someone who will oversee the financial industry so that a crisis like this will never happen again. We should all take an active interest in this issue, since we all are affected by it – from your pension system, to short term investments, to your home mortgage – everything is impacted. We must stand tall on November 4th and make the right decision at the polls to assure that our favorite son from Illinois is elected president. There are still many opportunities to get involved – both in the presidential race, and in state legislative races. We strongly encourage your to visit the SEPAC website (wseu-sepac.org) for a list of activates and contact information. Remember if you don’t get involved, you cannot complain later!

FUNDRAISING BENEFIT…Please join the Oshkosh area locals and Council 24 in supporting the Holly & Scott Schwebke benefit. This family of six, after coping with Holly’s cancer diagnosis is now dealing with the discovery of Scott’s brain tumor and surgery. On top of all this, the family’s home was flooded with 6 ft. of water during the June flooding, causing the loss of most of their major appliances and utilities. Both Holly and Scott are members of Council 24 locals (48 and 3409 respectively). Please contribute if you can and/or attend the benefit on Sunday, 10/26/08; Witke’s, 1700 Oregon St., Oshkosh. Adults - $10; 16 & under free. Silent auction, live auction, bake sale, door prizes. Further info: www.communitybenefittree.org; or call Dawn at 920.232.0102.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING...Friday, 10/24; Council 24.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

ELECTION SEASON...The McCain surrogate – George W. Bush – has, in his paternal fashion ordered up an economic recovery program that actually will be paid for by our 4th or 5th generations, and everyone in between. Some $700 billion to bail out the Wall Street pirates and high flying executives who have been sucking the lifeblood out of the middle class; $700 billion to be appropriated without a question asked or ability to file any actions about is legitimacy; $700 billion underwritten by Chinese financial institutions; Russian financial institutions; European financial institutions; and who knows – maybe even Cuban and/or Iraqi financial institutions. Some $700 billion so that these great heroes of Wall Street can enjoy their $100 million salaries and throw $4 million birthday parties for their wives. This is the plan for economic stability that John “Bush” McCain has in store for us. We hear the whole debate about Wall Street vs. Main Street – well those of us on Main Street haven’t been in the picture for the past 8 years, and certainly won’t be in the near future if John McCain is elected. Everything about him goes against the grain of working men and women in this country and especially in this state. We need a change, not an even older version of the current batch of scoundrels. Now is the time to get involved. There can be no reason or excuse why our members and their families are not involved in this incredibly important election. There is campaign activity everywhere – we need to spread the word to our neighbors, friends and family so that our future and that of our children and grandchildren can be secure. Surely, we don’t want our kids’ mortgages being called in by the Bank of Beijing. For more info on how to get involved, visit the SEPAC website, www.wseu-sepac.org.

RALLY TO SAVE WISCONSIN JOBS…The NewPage Corporation has announced that it will permanently shut down the Kimberly paper mill, eliminating 600 jobs. NewPage refuses to sell the mill, even though union members have identified at least three potential buyers. USW Local 2-0009 is hosting a rally on Thursday, 10/2 at 12 noon on the south steps of the State Capitol to urge elected officials to convene a special session of the Assembly to pass a resolution urging the corporation to run or sell the Mill. If you are available, please head down to the Capitol - you may recall that some of these very same union brothers and sisters turned out to help us about a year ago at our “counter rally”. Now is our chance to return the favor. For more information, contact USW local 2-0009 at (920) 788-6022 or visit RunItorSellIt.org.

DEPRESSION SCREENING...National Depression Screen Day is 10/10/08. As in the past, we are again working with Lt. Gov. Lawton on a joint initiative to reach out to Wisconsin citizens. Mental Health America of Wisconsin will offer a free, confidential, and simple online screening on 10/10. It will be available through the Lt. Governor’s website at www.ltgov.wisconsin.gov and will provide immediate feedback to those who complete it as to indicators for depressions and resources for treatment. We ask local unions to get involved by raising awareness of this day. Further info, flyers and other suggestions are also available on the same website.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING...Friday, 10/24; Council 24.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2008

ELECTION SEASON...As we review reports received from various County Clerks around the state, we were amazed to learn how many members and their families are not registered to vote. Here in Wisconsin, we have an opportunity that does not exist elsewhere, in that we can actually register on Election Day right at the polls. There is nothing difficult about it, no need for money, no need for a birth certificate (at least not yet anyway), or gene coding or any of the other Republican nonsense. It is just a matter of going to your municipal, village or city clerk, providing proof of residence and signing your name. It is hard to believe that after the all the sacrifices of the past 70 years of men, and especially women, to secure this right, that we still have people frittering it away by not registering and participating in elections. It is simply unacceptable. We strongly encourage you to register and then exercise your constitutional right to vote this November.

Local unions continue interviewing candidates for endorsement for state legislative races. Contact your local union officers to find out when your local is conducting screening. We encourage you to attend these candidate screenings so that we get as wide a membership audience as possible to hear these candidates talk about what they will do for men and women working for the State of Wisconsin and their economic well being. You can also visit the SEPAC website for a complete, frequently updated listing of candidate screening activity in your area. Get involved – now more than ever, it couldn’t be more important. This past Monday, your pension fund lost $2.1 billion, and John McCain says the economic structure of our country is “sound”...for whom?...maybe for his buddies, but not for us.

DEPRESSION SCREENING...National Depression Screen Day is 10/10/08. As in the past, we are again working with Lt. Gov. Lawton on a joint initiative to reach out to Wisconsin citizens. Mental Health America of Wisconsin will offer a free, confidential, and simple online screening on 10/10. It will be available through the Lt. Governor’s website at www.ltgov.wisconsin.gov and will provide immediate feedback to those who complete it as to indicators for depressions and resources for treatment. We ask local unions to get involved by raising awareness of this day. Further info, flyers and other suggestions are also available on the same website.

CONTRACTS...Local union presidents should have received a letter asking them to direct us as to how their local wishes to handle contract distribution, i.e. through individual mailing to peoples’ homes, or by receiving a bulk supply and hand distributing them. Contracts are now in the binding process, so we need to know the local presidents’ decision ASAP to complete updating of address information prior to any mailing. Our goal is to get these contracts into members’ hands by early this fall.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING...Friday, 9/19; Council 24.

SEPTEMBER 12, 2008

ELECTIONS...State primaries were held last Tuesday, and we now have a solid field of candidates running for state legislative office. We know that many local unions have engaged these candidates relating to their positions on issues important to state workers and their families. Your political action committee, SEPAC, is beginning the process of dealing with endorsements of state Assembly and Senate candidates. These endorsements originate with the local unions, and move through our system to SEPAC and then finally to the Executive Board for approval. For the past couple of years we have talked about needing to “Remember in November” those candidates whose interests are in dismantling state programs, curtailing benefits and restricting money for the compensation line item for state employees. Now it is time to hold true to that commitment. We need to find a way to reward our friends and punish our enemies, even though sometimes it seems there are more enemies than friends. However we are confident that our members and local unions are up for the fight. All of us need to get involved in these campaigns at the state level, and as importantly, at the national level. There are all sorts of activities starting this week with regard to the Presidential election – phone banks; continuing member to member walks; surveys; and neighborhood activities are going on throughout the state. There are absolute clear differences between the candidates, and there can be no question in any union member’s mind that Barack Obama clearly champions all that we as working men and women strive for and deserve. Meanwhile, John McCain is busy running around to his eight homes, talking nonsense about the economy, and wooing a 40-year old vice presidential candidate. The choice is between reality and surrealistic cartoons. Complete information for statewide activity is available on the SEPAC website (www.wseu-sepac.org).

STATE AFL-CIO CONVENTION...The biennial convention of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO will be held September 22-23, 2008 at the Wyndham Milwaukee Hotel. We have just learned that our own President Gerald McEntee will be addressing the delegates on Tuesday, 9/23 – just another indication of Wisconsin’s importance in this fall’s elections. Locals not sending any delegates to this convention are asked to forward signed credentials to the Council (attn: Jana Weaver) so that locals who are attending may carry the votes.

CONTRACTS...Local union presidents should have received a letter asking them to direct us as to how their local wishes to handle contract distribution, i.e. through individual mailing to peoples’ homes, or by receiving a bulk supply and hand distributing them. Contracts are now in the binding process, so we need to know the local presidents’ decision ASAP to complete updating of address information prior to any mailing. Our goal is to get these contracts into members’ hands by early this fall.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING... Friday, 9/19; Council 24.

SEPTEMBER 5, 2008

PRIMARY ELECTIONS...Tuesday, 9/9 is primary election day in Wisconsin. There are primaries around the state, and in at least one district – the 73rd Assembly District – the outcome of the primary is the election. Where there are primary elections in your area, it is important you participate – since this really is the beginning of the political season. Aside from protecting your interests as a public employee, voting is also your guaranteed constitutional right. As we move through the Tuesday primaries, we now are engaging fully in the general elections this November. Both of the major parties have now completed their conventions, the circuses are over, the baloney has been spread around, and now it is time to get down to business. The choice is simple – do we continue four more years of mortgage foreclosures, high gas prices, and the erosion of the middle class, or do we change? Do we change toward strengthening the middle class, seriously look into alternative fuels, and stem the foreclosure hemorrhaging. It seems simple – move forward with Barack Obama, or keep playing in the same mud puddle with John McCain. Don’t be misled by the hype, and 30 second sound bites.

All throughout our state, sponsored by AFSCME and our friends in other unions and the AFL-CIO, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. Member to member walks are scheduled, as well as phone banks statewide dealing with both federal and state elections. Local unions are working hard with Assembly and Senate candidates to assure some semblance of sanity and fairness in both legislative houses. But, our biggest and most important effort is to make sure Barack Obama is elected president in November. For more info or if you have questions on the candidates, visit the SEPAC website. For listings of member to member walks and other activities, visit www.wisaflcio.org.

STATE AFL-CIO CONVENTION...The biennial convention of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO will be held September 22-23, 2008 at the Wyndham Milwaukee Hotel. Locals not sending any delegates to this convention are asked to forward signed credentials to the Council (attn: Jana Weaver) so that locals who are attending may carry the votes.

STATE BUDGET… We at the council are beginning to have discussions with the Doyle administration about some specific budget initiatives in the 2009-2011 state budget. State agencies have to have their budget proposals into the Department of Administration by September 15th. If you are aware of any unusual budget proposals from your worksite or agency, we strongly encourage you to contact your field rep or us at council so we can research it and deal with it. All of us are functioning under the assumption that the 09-11 budget will have serious revenue problems given the softening of the economy due to the tourism downturn from weather and gas prices. We will find ourselves working in a pretty dismal economic environment as we enter the 2009-2011 biennial.

SCHOLARSHIP TIME....The annual AFSCME Family Scholarship for 2009 has been announced. Thirteen scholarships of $2,000 (renewable for four years) are awarded to winners meeting the eligibility requirements. The application deadline is 12/31/08. Further info: www.afscme.org/members/880.cfm.

AUGUST 29, 2008

LABOR DAY...Monday is a national holiday to recognize working men and women and what they have accomplished in this country. All of us take great pride in the fact that we have made great advances in economic growth, safety in the workplace, and manageable hours a week. It seems, however, that all of that has slipped away a bit over the last eight years. It seems as though the middle class is on the decline. All of us should take a few minutes on Monday to think about the gains that labor has made and attend local rallies and celebrations recognizing Labor Day. There are events scheduled in Milwaukee, Green Bay, Janesville, Madison, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Eau Claire and LaCrosse. Throughout the state, there will be public recognition of the gains of working men and women. All of us need to stand strong and begin to reestablish the working middle class.

POLITICAL SEASON… With each week, we get closer to the September primaries and the November general election, and the union’s involvement in the political process becomes more important. By now, you and your local union should be interviewing prospective legislative candidates and incumbents for endorsements. Our threshold for endorsements is pretty simple. Basically, “What are you prepared to do to adequately fund state operations and the state public services?” Throughout the state, the Take Back staff is setting up phone banks, walks and rallies to organize working men and women into an efficient, effective campaign for President of the United States. We strongly encourage you and your local members to volunteer and engage in these activities. Without casting gloom and doom, I don’t think we as public employees can sustain another four years of republican control. Our destinies and futures lie in your activity at the ballot box. For information about activities in your areas, please consult the SEPAC website (www.wseu-sepac.org) for a calendar of political activities and functions to participate.

STATE AFL-CIO CONVENTION...The biennial convention of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO will be held September 22-23, 2008 at the Wyndham Milwaukee Hotel. Locals not sending any delegates to this convention are asked to forward signed credentials to the Council (attn: Jana Weaver) so that locals who are attending may carry the votes.

AUGUST 22, 2008

ELECTIONS...You’re probably already tired of hearing about the importance of this fall’s elections. However, we just don’t have the luxury of being tired. We need to get involved to make sure that the leaders we elect will begin to take us out of this quagmire economy and build a brighter future for our children and grandchildren. We must get serious at all levels of these elections. We cannot allow another candidate to be elected by default. We all have too much to lose. It seems scary to us that there is a real possibility that we could have another four years of ineffective, war mongering, cowboy politics. Now that election season is upon us, candidates are talking about how to fix the problems of energy and economics; skyrocketing health care costs and access to health care; and reverse the trend of foreclosures. This same politician has been in the U.S. Senate for 28 years and has not done a damn thing. You, your members, your families and friends must engage to turn the page on the decline of the middle class and move forward a new direction with new leadership. We can’t sit back and hope others will do it for us. Please visit the SEPAC website (www.wseu-sepac.org) for a calendar of political activities and functions to participate. Now is the time!

STATE AFL-CIO CONVENTION...The biennial convention of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO will be held September 22-23, 2008 at the Wyndham Milwaukee Hotel. Locals not sending any delegates to this convention are asked to forward signed credentials to the Council so that locals who are attending may carry the votes. Forward signed credentials to Jana Weaver at the Council.

NEW CONTRACT BOOKS....The printing and binding of our new contract books continues, with a target for fall distribution. In the next few weeks, local presidents will be asked to direct us as to whether their local will have their contract books mailed individually to members, or if they’d like to pick them up from the Council and handle their own distribution. Accurate address information is more important than ever. Locals should be working now on pulling together any address changes and submitting them to Council so that members get this, and other information, on a timely basis. In addition, it saves money on costly returns.

LABOR DAY CELEBRATIONS...area labor councils are gearing up for the annual Labor Day celebrations, coming up next weekend. We urge you to check out the activities in your area, and take part in the celebrations.

SCHOLARSHIP TIME....The annual AFSCME Family Scholarship for 2009 has been announced. Thirteen scholarships of $2,000 (renewable for four years) are awarded to winners meeting the eligibility requirements. Application deadline is 12/31/08. Further info: www.afscme.org/members/880.cfm.

LOCAL UNION SUPPLIES...Recently AFSCME distributed a revamped “Local Union Supply Form”. This is where you can turn to order all kinds of products – from local union forms, cards, buttons, pens, t-shirts, member service lapel pins, as well as lapel pens for stewards and chief stewards and a host of other products. Visit www.afscme.org/forms; or call 202-429-8421 and request your own supply of order forms. Popular publications have been updated, too, like How to take Part in Local Meetings; Local Union Election Manual, How to Chair a Meeting, etc. Details on those can be found at: http://www.afscme.org/publications/publicationsindex.cfm .

AUGUST 15, 2008

POLITICAL SEASON...We have entered the season of elections and politics. All levels of election this fall – from the presidential race at the federal level to state assembly - are extremely important to our members, their families and their interests. As always it is vitally important that our rank and file members and leadership engage in the world of politics. There are and will be many opportunities for you and your members to become involved in the elections at the federal and/or state levels. We don’t have the luxury of having any of our local unions “sitting out” these elections. We absolutely need to elect a president who will change the dynamics of our country, so we can once again enjoy the fruits of the middle class, while not mortgaging the future of our children and grandchildren. Also critical to our interest is protecting and maintaining the Democratic majority in the state senate, and changing the majority in the state assembly. Your political action committee, SEPAC, is currently in the process of planning for the fall elections. All of our local unions need to have face to face contact with all of the candidates for assembly and senate in your area. Our local unions drive our endorsements and activity in these elections. We don’t have the same political action funds as the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce or other corporate interests, but more important than that, we have members willing to volunteer. Each local union should have some kind of political action committee and be fully engaged in politics and the election landscape within your area. If there are questions, issues or difficulty in getting your local engaged, contact PEL Coordinator Steve Williams (swilliams@wseu-24.org; phone: 608.269.0307). He will be more than ready to assist in this important process. We just cannot find ourselves come January, 2009 in position complaining about the horrible way legislators treat us; and the take backs they are proposing. We have an opportunity to control our own destiny politically. For important information regarding campaigns at all levels, visit the SEPAC website (wseu-sepac.org).

STANDING COMMITTEES...Just a reminder that all standing committees are starting anew with the President’s appointments. You must contact President if you wish to be appointed, re-appointed or re-assigned to a different committee. There are no automatic appointments. Make contact before 8/20/08. These are the Council’s standing committees: Education; Grievance; Scholarship; Joint Health & Safety; LTE Abuse; Organizing; Outsourcing; SEPAC; and Retirement. You may reach President McLinn at 608.836.0024, ext. 128; or at bmclinn@wseu-24.org.

AUGUST 7, 2008

COUNCIL 24’s CONVENTION...Since the last Weekly Summary, Council 24 has wrapped up its annual convention, which included election of table officers. The following members were elected/re-elected as follows:
            President – Bob McLinn, Local 18; Vice President – Paulette Feld, Local 579;
            Secretary – Jeff Johnson, Local 2748; Treasurer – Larry Lautenschlager, Local 48.
They are joined on the executive board by the following individuals and the units they represent:
AS Unit – LaCretia Moss, Local 91; Mary Czynszak-Lyne, Local 2412.
BC Unit – Barb Peters, Local 171; John Gast, Local 383.
PSS Unit –Amy Huss, Tom Corcoran, Local 2748.
SPS Unit – Ron McAllister, Local 6; Todd Wetzel, Local 178; Jon Patzlsberger, Local 3394.
Tech Unit – Gerry Zastrow, Local 584; Ken Weaver, Local 758.
Congratulations once again to all of these dedicated members.
            In addition to the elections, delegates to the Council convention also adopted a couple of resolutions setting policy for our union for the upcoming year. At the end of the day, it was a sign of the strength and solidarity of our union.

FALLEN HEROES FUND...In keeping with a previous convention resolution regarding public service, we held a special collection for the AFSCME Fallen Heroes Fund at our convention to further assist AFSCME members who suffered from the recent floods in the Midwest. The collection yielded $1,440. A further contribution was made by Executive Board member Ken Weaver, Local 758, who donated his $250 PEOPLE prize winnings to the fund; making the grand total $1,690. Council 24 will match this amount and remit to the AFSCME Fallen Heroes Fund for further disaster relief. If there are individuals or locals still wishing to contribute, it is not too late, you are strongly encouraged to do so. To date, more than 80 Council 24 members have received flood assistance from this fund.

STANDING COMMITTEES...With the convention and election of officers, President McLinn is asking that anyone wanting to either continue to serve on a standing committee, or to be a new appointment to any committee make a direct request to him. Each committee will start anew with a blank slate – so whether you want to be reappointed; to make a change; or to receive a brand new appointment – all need to express that request to President McLinn before 8/20/08. These are the Council’s standing committees: Education; Grievance; Scholarship; Joint Health & Safety; LTE Abuse; Organizing; Outsourcing; SEPAC; and Retirement. You may reach President McLinn at 608.836.0024, ext. 128; or at bmclinn@wseu-24.org.

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION… Our convention was immediately followed by the International Convention, from July 28-August 1 in San Francisco. Elections also occurred here, and President McEntee and Secretary-Treasurer Lucy were both reelected to 4-year terms; along with Council 40’s Mike Murphy as Wisconsin’s IVP. A series of constitutional amendments and well over 100 resolutions were adopted setting policy of the International Union and its subordinate bodies for the next two years. Council 24 was well represented at this convention, both in terms of delegates and in terms of convention committee appointments. On Thursday, 7/31, Janet Ramsey of Local 1942 was featured as a presenter to the convention delegation regarding her activity as a Volunteer Member Organizer. All of Council 24’s delegation was very proud of her, and the other members of Council 24 who played an active role at this convention. Comparatively, for a Council our size, we continue to have tremendous impact at the International Union level – which is a credit to our members; their dedication, commitment and hard work.

July 18, 2008

CONVENTION SEASON!

COUNCIL 24’S CONVENTION...opens with registration opens at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, 7/23. Delegates will be busy with resolutions impacting direction of the Council for the coming year, as well as election of table officers. In addition, Governor Doyle will address the delegation. Once the official business is over, the Bay Beach picnic will occur on Wednesday and on Thursday evening we’ll bring it all together with a Mardi Gras celebration.

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION…right on the heels of our Council convention comes the International Convention in San Francisco, during the week of July 28th. Council 24 has a large delegation planning to attend where they will consider resolutions and debate the future direction of the International Union, as well as elect general officers and the executive board.

Due to all this convention activity, there will be no Weekly Summary for the next TWO weeks. We’ll provide a full re-cap of both conventions in the August 8th edition. Please also note that Council offices will be closed on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, July 22-24 because all staff will be in attendance at the Green Bay convention. If you should have an emergency and need to reach staff from the union, call the Hotel Sierra at 414.432.4555 and ask for the AFSCME Council 24 Convention Office.

SUPREME COURT...last week our state Supreme Court blew a $275 million hole in the state budget when, led by “Gut Check” Judge Ziegler, they ruled that taxing corporations for software purchases was unconstitutional. If you think this is bad, wait till Judge Gabelman gets on the bench. These Supreme Court races are important and have tremendous impact on state operations and the workers we represent. Stay tuned.

July 11, 2008

MAJOR ORGANIZING VICTORY...Recently we scored a huge win on the Maintenance of Membership drive within Local 1942. This win means that every bargaining unit now has fairshare protection from free-riders. The next focus will be to sign the fairshare fee payers up as members. We congratulate Local 1942, especially Janet Ramsey, and Council 24’s Organizing Committee for putting this excellent campaign together.

COUNCIL 24 CONVENTION...is approaching July 23-25 in Green Bay. Delegates will be receiving their advance packets in the coming days. Packets contain copies of proposed constitutional amendments and resolutions to be acted upon, as well as workshop and other convention-related information. Please note that registration opens at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, 7/23 and closes at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, 7/24. We have Bay Beach planned for Wednesday evening and the theme of Thursday night’s party is Mardi Gras. Get those costumes ready!

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION…It’s not too late to make sure your local is represented. Important decisions will be made this year about the election of a vice president representing Wisconsin, as well as significant decisions on the direction of the International Union. Local unions not sending delegates are asked to contact and/or forward your credentials (signed by president and secretary) to Council 24 to the attention of Lynn Megonigle (608-836-0024, ext. 129); or lmegonigle@wseu-24.org, if you wish for your local’s voted to be carried by another delegate. Lynn can provide information about how to elect another delegate for that purpose.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Tuesday, 7/22, KI Convention Center, Green Bay.

June 28, 2008

FLOOD VICTIMS...just a reminder that the International Union has reopened the “Fallen Heroes Fund” to collect and disperse money to flood affected members in the Midwest. Members or locals are urged to contribute by sending a check to: AFSCME Fallen Heroes Fund, 1625 L St., NW, Washington DC 20036. Already dozens of your brothers and sisters in Council 24 have registered for flood relief – proof that your contributions benefit us right here at home.

CONTRACT...New rates and retroactivity payments will appear on your Thursday, 7/3 paychecks. Please look carefully to make sure your retro amount is accurate. Questions or problems should be reported to your field representative. We are in the final proofreading process with the contract and hope to have the document at the printer within the next couple of weeks.

COUNCIL 24 CONVENTION...is approaching July 23-25 in Green Bay. Locals are urged to send credential forms in ASAP so that their delegates will receive the advance packet of convention information, resolutions and proposed amendments, which will be mailed in early July.

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION…Local unions not sending delegates to this summer’s International Convention in San Francisco are asked to contact and/or forward your credentials (signed by president and secretary) to Council 24 to the attention of Lynn Megonigle (608-836-0024, ext. 129); or lmegonigle@wseu-24.org, if you wish for your local’s voted to be carried by another delegate. Lynn can provide information about how to elect another delegate for that purpose.
Locals who ARE sending delegates are asked to forward a listing of your local delegation to Lynn (lmegonigle@wseu-24.org) at the Council.

JULY 4TH HOLIDAY...In observance of the holiday, all Council offices will be closed on Friday, 7/4. There will be no Weekly Summary – so watch for the next edition on 7/11.
COMMITTEE MEETING...Education, 7/9; Council 24.

June 20, 2008

FLOOD VICTIMS...our thoughts and prayers are with the citizens and our members who incurred huge losses and significant damage to their homes and personal property during the recent flooding disaster. The International Union has reopened the “Fallen Heroes Fund” to collect and disperse money to affected members in the Midwest. The International has made an initial contribution of $100,000 and Councils and Locals are beginning to contribute as well. The International also has a “strike team” currently in the Midwest dealing with AFSCME members’ issues. We know that with losses in the billions of dollars, whatever the union can do is a drop in the bucket, nonetheless we are prepared to do as much as we can. Any member or local wanting to contribute can do so by sending a check to: AFSCME Fallen Heroes Fund, 1625 L St., NW, Washington DC 20036.

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION…Local unions not sending delegates to this summer’s International Convention in San Francisco are asked to contact and/or forward your credentials (signed by president and secretary) to Council 24 to the attention of Lynn Megonigle (608-836-0024, ext. 129); or lmegonigle@wseu-24.org, if you wish for your local’s voted to be carried by another delegate. Lynn can provide information about how to elect another delegate for that purpose.

Locals who ARE sending delegates are asked to forward a listing of your local delegation to Lynn (lmegonigle@wseu-24.org) at the Council.

JERRY CLARK SCHOLARSHIP...$5000/year for junior and senior years, awarded to two college sophomores majoring in social sciences. Application deadline is 7/1/08. Further info: www.afscme.org.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…FRIDAY, 6/27 - Council 24.

June 12, 2008

BARGAINING UNIT CONFERENCES…Just as we put the 07-09 contract “to bed”, we elected new bargaining team members for the 09-11 contract this week. The results of those bargaining team elections are as follows.
AS Unit - Jan Banicki, Local 13; Ann Capadona, Local 68; Cecelia Lewandowski, Local 82; Susan Raasch, Local 579; Gary Mitchell, Local 2412.
BC Unit - Vern Seay, Local 1; Mike Will, Local 126; Barb Peters, Local 171; Paul Walton, Local 1131; Jack Connell, Local 1914.
PSS Unit -Bill Brockmiller, Tom Corcoran, Amy Huss, Dave Kopplin, Laura Welle, all Local 2748.
SPS Unit - Julie Peters, Local 15; Jason Wenzel, Local 18; Ron Keenan, Local 104; Marty Kehrein, Local 333; Russ Wilson, Local 1215.
Tech Unit - Vicky Ruppert, Local 13; Karen Borst, Local 48; Randy Brink, Local 171; Cathy Horenberger, Local 634; Scott Plaster, Local 1218.

In addition, at these bargaining unit conferences, the five units also elected their Council 24 executive board members for the 09-11 term. The results of those elections are:
AS Unit - LaCretia Moss, Local 91; Mary Czynszak-Lyne, Local 2412.
BC Unit - Barb Peters, Local 171; John Gast, Local 333.
PSS Unit -Amy Huss, Jeff Johnson, Local 2748.
SPS Unit - Ron McAllister, Local 6; Todd Wetzel, Local 178; Jon Patzlsberger, Local 3394.
Tech Unit - Gerry Zastrow, Local 584; Ken Weaver, Local 758.

We congratulate all of these elected leaders, and look forward to working with them as we continue the work of representing our members.

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION…Local unions not sending delegates to this summer’s International Convention in San Francisco are asked to contact and/or forward your credentials (signed by president and secretary) to Council 24 to the attention of Lynn Megonigle (608-836-0024, ext. 129); or lmegonigle@wseu-24.org, if you wish for your local’s voted to be carried by another delegate. Lynn can provide information about how to elect another delegate for that purpose.

Locals who ARE sending delegates are asked to forward a listing of your local delegation to Lynn (lmegonigle@wseu-24.org) at the Council.

JERRY CLARK SCHOLARSHIP...$5000/year for junior and senior years, awarded to two college sophomores majoring in social sciences. Application deadline is 7/1/08. Further info: www.afscme.org.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…FRIDAY, 6/27 - Council 24.

June 5, 2008

CONTRACTS…The Governor signed our contracts on Monday, 6/2, with an effective date of Sunday, 6/8. According to the Compensation Bureau, the contracts will be implemented in pay period 14, which runs June 8 to June 21, and any lump-sum payments will be included in the July 3 paycheck. There has been a lot of misinformation and inaccurate reporting by some incompetent media sources in the State of Wisconsin regarding these contracts. First, neither the legislature, nor the Governor, amended these contracts in any way. Second, you will receive a 2% wage adjustment effective 7/1/07 and a 1% wage adjustment effective 6/28/08. Various market adjustments for affected classes will occur in October; and then your 2% wage increase will occur 6/28/09. Now, 2 +1 + 2 = 5; and 2 + 2 + 1 = 5; so how does the media interpret that you have lost any money in this deal? The actual savings of $25 million across all state employees occurs because the 2% in June of 2009 only applies to a couple of days during the current biennium and the majority of the cost is shifted to the 09-11 biennium budget. In essence, a $25 million savings in the 07-09 budget. We don’t want to confuse you any more than you already may be; however these are the straight facts. You will see them play out as your pay adjustments are implemented over the course of contract.

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION…Local unions not sending delegates to this summer’s International Convention in San Francisco are asked to contact and/or forward your credentials (signed by president and secretary) to Council 24 to the attention of Lynn Megonigle (608-836-0024, ext. 129); or lmegonigle@wseu-24.org, if you wish for your local’s voted to be carried by another delegate. Lynn can provide information about how to elect another delegate for that purpose.

Locals who ARE sending delegates are asked to forward a listing of your local delegation to Lynn (lmegonigle@wseu-24.org) at the Council.

EVENT CANCELLATION ...Labor’s Baseball night on Friday, 6/20/08 at Carson Park in Eau Claire has been cancelled due to lack of labor support by team ownership.

JERRY CLARK SCHOLARSHIP...$5000/year for junior and senior years, awarded to two college sophomores majoring in social sciences. Application deadline is 7/1/08. Further info: www.afscme.org.

JUNE BARGAINING UNIT CONFERENCES…The constitutionally required regular bargaining unit conferences have been scheduled as follows in Stevens Point (locals have been notified).
Tuesday, 6/10 - Blue Collar, Technical, Administrative Support
Wednesday, 6/11 - Security & Public Safety; Professional Social Services

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…FRIDAY, 6/27 - Council 24.

May 29, 2008

CONTRACTS…The legislature completed their ratification of our contracts on Wednesday, 5/28. The Senate approved the contracts with two dissenting votes - Glen Grothman (West Bend); and Mary Lazich (New Berlin). The contracts then went to the Assembly and were approved, again with two consistent “no” votes - Robin Vos (Racine); and Leah Vukmir (Wauwatosa). No reason was given by any of these legislators as to why they voted in opposition; however they were clearly in the minority as the contracts passed with overwhelming support in both houses. The last step is the Governor’s signature, which will occur on Monday, 6/2 at 12:30 p.m. As yet, we do not have a solid date for the issuance of the retroactive compensation checks, but the best guess is early July. Many thanks to the bargaining team members for their perseverance, patience, and hard work as well as to all of you for your support and legislative pressure for approval of the contracts. Contract language changes are available on Council 24’s website, as well as the OSER website.

After approving our contracts, legislators finally went home until the January session. There is much work to be done between now and then to protect our interests in the November elections.

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION…Local unions not sending delegates to this summer’s International Convention in San Francisco are asked to contact and/or forward your credentials (signed by president and secretary) to Council 24 to the attention of Lynn Megonigle (608-836-0024, ext. 129); or lmegonigle@wseu-24.org.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME...Local 122 is organizing “Turn it Green” baseball night on Friday, 6/20/08 at Carson Park in Eau Claire. The game features the Eau Claire Express vs. the Wisconsin Woodchucks, gates open at 5:30 p.m., game at 6:30. General admission - $5; fan deck - $25. Pay at the gate on game day. Please notify your local leadership if you plan to attend; and wear your AFSCME green t-shirt! Please contact your field rep if you need further info.

JERRY CLARK SCHOLARSHIP...$5000/year for junior and senior years, awarded to two college sophomores majoring in social sciences. Application deadline is 7/1/08. Further info: www.afscme.org.

JUNE BARGAINING UNIT CONFERENCES…The constitutionally required regular bargaining unit conferences have been scheduled as follows in Stevens Point (locals have been notified).
Tuesday, 6/10 - Blue Collar, Technical, Administrative Support
Wednesday, 6/11 - Security & Public Safety; Professional Social Services

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…FRIDAY, 5/30 - Council 24.

May 23, 2008

MEMORIAL DAY...Monday marks our country’s annual observance of Memorial Day. Whatever your plans include for this first “official” weekend of summer, please take a few moments to pay tribute in some way to the brave women and men who have given their lives in defense of our country, our freedom, and our very way of life. In observance of the holiday, all Council offices will be closed on Monday, 5/26.

CONTRACTS…Our contracts are scheduled before the legislature’s Joint Committee on Employment Relations on Tuesday, 5/27, in the afternoon. They will then proceed to the full houses of the legislature on Wednesday, 5/28, with the Senate taking them up first. There is a distinct possibility the Governor may sign them on Thursday, 5/29; however this is not certain at this time. What is certain is that legislative ratification occur on Tuesday and Wednesday. There has been no negative pushback from legislators. However, this is not to say that you should not contact them and encourage them to do the right thing on your collective bargaining agreements. That contact will also give you another opportunity to decide whether or not your respective legislator should be endorsed by this union in the fall elections.

Just a reminder that bargaining teams have now returned to work and their e-mail accounts are no longer being monitored; nor is the toll-free bargaining hotline. Anyone needing further information is urged to contact their local steward, officers, or field representative.

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION…Local unions not sending delegates to this summer’s International Convention in San Francisco are asked to contact and/or forward your credentials to Council 24 to the attention of Lynn Megonigle (608-836-0024, ext. 129); or lmegonigle@wseu-24.org.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME...Local 122 is organizing “Turn it Green” baseball night on Friday, 6/20/08 at Carson Park in Eau Claire. The game features the Eau Claire Express vs. the Wisconsin Woodchucks, gates open at 5:30 p.m., game at 6:30. Special rates offered, baseball cards given out to all kids. All AFSCME members are invited to attend and wear your green AFSCME shirts. Further info will follow next week.

JERRY CLARK SCHOLARSHIP...$5000/year for junior and senior years, awarded to two college sophomores majoring in social sciences. Application deadline is 7/1/08. Further info: www.afscme.org.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…FRIDAY, 5/30 - Council 24.

May 16, 2008

CONTRACT…As you know by now, the ratification vote on the contract approval was overwhelming. All five units were ratified by the membership. The percentage of ratification in each unit is as follows: Administrative Support - 91%; Professional-Social Services - 90%; Technical - 94%; Blue Collar - 80%; Security & Public Safety - 92%.

We are now working to schedule the legislative ratification of the contract. It appears that there is a high likelihood of that occurring during the last week of this month. Legislators are scheduled for a veto override session starting on Tuesday, 5/27. Initial indications from legislative leadership are positive. To this point we have received no pushback or negative feedback from either house, either party. As soon as the schedule becomes definite, or we start experiencing pushback from legislators, we will contact you for assistance.

As a matter of housekeeping, be advised that bargaining teams have now returned to work and their e-mail accounts are no longer being monitored; nor is the toll-free bargaining hotline. Anyone needing further information is urged to contact their local steward, officers, or field representative.

BUDGET REPAIR BILL…Both legislative houses have crafted their own versions of budget repair to plug the $600 million hole in the current budget. Neither version is acceptable to the Governor and his administration, and at this writing, he is holding a press conference to announce his vetoes. Although no one benefits from a budget shortfall, we have been able to work closely with the governor and the administration to lessen the impact and to focus some of the cuts. There will be some pain in this budget repair situation, but not like there would have been under either house’s version. We continue monitoring the situation to make sure the programs, services and interests of state employees are protected.

JERRY CLARK SCHOLARSHIP...$5000/year for junior and senior years, awarded to two college sophomores majoring in social sciences. Application deadline is 7/1/08. Further info: www.afscme.org.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…FRIDAY, 5/30 - Council 24 (NOTE DATE CHANGE)

May 9, 2008

RATIFICATION…Today, 5/9, is the last day for eligible ballots to be received. Tellers will count the ballots on Monday, 5/12. We do not anticipate any problems with the vote, and are working with OSER at this time to try and schedule the legislative ratification. The first step in that process is to schedule a JCOER meeting. All of our communication with legislators up to this point has been positive, or at least there has been no negative pushback on your contracts. We hope it stays that way - but as always we are ready and poised to defend what is ours. A deal is a deal.
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Services – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message).

BUDGET REPAIR BILL…The majority leader of the state senate and the speaker of the assembly seem to have their own private sandbox on this issue, and have not communicated or advised their caucus mates or the governor regarding their ‘sandcastles’. We have made it very clear that AFSCME stands with the Governor and his proposal to fill the $650 million budget hole. We know that in his proposal that state employees are not being offered up as sacrificial lambs to the budget cutters. Unfortunately these legislative leaders are more caught up with doing nothing, than with doing something substantial. Perhaps in the fall, we can rectify that situation.

VOICE MAILS AT COUNCIL 24....There were minor problems with voice mails at Council headquarters last week. If you left at message for any of the Madison-based staff and have not heard back, please call again.

JERRY CLARK SCHOLARSHIP...$5000/year for junior and senior years, awarded to two college sophomores majoring in social sciences. Application deadline is 7/1/08. Further info: www.afscme.org.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Thursday, 5/23 - Council 24.

May 1, 2008

RATIFICATION…Ballots have now gone out by mail to all members. Please follow the directions carefully in your packet and return the ballot as indicated so that your vote will count. Anyone who has not received the ballot packet is urged to contact Council 24 ASAP. Informational meetings are also underway around the state for those who prefer to ask questions face to face. In addition to the meetings and the contact methods below, each team also has specific phone numbers to field questions. Those numbers are:

Administrative Support Unit: 608-576-3859; 608-576-3861; 608-576-3897
Blue Collar Unit: 608-576-3942; 608-576-3950; 608-576-3960
Professional Social Services Unit: 608-576-3529; 608-576-3648; 608-576-3748
Security & Public Safety Unit: 608-576-4059; 608-576-4061; 608-576-4173
Technical Unit: 608-576-4175; 608-576-4274; 608-576-4316
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Services – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message).

BOWLING TOURNAMENT…The 25th Annual Jim Boyd Memorial Bowling Tournament last weekend was another huge success. Goodwill abounded as our members and local unions joined others in support of our scholarship program for the higher education goals of our members’ children. Merely saying “thank you” is just not enough to acknowledge the contributions of our local unions and leadership; nonetheless - THANK YOU! Winner and prize lists are currently being complied and will be listed in a future issue.

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS...Our outside independent review committee has chosen the winners of this year’s scholarship awards. They are listed below. We congratulate these students on a job well done. They are certainly deserving of these awards.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Thursday, 5/23 - Council 24.

2008 Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarship Winners

1st Place-- $4,000 2-year scholarship
Brittany Schleicher
Parent: Ronald Schleicher, Local 178

2nd Place--$2,000 2-year scholarship
Kendall Wagener
Parent: Robert Wagener, Local 1005

3rd Place--$2,000 1- year scholarship
Cody Carlin
Parent: Gerald Carlin, Local 1005

4th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship
Stephanie Schmidt
Parent: William W. Schmidt, Local 15

5th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship
Jason Ramsey
Parent: Janet Ramsey, Local 1942

6th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship
Lisa Borchardt
Parent: Julie Borchardt, Local 6

7th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship
Melissa Schleicher
Parent: Ronald Schleicher, Local 178

8th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship
Tosha Wright
Parent: Leonard E. Wright III, Local 281

9th Place--$1,000 1-year scholarship
Karissa Sebero
Parent: Clifford Sebero, Local 1218

Members Only Scholarship --$1,000 1-year scholarship
Jacquelyn Swick, Local 377

April 25, 2008

CONTRACT RATIFICATION…The ratification bargaining unit conference is this coming Monday, 4/28 in Madison at the Alliant Center. The ratification period for balloting is from 4/29 through 5/9. Ballots will be mailed to your home, along with detailed instructions. We urge you to carefully follow the instructions at your earliest convenience to make sure your ballot is received back at Council by the end of business on Friday, 5/9 (contrary to what you may read in AFSCME Reports – deadline IS Friday, 5/9). Anyone not receiving a ballot by the end of next week should contact Council. In addition, we will again be conducting regional informational meetings around the state as indicated below. (information also posted on our website). Please keep in mind that these are only informational meetings, no one will be allowed to vote. To speak directly with one of your bargaining team members, you can also contact them in the usual ways listed below; or beginning Tuesday, 4/29 you may contact them at these phone numbers:
Text Box: Administrative Support Unit: 608-576-3859; 608-576-3861; 608-576-3897 Blue Collar Unit: 608-576-3942; 608-576-3950; 608-576-3960 Professional Social Services Unit: 608-576-3529; 608-576-3648; 608-576-3748 Security & Public Safety Unit: 608-576-4059; 608-576-4061; 608-576-4173 Technical Unit: 608-576-4175; 608-576-4274; 608-576-4316

Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Services – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message).

REGIONAL CONTRACT INFORMATION MEETINGS…
Tuesday, 4/29-Waupun - 2:30-4:30 p.m., Wesley Center, 114 S. Forest St.; and
Oshkosh – 7-9 p.m., Columbus Club, 1821 Jackson St.; and
Prairie du Chein – 6-8 -p.m., Country Inn & Suites, 1801 Cabela’s Lane; and
Racine – Labor Center, 6-8 p.m., Labor Center, Mt. Pleasant St.

Wednesday, 4/30 – Green Bay, 6-8 p.m., The Sports Center, 500 Grant St., West DePere; and
LaCrosse- 6-8 p.m. Cartwright Center, Port O Call, UW LaCrosse; and
Milwaukee – 6-8 p.m., American Serb Hall, 5101 W. Oklahoma

Thursday, 5/1 – Stevens Point, 6-8 p.m., UWSP Science Bldg, 2001 4th Ave, Room A109, parking lot X; and
Eau Claire, 6-8 p.m., Labor Temple, Birch St. & Hwy 53; and
Whitewater, 6-8 p.m., UW Whitewater Art Dept., Room CA30

Friday, 5/2 – Merrill, 6-8 p.m., Northway Club, N2198 Bus. Hwy 51; and
Superior, 6-8 p.m., Barkers Island, 300 Marina Dr.; and
Madison, 6-8 p.m., Labor Temple, 1602 S. Park St.

WORKERS MEMORIAL DAY…is observed this year on Monday, 4/28 and honors those who have been injured or have died while on the job. Despite improvements won by workers and unions through the years, injuries, illness and deaths still happen at a high rate. Both AFSCME and the AFL-CIO have special informational web pages – visit them for more info.

April 18, 2008

BARGAINING...We have set the ratification bargaining unit conference for Monday, 4/28 in Madison; and have established the ratification period for balloting from 4/29 through 5/9. Ballots will be mailed to your home. We encourage local union treasurers to make sure the Council receives the most up to date address information so that we can try and minimize errors. Teams will be manning phones during the ratification period and numbers will be listed in the ratification materials. Along with the mail ballot, we will again be conducting regional informational meetings around the state on the dates and in the cities listed below. Specific location and time information will posted soon on our website. Please keep in mind that these are only informational meetings, no one will be allowed to vote. As yet, we have not established a JCOER meeting date, or a legislative ratification date. We are taking this contract one step at a time. E-mail continues to be monitored as follows:
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message)

REGIONAL CONTRACT INFORMATION MEETINGS…Tuesday, 4/29-Waupun; Oshkosh; Prairie du Chien; Racine. Wednesday, 4/30 - Green Bay; LaCrosse; Milwaukee. Thursday, 5/1 - Stevens Point; Eau Claire; Whitewater. Friday, 5/2 - Merrill; Superior; Madison. (specifics posted soon at www.wseu-24.org)

BOWLING TOURNAMENT…The 25th Annual Jim Boyd Memorial Bowling Tournament is next weekend at Tower Lanes in Beaver Dam. We still have 29 slots open for bowlers. We really want to make this 25th anniversary tournament special - so please sign up your team today. We will be there all next weekend, so come on out, spend some time with your union brothers and sisters and raise some money for our kids’ education. Don’t miss this chance for fun, solidarity and new prizes for our 25th year! Applications are available on our website at www.wseu-24.org, or by contacting Kara Schwartz at 608-836-0024 ext. 113, or kschwartz@wseu-24.org.

WORKERS MEMORIAL DAY…is observed this year on Monday, 4/28 and honors those who have been injured or have died while on the job. Despite improvements won by workers and unions through the years, injuries, illness and deaths still happen at a high rate. Both AFSCME and the AFL-CIO have materials available to help mark this day. Visit their websites for more info.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Thursday, 4/24 - Council 24.

April 11, 2008

BARGAINING…We are absolutely at the short stroke of the process. Only one issue remains in the Professional Social Services Unit, which we should have wrapped up in the immediate future. Looking toward the ratification process, we have scheduled the bargaining unit conference to vote on ratification of the tentative agreement. This conference for all units will occur on MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2008 in Madison. Specifics on registration and conference times will follow by mail to all delegates of record. If you are a delegate, please make sure you have arrangements in place to attend this important bargaining unit conference. We will also again be conducting a mail ballot vote to the membership on ratification, which will begin the day after the conference. Again, all of this specific information will be communicated in the membership mailing. In the meantime, if you have specific questions on a particular area of the tentative agreement, or on what is occurring, please contact your bargaining teams as follows:
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message)

BOWLING TOURNAMENT…The 25th Annual Jim Boyd Memorial Bowling Tournament is scheduled for April 25-26 at Tower Lanes in Beaver Dam. Many openings are still available on Saturday at 10 a.m. and Saturday at 1:00 p.m, as well as other times. Get your team together now. Don’t miss this chance for fun, solidarity and new prizes for our 25th year! Applications are available on our website at www.wseu-24.org, or by contacting Kara Schwartz at 608-836-0024 ext. 113, or kschwartz@wseu-24.org.

CONGRATULATIONS…We are very proud to announce that Tiffany Swan, daughter of Local 2748 member Lisa Turner, has been selected as one of 13 ASFCME Family Scholarship winners for 2008. Congratulations to Tiffany, and to Sister Turner on this accomplishment.

RETIREMENT PLANNING WORKSHOPS…Free workshop presentations have been scheduled around the state for public employees to help them prepare financially for retirement. Please see the listing below for your area:

Stepping Stones to Retirement
presentations by : Department of Employee Trust Funds (Wisconsin Retirement System), Wisconsin Deferred Compensation Program, Social Security Administration

Representatives from the federal Social Security Administration, the Department of Employee Trust
Funds (Wisconsin Retirement System), and the Wisconsin Deferred Compensation Program (WDC)
will present the following free informational workshops for public employees. Attendees will learn more
about using these programs as stepping stones to financially prepare for retirement.

All programs run from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Reservations are not needed.

Presentations are set for the following locations:

JANESVILLE
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Location: Marshall Middle School-Cafeteria, 25 S. Pontiac Drive, Janesville, 53545

WISCONSIN RAPIDS
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Location: Lincoln Senior High School-Performing Arts Center, 1801 16th Street South,
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494

EAU CLAIRE
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Location: Chippewa Valley Technical College-ECB 103 Auditorium, 620 W. Clairemont
Avenue, Eau Claire, WI 54701

SUPERIOR
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Location: Superior High School- Performing Arts Center, 2600 Catlin Avenue, Superior,
WI 54880

For more information, call the WDC office toll free at 1-877-457-9327, and select Option 2.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Thursday, 4/24 - Council 24.

April 4, 2008

BARGAINING...We continue reviewing language and making preparations for the ratification process. In all likelihood, we should have everything finalized next week and hope to have bargaining unit conferences scheduled yet in the month of April. In the meantime, we are proofing and readying documents for both the bargaining unit conference and ratification process. As far as what you may be hearing, there is nothing to be concerned about. Any rumors regarding money being taken from the table or language being removed are just that - rumors with no foundation. We continue working closely with the governor and his staff to make sure the legislature does the right thing.
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message)

STATE BUDGET REPAIR BILL…All activity is occurring behind closed doors, with no public input - which is always a dangerous situation. We continue trying to monitor things as best we can. It is unfortunate when the peoples’ business becomes the private playground of legislative leaders.

ELECTION DAY…Last Tuesday brought local and one statewide election. We would be remiss if we did not comment on the state supreme court race, which had an abysmal outcome. It is a sad day when independent interests and big money can change the voters’ perspective and buy their way into the state supreme court. Tuesday’s outcome not only reinforced the fact that there is an absolute need for campaign finance reform to take individual expenditures and outside money out of these kinds of races. This would let the candidates persuade voters on their own merit, not on biased, racist, fabricated television ads. This race has made Wisconsin a national disgrace. Since the election on Tuesday, there has been a large volume of articles from New York, Washington, DC and other areas, as well as opinions by respected legal scholars all declaring that the Wisconsin Supreme Court race on 4/1/08 was a travesty of justice - not something to be proud of.

BOWLING TOURNAMENT…The 25th Annual Jim Boyd Memorial Bowling Tournament is scheduled for April 25-26 at Tower Lanes in Beaver Dam. With the exception of the Friday, 7:30 p.m. shift, many openings still exist at all other shift times. Get your team together now. Don’t miss this chance for fun, solidarity and new prizes for our 25th year! Applications are available on our website at www.wseu-24.org, or by contacting Kara Schwartz at 608-836-0024 ext. 113, or kschwartz@wseu-24.org.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Thursday, 4/24 - Council 24.

March 28, 2008

SPRING ELECTION DAY…Please exercise your right to vote on Tuesday, 4/1. Aside from all of the important local elections and referenda occurring, there is a critical race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The favorite son of big money and big business (Gableman) is trying to buy his way to the Supreme Court by defeating Justice Louis Butler. All of the advertisements on TV are nothing but emotional hype. Make sure you read the recent AFSCME piece mailed to your home about Judge Butler’s record for working men and women. His election would maintain the Court’s integrity and send a clear message that the Supreme Court is not for sale.

BARGAINING…We are still preparing information and documents for the bargaining unit conference and ratification. Teams continue meeting about language and pay plan implementation. Please be patient with us as we try to put everything together for your consideration and vote. As always, specific information is available as follows:
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message)

STATE BUDGET…We continue working with the Governor and his administration making sure that state employees do not bear the brunt of cuts for balancing the budget. Meetings are occurring with leadership in both legislative houses to attempt to bring resolution. We are encouraging both houses to drop the political pandering and get this critical issue resolved as soon as possible. Stay tuned for more info as deliberations and negotiations continue.

BOWLING TOURNAMENT…The 25th Annual Jim Boyd Memorial Bowling Tournament is scheduled for April 25-26 at Tower Lanes in Beaver Dam. All public employee union members, retirees, and spouses are welcome to bowl in this family-friendly event. This event is the sole fundraiser for the Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarship Programs, which directly benefit your Union brothers and sisters, and their dependents. So, register your team today and join us for a weekend of fun and prizes. Applications are available on our website at www.wseu-24.org, or by contacting Kara Schwartz at 608-836-0024 ext. 113, or kschwartz@wseu-24.org.

UNION INFORMATION NETWORK…If you’d like to receive this Weekly Summary electronically, normally in your in-box on Friday of each week, please provide your e-mail address to: kschwartz@wseu-24.org. Make a note in your e-mail that you wish to be added to the UIN.

March 20, 2008

BARGAINING… TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED…All five units reached tentative agreement on their economic packages and structure this week. This agreement now officially encumbers the necessary compensation reserves to fund our agreements. What this means is that our legal position becomes stronger with these T.A.’s. There are a few pieces of unfinished language business we continue to meet on across the five units. However, for the most part the bulk of our job in reaching an acceptable settlement has been completed. We are also in the process of organizing the settlement information in order to schedule a bargaining unit conference to ratify the agreement. The TENTATIVE timetable would be for a bargaining unit conference during the second full week of April, with ballots going out to members throughout the month of April and a ratification report of the votes in early May. BUC delegates should be alerted that they may need to come to a conference without the normal advance notice. As always, specific information is available as follows:
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message)

STATE BUDGET…We continue to work with the Governor about initiatives to close the budget gap. As everyone knows, the Assembly Republicans passed an irresponsible “fix” that would balance half of the deficit, $250 million, on cuts in public services, state programs, and from comp reserves. The Governor has been strong in his opposition to this foolish and politically-driven Republican sham. The Senate Democrats are currently preparing their amendment to the budget bill, which contains some of the governor’s initiatives, and seems to be more responsible than that of the Assembly Republicans. Your union testified yesterday in Milwaukee at a Joint Finance Committee hearing about the evils of the Assembly Republicans’ version and the need to move forward in fixing this in a responsible, non-political manner. Stay tuned for further information about this serious problem.

JOHN DOE LEGISLATION…Although neither house fulfilled their responsibility in the recent floor debates, we have advocated (and yesterday testified before Joint Finance) that an amendment to the budget repair bill should include payment of attorney fees for employees caught in this horrible nightmare of John Doe. We are attempting to work this as the budget repair bill moves through the process.

SPRING ELECTION DAY…As election day approaches on 4/1 - a reminder that contract language makes it easier to exercise your right to act as a poll worker. In many locations, poll workers are urgently needed, so please check into this if you are interested. And, while we are on the topic, please make plans now to do your civic duty and cast your ballot on 4/1, or before if voting absentee.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 3/28 - Council 24.

March 14, 2008

STATE BUDGET…As we have been reporting, we have had ongoing meetings with the Governor and his administration regarding the budget deficit. The Governor “gets” the value of public service and the employees who provide it. His budget proposal clearly protected the public service and provided revenue for acceptable pay increases. On Wednesday, 3/12 the State Assembly, lead by the slash and burn Republicans, passed a budget proposal on a party line vote that would create huge layoffs in state agencies, actually close some state agencies, and eliminate the major part of the available money for your pay increases. This irresponsible proposal would fund almost half of the budget deficit on the backs of state employees and the programs they work for. On Thursday, the Senate, lead by Democrats, did not take up either the governor’s repair bill or the Assembly version, instead indicating they needed more time to carefully consider their options regarding the $650 million deficit. We report this to you to reinforce what we have said before - in the fall of this year when decision time comes about electing state legislators, we cannot forget the incredible anti-public employees animus that exists in the legislature. Everyone wants to be our friend face-to-face, but rarely are they willing to put it on the line when voting on important legislation or the budget.

BARGAINING… Teams are scheduled to receive final offers from the employer starting on Monday, 3/17. After the Teams get these offers, they will make decisions about acceptance. There may be some minor modifications and language clarifications, but clearly our intent is that by the end of next week we should have tentative agreements in all five units. Teams may not be able to release specific details at this time because the employer has not made the final economic proposal. However, we urge you to stay in touch with your bargaining teams by e-mail or voicemail so that you are aware of how the state’s proposal impacts your unit.
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message)

JOHN DOE LEGISLATION…We have tried to the bitter end to convince legislators, both Senators and Representatives, both Democrats and Republicans, that they need to make substantial changes in the John Doe statute in order to protect our members who work in secured facilities. Everyone knows the history; everyone knows the politics being played here. Legislators adjourned on Thursday with neither house, neither party, doing anything to facilitate a compromise and provide some protection for our workers. Listening to the debate on the floor of both houses has sickened us with the partisan politics from the likes of Carol Roessler and others trying to split our union, trying to reassign blame, trying to confuse the issue. The bottom line - neither party, neither house - has done anything to take care of this incredibly serious problem. They can beat their chests and talk about their partisan bills - but this is meaningless to those affected since these bills never passed or were signed into law. Those deeply involved in this process were absolutely astounded in disbelief as we watched both Democrats and Republicans make this a partisan issue and do nothing to fix it. We will remember this in the fall.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 3/28 - Council 24.

March 7, 2008

BARGAINING… All Teams met with the employer this week and did move closer to settlement. We addressed some of the remaining outstanding market issues this week and hope to be in a position next week to bring some finality to several, if not all, of the units. Rumors regarding the state’s budget shortfall and budget repair and their impact on bargaining are most likely without substance. No money has been withdrawn from the bargaining table, and we continue to meet with the employer and the administration regarding the budget shortfall issue. More info is available from your teams as listed below, however please bear in mind that due to the fluidity of some of these proposals, your teams may not be able to release certain detailed information, but rather speak in generalities on their impact.
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message)

LOBBY DAY… Another successful all-AFSCME Lobby Day was held on Wednesday this week. More than 200 AFSCME leaders from all around the state assembled in Madison to hear Governor Doyle speak about the budget problems, and enlist our support. Our members then visited legislators in their Capitol offices on a variety of issues. Certainly important to Council 24 is the John Doe legislation. We have prepared and enclosed an in-depth report specifically on the state of this issue. We encourage you as leadership to circulate this information to your members for their action.

OTHER LEGISLATION…AB 92, which imposes penalty enhancement on inmates who incite riots and injure staff in correctional and other facilities, passed the Assembly unanimously on Wednesday night. The bill is now on its way to the Senate, where they must concur if it is to be enacted. This bill was created as a result of 2004 New Lisbon correctional disturbance. We urge you to contact state senators and encourage them to take speedy action during this floor period on AB 92, so that it can be signed by the Governor and become law.

CONVENTION DATES FOR 2008… Please note this change when making your plans for our annual convention in Green Bay. This year the convention will convene on WEDNESDAY, July 23rd at 9 a.m., and continue on THURSDAY, July 24th and if necessary, FRIDAY, July 25th. The executive board meeting will be held on TUESDAY, JULY 22nd. The Council Executive Board made this change due to the scheduling of the national AFSCME convention during our normal weekend.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 3/28 - Council 24.

February 29, 2008

BARGAINING… All teams met with the state this week, continuing discussions about market adjustments. We know there are many rumors circulating throughout the state regarding the current budget deficit and its impact on your contracts. First, all of these rumors are FALSE. The state has NOT refused to bargain, they continue to cooperate with us. We believe we can responsibly fashion a settlement of these contracts while enhancing our members’ buying power during this contract period. Teams continue ‘crunching the numbers’ of the current proposals. We will resume meetings with the state on Monday, 3/3 with an eye toward bringing closure in the very near future. More info is available from your teams as listed below, however please bear in mind that due to the fluidity of some of these proposals, your teams may not be able to release certain detailed information, but rather speak in generalities on their impact.
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message)

JOHN DOE LEGISLATION…We continue working on this incredibly important issue regarding modification of the current John Doe law to prevent further abuse and intimidation of our employees by inmates. The issue continues to have some kind of life in both houses of the legislature. Unfortunately the versions differ considerably from one house to another, and from one version to another. All of us are in a real dilemma with regard to what the final product will be. It takes more than just our union to set the focus of this legislation, it also takes 99 state assembly representatives and 33 state senators, all having their own opinionated political interests. We will keep working with legislators in both houses to find or craft an acceptable compromise that provides protections against inmates filing these kinds of actions. This is not easy, it is not something that could, should or would be fixed overnight, and it is not Monday morning football. Regardless of the outcome in this session on this John Doe legislation, we should not allow these politicians to affect, influence, or create internal issues within our union. And that is exactly what they want to do!

MARCH 5TH - LOBBY DAY… All of AFSCME will be coming together on March 5th for Lobby Day. We strongly encourage unions to take part. Bus schedules and contact information for your area can be found on the SEPAC website. www.wseu-sepac.org <http://www.wseu-sepac.org>. Council will defray the cost of transportation if there is more than one person in a vehicle. However, we strongly encourage the utilization of buses. All questions regarding legislator appointments should be directed to Lobbyist John Grabel at (608) 836-6666 or via email at jgrabel@tds.net <mailto:jgrabel@tds.net>. General questions can be directed to Steven Williams (608) 269-0307, via email at swilliams@wseu-24.org <mailto:swilliams@wseu-24.org>, or call the Council offices.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 3/28 - Council 24.

February 22, 2008

BARGAINING… We continue to wait for a response to counter proposals that we made to the employer. All of our issues remain on the table including money issues. The state has made a series of proposals to us regarding both market and general wage adjustments. Those proposals remain on the table and intact. Bargaining teams are anxiously waiting responses from the state so we can make decisions and bring these negotiations to a conclusion. For further information, please contact your bargaining team at one of the following addresses:

Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message)

JOHN DOE LEGISLATION… The Senate Democrats have accepted the union’s changes to their bill draft that provides protection for all our workers regarding John Doe proceedings. We are now working with the Assembly Republicans in an attempt to accept the senate changes and move the bill forward in the final days of their session.

STATE BUDGET… Director Beil and Assistant Director Weaver have been engaged with the Doyle administration in discussions about the budget shortfall and it’s impact on state operations and our members. If there is a positive side to the discussion, it’s that the administration has made us a player at the table and values our input. This won’t be easy for anybody, but your union has an opportunity to fashion resolution that is reasonable and effective.

MARCH 5TH - LOBBY DAY… All of AFSCME will be coming together on March 5th for Lobby Day. We strongly encourage unions to take part. Bus schedules and contact information for your area can be found on the SEPAC website. www.wseu-sepac.org. Council will defray the cost of transportation if there is more than one person in a vehicle. However, we strongly encourage the utilization of buses. All questions regarding legislator appointments should be directed to Lobbyist John Grabel at (608) 836-6666 or via email at jgrabel@tds.net. General questions can be directed to Steven Williams (608) 269-0307, via email at swilliams@wseu-24.org, or call the Council offices.

CONVENTION DATES FOR 2008… Please note this change when making your plans for our annual convention in Green Bay. This year the convention will convene on WEDNESDAY, July 23rd at 9 a.m., and continue on THURSDAY, July 24th and if necessary, FRIDAY, July 25th. The executive board meeting will be held on TUESDAY, JULY 22nd. The Council Executive Board made this change due to the scheduling of the national AFSCME convention during our normal weekend.

February 15, 2008

VOTE…VOTE…VOTE…Tuesday, 2/19, is an important day - Wisconsin’s spring primary. It is essential that we exercise our constitutional right to select our elected leaders, not only in the presidential primary, but across the state in local primary races. Most local units of government - county boards, school boards, town boards, village boards, etc. will be holding primaries. These are important to us as workers and taxpayers. Please consult your latest issue of “AFSCME Reports” for a listing of endorsed candidates. We hope you will consider these candidates at the poll on 2/19. There is really no excuse for public sector employees not to vote!

BARGAINING…The parties get closer. This week we made another series of counter proposals to the employer in the area of economics and market. We will receive the employer’s response to these next week. We are probably only one move away from reaching resolution. But we have learned that nothing is certain until the ink is dry. Teams and leadership are concerned about the weakening of Wisconsin’s economy and would like to encumber the current money on the table as soon as possible. A whole host of market proposals have been made across the units. If you are interested in finding out about any particular class or market proposal, please contact your team by e-mail or the hotline.
Specific info on your unit’s status is available as follows:
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message)

JOHN DOE LEGISLATION…Lobbyists and leadership have been working very hard to bring about an acceptable resolution to the John Doe proposal in the State Senate. Things are hanging in a delicate balance at this time; and for the immediate moment we are letting them play out. The Assembly version (AB 695) goes to the floor of the Assembly next week, where it is our information that it will pass. Even though an issue like this has incredible merit and it should be a non-controversial “slam dunk”, as we all know once politics is inserted, you are never sure of the outcome or motivations. Your union is in daily contact with Senate members and leadership on the John Doe issue. Stay tuned.

STEWARDS IN ACTION TRAINING…for Madison area locals for new and/or experienced stewards; to be held Thursday, 2/21, 8:30 - 4:30; AFSCME Headquarters, Madison. Advance written registration requested- local union presidents have received registration info. Contact your field rep with questions.

ADVANCE NOTICE - LOBBY DAY…We have begun working with Council 11 to schedule a Lobby Day for all of Wisconsin AFSCME on 3/5/08. We strongly encourage local unions to begin making plans to attend. There will be several pieces of legislation that will be on the front burner, such as: John Doe; prison riots; possible protective status for non-security staff; and other worker protection bills that we can engage legislators on face to face. Stay tuned for more info.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…(NOTE DATE CHANGE) THURSDAY, 2/21/08, Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Organizing, 2/22; Council 24.

February 8, 2008

BARGAINING...Three of our five teams received counter-proposals from the employer this week on economics. All in all, and generally speaking, these counter proposals were positive and values increased from the previous proposals. Bargaining Teams are meeting internally today, Friday, and again on Monday and will resume economic bargaining with the state on Tuesday. The Technical and Professional Services team will get their counter proposals on Tuesday, and further discussions will continue throughout the week. We are attempting to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion while keeping one eye on the economy. Specific info on your unit’s status is available as follows:
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message)

FEBRUARY 19 PRIMARY ELECTIONS…Across Wisconsin there are important elections occurring on Tuesday, 2/19, including primaries elections with local units of government. Having labor sensitive candidates elected to school boards, town boards, village boards and county boards in extremely important to the working men and women of Wisconsin. The high profile U.S. Presidential primary also occurs on this day. It is no secret that your union has endorsed Hillary Clinton, and strongly encourages its members to support her in this presidential election process. Anyone interested in engaging in the Clinton Campaign in Wisconsin between now and 2/19 should check out the SEPAC website (wseu-sepac.org), where you can contact Steve Williams and be directed to the area coordinator for campaign activity.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES…Positions are currently open for application within several different labor organizations, including: Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Communications Director, and Labor 2008 Zone Coordinator (Green Bay & NE Wisconsin); AFSCME Take Back Wisconsin Coordinator (Eau Claire & NW Wisconsin); SEIU Deputy Political Director; and AFT-Wisconsin Lead & Internal Organizer. Check out our website (wseu-24.org) for position descriptions and application deadlines.

STEWARDS IN ACTION TRAINING…for Madison area locals for new and/or experienced stewards; to be held Thursday, 2/21, 8:30 - 4:30; AFSCME Headquarters, Madison. Advance written registration requested- local union presidents have received registration info. Contact your field rep with questions.

ADVANCE NOTICE - LOBBY DAY…We have begun working with Council 11 to schedule a Lobby Day for all of Wisconsin AFSCME on 3/5/08. We strongly encourage local unions to begin making plans to attend. There will be several pieces of legislation that will be on the front burner, such as: John Doe; prison riots; possible protective status for non-security staff; and other worker protection bills that we can engage legislators on face to face. Stay tuned for more info.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…(NOTE DATE CHANGE) THURSDAY, 2/21/08, Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… Organizing, 2/22; Council 24.

February 1, 2008

BARGAINING…This week in bargaining we made the transition to economics in four of the five units. In four units, we made initial proposals to the employer regarding our issues in market and other economic benefit areas. The Professional/Social Services team is winding up some important overtime language negotiation, but we feel confident this issue will be completed by next week Tuesday and they will then also begin economic discussions. We expect to receive serious counter proposals from OSER starting next Tuesday. This means we should be entering the final lap of negotiations. We would like to get all of the available money “locked up” before there are any other major economic downturns. Specific info on your unit’s status is available as follows:
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message)

AB 695 - JOHN DOE LEGISLATION…An Assembly Committee conducted a public hearing on 1/31 on the legislation that would close the loophole in John Doe laws. AB 695 would provide protection for our members working in correctional facilities, mental health facilities, and probation and parole, from arbitrary and recriminatory lawsuits filed by inmates or patients. Testimony went well. We assume the Committee will have no problem in moving the bill out, and sending the matter to the Assembly floor.

ETF - Anyone interested in information on the Wisconsin Retirement System can attend a information public meeting. A schedule is enclosed with statewide details.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 2/22/08, Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… LTE Abuse, 2/7; Outsourcing, 2/8; Organizing, 2/22; Council 24.

January 25, 2008

BARGAINING…This was a transition week for us. We have resolved many of the non-economic issues and will be moving into economics and market bargaining starting on Tuesday of next week. There are just a very small number of non-economic issues unresolved, and teams feel strongly that it is in our best interest to engage the state on the economic side and try to encumber as much of the available money as possible. It is important to stay in touch with your team members as to the status of the contract, now more than ever. You may contact your teams as indicated below.
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message).

JOHN DOE LEGISLATION…Leaders in the state Assembly have scheduled AB 695 (John Doe changes) for public hearing on 1/31 at 10 a.m. in Room 225 Northwest of the Capitol. We would like as many correctional leaders as possible to come to this hearing, and we are in the process of coordinating testimony. This is an incredibly important piece of legislation as it goes directly to workers’ rights and protections in DOC, DHFS, and other like environments. If you cannot make the hearing, we encourage you to contact your state Assembly and Senate representatives and urge them to support AB 695 to fix the loopholes in the current legislation that provide inmates with a legal tool to extract punishment and harass correctional and institutional workers who are doing their jobs. We need you to make these contacts!

MENTAL HEALTH ACTION DAY…2/20 has been designated as Mental Health Action Day by the Lt. Governor. Anyone specifically interested in being a leader for this day is urged to visit the Mental Health section at the Lt. Governor’s website: ltgov.wisconsin.gov. We would ask that you also let us know at the Council if you plan to participate, so that we can coordinate with the Lt. Gov.’s office.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 2/22/08, Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… LTE Abuse, 2/7; Outsourcing, 2/8/08; Council 24.

January 18, 2008

MLK DAY…The Monday recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holds special significance for us, in that this American hero was assassinated while marching with striking AFSCME workers in Memphis, TN. This year marks the 40th anniversary of this tragic loss. We hope all AFSCME members can find some time during the day on Monday to reflect on Dr. King’s life and legacy.

BARGAINING…Teams met with the state this past week. There was continuing discussion on outstanding language issues. There are very few non-economic issues remaining. Our goal is to have all of these resolved one way or another by January 24. If that occurs, we then will be negotiating the economics, which include wage adjustments, market adjustments, differential adjustments, sabbatical adjustments and benefit adjustments. Teams are eager to get their teeth into the economic side of the process. For specifics on the non-economic agreements, contact your teams as indicated below.
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message).

2008 COUNCIL BUDGET…locals have received their constitutional notice that the Council’s 2008 operating budget will be considered for adoption at the executive board meeting on Friday, 1/25. Anyone having comments should notify their local president ASAP, so that the info can be forwarded to Council.

ADVANCE NOTICE - LOBBY DAY…we have begun working with Council 11 to schedule a Lobby Day for all of Wisconsin AFSCME on 3/5/08. We strongly encourage local unions to begin making plans to attend. There will be several pieces of legislation that will be on the front burner, such as: John Doe; prison riots; possible protective status for non-security staff; and other worker protection bills that we can engage legislators on face to face. Stay tuned for more info.

JOHN DOE…we need local union members to contact their state assembly and senate representatives regarding support of AB 695, the bill recently introduced to close the loophole in the John Doe law, which inmates have been using to harass our members. This is an extremely important piece of legislation and we need everyone’s help and action to make it a reality.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 1/25/08, Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS… LTE Abuse, 2/7; Outsourcing, 2/8/08; Council 24.

January 11, 2008

IN MEMORIAM…this week the union lost a long-time activist and leader. Harvey Hoeft, Sr. served our union as a Council executive board member, bargaining team chair, local union president, full time chief steward, international union organizer and in many other roles advocating and representing thousands of public employees. Harvey was on the first Security & Public Safety bargaining team, when the collective bargaining law became effective. Both Corrections and the union were significantly impacted by his leadership. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, including our own field representative, Harvey Hoeft, Jr.

BARGAINING…Teams were in Madison this week continuing their preparations. Some sidebar discussions with agency representatives occurred, however substantial meetings with the employer will not occur until next week. We are poised and ready to proceed as soon as OSER gets an indication from the agencies on some of our proposals. We had a meeting with OSER leadership this week, and communicated how very important it is for us to begin making substantial progress for conclusion of this contract ASAP. As always, for specific info, please contact the teams as follows:
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message).

AFL-CIO COMMUNITY SERVICES CONFERENCE…this annual conference begins Thursday, 2/28 and continues through 3/1 in Manitowoc. We encourage local unions to participate. Specific information is available on the State AFL-CIO website (wisaflcio.org); or from Ann McNeary (labor@uwdc.org; 608-246-4355).

MENTAL HEALTH ACTION DAY…2/20 has been designated as Mental Health Action Day by the Lt. Governor. This day is set aside for citizens, workers and others to put the issue of mental health parity for insurance coverage at the forefront. On 2/20 a Lobby Day will occur as well as meetings with legislators and others at the Capitol. Anyone specifically interested in being a leader for this day is urged to visit the Mental Health section at the Lt. Governor’s website: ltgov.wisconsin.gov. We have worked closed with Lt. Gov. Lawton on this issue in the past, and this is another chapter in that initiative.

SCHOLARSHIP…Applications are now available for the 2008 Jim Boyd Memorial Scholarship Program. For more information, or to request an application, please see our website at www.wseu-24.org or contact Kara Schwartz at (608) 836-0024 ext. 113 or kschwartz@wseu-24.org.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 1/25/08, Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Grievance Committee, 1/16/08 (NOTE THIS CHANGE IN DATE): Organizing, 1/15/08; LTE Abuse, 2/7/08 (NOTE THIS CHANGE IN DATE); Outsourcing, 2/8/08; Council 24.

January 4, 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR…Best wishes from everyone at Council 24 for a healthful and prosperous 2008. We have picked up where right where we left off last year, and are looking forward to working for you and with all of you this coming year.

BARGAINING….After the holiday break, teams came back to Madison on Wednesday this week and spent two and a half days on language clean-up, editorial changes, counter proposals and some economic work. The employer was not prepared to resume non-economic discussions this week, so we worked internally. Teams will be back next week Tuesday through Thursday. If we can get the state to engage, we believe it will be only a short time to get language issues resolved. Some teams have already begun looking at options related to market and across-the-board increases. For specific info, please contact the teams as follows:

Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message).

JOHN DOE LEGISLATION…We continued working with Susan McMurray this week to try and move along the John Doe repair bill. We are trying to schedule the matter before both legislative houses during the January session so we can fix the flaws ASAP. Our discussions have been with both Republicans in the Assembly, and Democrats in the Senate. We’re walking carefully through the political minefield. Stay tuned for a call to action if we are unsuccessful in getting legislators to collectively unite to move this legislation.

LOCAL ELECTIONS…Primaries for both local and presidential elections occur on 2/19. We encourage everyone to get involved at your local government level, since leadership starts at the lowest level - school boards, town boards, county boards - that is where the legislators of tomorrow develop. More info on spring elections and the presidential primary is available on the SEPAC website.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 1/25/08, Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 1/7/08; Grievance Committee, 1/16/08 (NOTE THIS CHANGE IN DATE): Organizing, 1/15/08; LTE Abuse, 2/7/08 (NOTE THIS CHANGE IN DATE); Outsourcing, 2/8/08; Council 24.

December 21, 2007

GREETINGS OF THE SEASON...On behalf of the staff and executive board, we extend our warmest wishes for Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone. We hope the next couple of weeks will afford you all some hard-earned and well-deserved time to rest, relax and enjoy friends and family. We’ll all be doing the same as we reflect on 2007 and look forward to the new challenges of 2008.

OFFICE CLOSURES…Please note that in observance of the holidays, all Council offices will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, December 24 and 25; as well as Monday and Tuesday, December 31 and January 1. There will be no Weekly Summary next week - we’ll be back on January 4th with the first edition of the new year.

BARGAINING….This week we bargained with the state in the Security & Public Safety and Professional/Social Services units. Significant progress was made in both units on some language issues, which made it well worth our time and the wait it took to get there. With the holidays, bargaining will slow until the first week of January. Teams will return January 2nd - 4th. We hope to continue the momentum in the other units so we can wrap up language issues and begin serious discussions on wage and market increases. Anyone interested in specific areas of discussion related to language and agreements is encouraged to contact their bargaining teams as follows (please keep in mind that teams will not be back in Madison until 1/2/08):

Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message).

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 1/25/08, Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 1/7/08; Grievance Committee, 1/16/08 (NOTE THIS CHANGE IN DATE): Organizing, 1/15/08; LTE Abuse, 2/7/08 (NOTE THIS CHANGE IN DATE); Outsourcing, 2/8/08; Council 24

December 14, 2007

BARGAINING….This week we began discussions about language issues with the employer. Tuesday was spent dealing with Administrative Support and Blue Collar issues. We have reached some agreements in concept on certain language issues. Other issues remain open and under discussion. On Wednesday, Professional-Social Services and Security & Public Safety met regarding their language issues and on Thursday, the Technical team did the same. Hopefully we can clear up these language issues from the table so that immediately following the holidays we can get to the extremely important matters of bargaining economics and market adjustments for your contract. Anyone interested in specific areas of discussion related to language and agreements is encouraged to contact their bargaining teams as follows:

JOHN DOE LEGISLATION…On Thursday this week, the Council along with the DOC Secretary, the Warden of Waupun Correctional Institution and the Dodge County District Attorney conducted a press conference in Waupun regarding the travesty and aberration of law regarding John Doe complaints against correctional officers. This is one of those rare times when both the employer and the union have the same energy toward fixing a problem together. The press conference set a positive message to legislators to get going on this immediately. As we wait for this legislation to pass, we have been advised of two more cases - one in Crawford County and one in Juneau County. It is clear that inmates have learned how to use this loophole in the law to put correctional staff through incredible economic and personal stress by filing these John Doe cases. A high level meeting with legislative leadership has been set for next Tuesday.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 1/25/08, Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Grievance Committee, 1/16/08 (NOTE THIS CHANGE IN DATE): LTE Abuse, Thursday, 1/17/08, Outsourcing, 2/8/07; Council 24.

December 7, 2007

BARGAINING….All five teams met with the employer this week. Each team received an initial economic offer from the employer. The general wage adjustment offer for all units is pretty well-known: 2% - 6/24/07; 2% - 7/1/08; 1% - 4/1/09. Each unit also received initial proposals on market adjustments for select classifications. Team are in the process of reviewing these wage and market proposals. They are scheduled to resume bargaining on Tuesday, 12/11. We will push the employer to get as many outstanding issues resolved before the holidays as possible. Just so there is no misinformation circulating, we most certainly will not reach tentative agreement before the holidays. We are entering the time period when teams will be into the “nub” of the bargain. It’s important for everyone to understand what is going on. We encourage you to stay in touch with your team in the following ways:
Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asuteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message).

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 12/14, Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Grievance Committee, 1/16/08 (NOTE THIS CHANGE IN DATE): LTE Abuse, Thursday, 1/17/08, Council 24

November 30, 2007

BARGAINING….Earlier this week, a major factor occurred that impacted our bargaining. The legislative JOCER committee met and not only took action on the unilateral pay plan, which by the way is 2%-year 1; 2%-year 2; and 1% on 4/1/09; but also authorized OSER to make proposals to the collective bargaining agents related to compensation reserves. Bargaining teams are scheduled to return to Madison next Tuesday, where they’ll be meeting with the employer through the week. Team by team, they will make their initial economic and market offers. It is important to understand there is more to do than just economics, in that we also still have substantial language and other issues to bargain. We hope that with the placement of the economic package on the table, we can engage the State in a positive and constructive way to wrap up this contract in a mutually satisfactory manner within the near future. If, after Tuesday next week, you would like information from your team on specifics, please contact them as follows:

WISCONSIN WAY FORUMS…The Wisconsin Way is a coalition of groups interested in finding ways to make Wisconsin taxes fairer and reduce the property tax burden without sacrificing the quality of public services. Toward that end, opinions, ideas and answers are sought from Wisconsin citizens at a series of public hearings around the state. Learn more about the group, and hearings that have already taken place at www.wisconsinway.org

We encourage you to spread the word to your members to attend one of these remaining forums.
· Kenosha/Racine Forum: Tuesday, December 4 at the Parkway Chateau (Brat Stop) in Kenosha.
· Poynette Forum: Monday, December 3 at Poynette Village Hall in Poynette.
· Thursday, December 6 we will be at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.

All forums are from 7 -9 p.m. and registration is available on the Web site ,or toll free at 1-800-919-3012 or via e-mail at wisconsinway@wcgpr.com

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 12/14, Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETING…Grievance Committee, 1/16/08 (NOTE THIS CHANGE IN DATE): LTE Abuse, Thursday, 1/17/08, Council 24.

November 16, 2007

CRITICAL INCIDENT….This week brought an incredibly tense situation that could have had an extremely negative impact, but because of highly professional and trained staff there was a positive outcome. On Wednesday morning one of our members, a dental assistant at Waupun Correctional Institution, was seized as a hostage by an inmate serving a lifetime sentence. She was held for over five hours. Fortunately, she was not physically harmed and was released shortly after noon on Wednesday. Our members, along with other staff at the institution, were closely involved in the situation, serving on security, hostage negotiating teams, and the command center. In review, it was a well-organized labor-management operation. Our thanks and recognition goes to all of the workers at Waupun Correctional for the extraordinary job they did. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the member who was held hostage as she recovers from this ordeal.

JOHN DOE TRAVESTY…as you may be aware, we have had another worker, a correctional officer served with felony charges by a judge in Dodge County. An inmate, not happy with a C.O. went directly to the judge, without witnesses or evidence, to issue the complaint. We are totally convinced this young officer is completely innocent. Nonetheless, under current state law, he is forced to retain legal counsel and defend himself, creating a huge economic burden for his family. Council 24 and our lobbyists are working extremely hard to have legislation introduced to change this for the future. In the meantime, Local 18 is trying to help offset the huge economic impact for this C.O. and his family. A legal defense fund has been established. Contributions will be accepted from locals and/or individuals. Checks can be written to: Local 18 Defense Fund; c/o Dan Meehan; 123 W. Brown St., Waupun, WI 53593. Any donation is greatly appreciated by this officer, Gabe Umentum, and his family. Questions can be directed to President McLinn at Council 24 or Dan Meehan at Waupun Correctional Institution.

BARGAINING… We keep trying to jump start bargaining. It is difficult in that the legislators have requested information about salaries/benefits/market information in preparation for the unilateral pay plan for unrepresented state employees. We are working closely with OSER to get a JOCER meeting scheduled ASAP so that we can begin in earnest. Teams are anxious to get going. You deserve to get your money and pay adjustments ASAP. Please be patient while we work through the process.
Bargaining questions or comments can be directed as indicated below.

Bargaining Teams’ E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asteam@wseu-24.org
Blue Collar - bcteam@wseu-24.org
Professional Social Serv. - pssteam@wseu-24.org
Security & Public Safety - spsteam@wseu-24.org
Technical Team - techteam@wseu-24.org

SPECIAL ASU BARGANIING UNIT CONFERENCE…
In order to fill a vacancy on their bargaining team, delegates from the ASU subgroup “Institutions and Other” have been notified that a special conference will occur on Monday, 12/3/07 at AFSCME headquarters in Madison. The sole purpose of this meeting will be to elect a bargaining team member and an alternate to complete the remainder of the current term. This special conference is ONLY for delegates of the above subgroup and NOT for the entire AS unit. These specific delegates received individual letters of notification.

TREASURER TRANIING…Saturday, 12/1, 9 a.m. - 3 pm., Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel. Advance, written registration required. All locals received registration information. Questions- contact 608-836-6666.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…MONDAY, 11/26, Council 24.

COMMITTEE MEETING…LTE Abuse, Thursday, 11/15, Council 24.

November 9, 2007

BARGAINING… We have scheduled the resumption of bargaining on language issues, starting on Tuesday, 11/13. Three units will report in on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the other two units on Thursday and Friday. We hope that since the budget is complete, the employer will be more productive and responsive to our language issues and we can move closer to resolution. We will attempt to move talks into economics as soon as possible. OSER is currently attempting to schedule a meeting with JCOER to basically get authorization to release the budget money at the bargaining table. It seems since the budget experience, that some legislators are making life a little more difficult for us in certain ways. However, we have nothing to be ashamed of in our budget activity. We can hold our heads high and not kowtow to these elected officials. They can extract a little punishment if they want, but in the long run we can give back much more than they can extract! Bargaining questions or comments can be directed as indicated below:

LEGISLATIVE ISSUES…as we move away from budget discussions, we are focused on a legislative issue in crisis. We have a member, a young correctional officer from Waupun, who has been criminally charged through the phantom John Doe process. An inmate made charges against him, and even though the District Attorney refused to press the charges, the inmate went on to find a friendly judge and the judge issued the felony charges. This officer is now required under state law to provide his own defense. It is a travesty and it is the second time the situation has occurred. We are working with the legislature to change the John Doe statute and to remedy the situation that allows inmates to harass and intimidate correctional officers. An interesting dynamic is that we are also working with State Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, who agrees with us on this issue. But Republicans in the legislature, from Van Hollen’s own party, have chosen not to heed his advice, or take the lead in closing this loophole, and are taking their own initiative without his involvement. This issue needs immediate resolution, and we are proceeding at full speed in terms of legislative contacts and resources to fix this problem ASAP.

VETERANS DAY…This Sunday is the day specially set aside to recognize and honor those husbands, wives, sons, daughters, relatives and friends who have chosen to make a commitment to protect our liberty by serving in the armed forces. This year it is particularly noteworthy in that many of our coworkers and relatives are serving our country in Iraq and other regions in the face of danger and death. Please spend a few moments on Sunday thinking about and saying a prayer for our veterans as they continue to serve our country.

SPECIAL ASU BARGANIING UNIT CONFERENCE…
In order to fill a vacancy on their bargaining team, delegates from the ASU subgroup “Institutions and Other” have been notified that a special conference will occur on Monday, 12/3/07, at AFSCME headquarters in Madison. The sole purpose of this meeting will be to elect a bargaining team member and an alternate to complete the remainder of the current term. This special conference is ONLY for delegates of the above subgroup and NOT for the entire AS unit. These specific delegates received individual letters of notification.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…MONDAY, 11/26, Council 24

November 2, 2007

STATE BUDGET AFTERMATH…We, together with our lobbyists, continue to review the state budget that was passed and signed by the Governor last week. It is important we understand all of the finer points of the budget. There are a couple of nettlesome areas, however, nothing we cannot deal with. All in all, the budget has treated us o.k. to this point.

BARGAINING…we are trying to establish a solid bargaining schedule with the intent to jump start the process and run through until tentative agreements are reached in all areas. Now that the state budget is done, OSER is scheduling a meeting with JCOER to get authorization to put the compensation monies on the table, as well as approve the unilateral pay plan for unrepresented employees. That meeting should happen within the next week to 10 days. We are scheduled to bring teams in starting Monday, Nov. 12th, alternating teams throughout the week in an attempt to establish a pattern of bargaining that will bring resolution prior to the holidays. There are no guarantees this will happen, only our intent. Bargaining teams and leadership feel it is important to get this bargaining done in an expedited fashion and negotiate a contract that will provide economic security for our members. We will begin with unfinished language items, which are more important now that the budget is done, and then we will move to economic areas. Questions or comments can be directed as indicated below. Please keep in mind however, that teams will not be reporting to Madison until the week of 11/12.

STEWARD TRAINING….just a reminder that registrations are still being accepted for the Madison and Stevens Point locations for steward training on Sat., 11/10. All locals received registration information in October. Please reply ASAP.

SCHOLARSHIP REMINDERS… The AFSCME Family Scholarship Program for 2008 must be postmarked by December 31, 2007 Applications can be downloaded at the AFSCME website: www.afscme.org

Applications for the 2008 Joey Parisi Memorial Scholarship, administered to the National Labor College must be postmarked by October 31, 2007.

Details regarding the Nadra Floyd Memorial Scholarship & Labor College Degree Program can be found on the AFSCME website: www.afscme.org (Deadline is Dec. 3, 2007)

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…MONDAY, 11/26, Council 24

October 26, 2007

FINALLY, A BUDGET!…Last week was an interesting week. There can be no question that you and your local union had a major impact in breaking the budget stalemate. On Tuesday, October 16th, the parties declared that they were $1.5 billion apart. On Wednesday, October 17th, along with other unions, we put over 1000 people at the capitol urging legislators to do their job and get the budget resolved. On Thursday, October 18th, the parties were only $500 million apart. On Friday, the parties reached an agreement. My best guess is that the rally sent a clear, strong message to these elected leaders that citizens and electors were getting tired and angry of their inability to bring a comprehensive state budget. Although the budget does not contain all of the initiatives that the governor originally proposed, it does maintain the integrity of the comp reserve line item, which provides the necessary funding for collective bargaining agreements. This new budget also eliminates all of the regressive benefit initiatives that were proposed by the republican assembly caucus. Aside from some GPR reductions to state agencies, the budget is a good initiative for state employees. Both houses of the legislature have passed this budget and the governor will sign and/or veto on Friday, October 26th. There can be no question that you and other leadership had a direct impact over 115 days of protecting what’s ours and making sure the legislature did the right thing in terms of the budget. The kind of solidarity that we have seen around this budget struggle has not been seen over the last 20 years. It’s really important that we don’t forget this battle and we keep focused on what some of these legislators had in store for us. In the fall of 2007, we can send a clear message at the polling booth about who our friends are and who are not.

SCHOLARSHIP REMINDERS… The AFSCME Family Scholarship Program for 2008 must be postmarked by December 31, 2007 Applications can be downloaded at the AFSCME website: www.afscme.org

Applications for the 2008 Joey Parisi Memorial Scholarship, administered to the National Labor College must be postmarked by October 31, 2007.

Details regarding the Nadra Floyd Memorial Scholarship & Labor College Degree Program can be found on the AFSCME website: www.afscme.org (Deadline is Dec. 3, 2007)

DENTAL INSURANCE OPEN ENROLLMENT… Open enrollment for the Council 24 dental insurance runs through November 2nd. For further information and downloadable forms, see our website: www.wseu-24.org (member benefits) or contact Kara at 608-836-0024 ext. 113.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 10/29; Council 24.

October 19, 2007

JUST BECAUSE YOU DO NOT TAKE AN INTEREST IN POLITICS DOESN’T MEAN POLITICS WON’T TAKE AN INTEREST IN YOU. (Pericles 430 B.C.)

It’s notable that a Roman Statesman had right some 2000 years ago. Wednesday, 10/17 was a historic event not only for our union, but for many other unions. Wednesday brought a show of solidarity that hasn’t been witnessed in over 20 years in Wisconsin. The counter rally was a struggle for the heart and soul of Wisconsin. Our union, along with other working men and women, students, seniors, and community activists, sent a resounding and clear message that the legislature needs to do their job and pass a responsible budget that not only takes care of the needs of Wisconsin citizens, but also our state’s infrastructure and Wisconsin’s values. In spite of the Americans for Taxpayers Rally, our message won the day in the media and court of public opinion. According to Capitol Police, some 1200 unionists and supporters assembled in the Capitol to send a clear message to the anti-tax, anti-government, anti-growth ideologues. There was representation from almost every one of our local unions, as well as from SEIU, AFT Wisconsin, Laborers International, Steelworkers, Operating Engineers, and State Firefighters, just to name a few.
This counter rally jump-started and renewed the fight about doing what is right. These legislators clearly got the message that thousands of Wisconsin citizens are tired of them doing nothing, and demand they responsibly finish their jobs. On behalf of the union, we thank our leadership, rank and file and other activists for their commitment of time and energy in mobilizing the members in this show of strength and unity. Council 24 and WSEU was the backbone of this counter rally, but also provided the opportunity for all of our brothers and sisters in any union to join in our protest. It is this kind of activity, grass roots mobilization, and solidarity that renews the fire in the bargaining teams, Council leadership and staff. As the old song goes - it gets our “mojo” working! You folks are the greatest!

For those who did not have the opportunity to attend, please visit our website for a pictorial account of the counter rally.

FIELD STAFF IN TRAINING….On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week (10/22-10/24) all Council field staff will be in training. Emergency calls should be directed to Council 24 support staff, who can relay information.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 10/29; Council 24.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 10/26/07; AFSCME Headquarters, Madison.

October 12, 2007

STATE BUDGET…The vigil continues. AFSCME Council 24 has maintained a vigil for over 100 days at the state capitol. This week, we saw locals 145, 634, 758 and 2412. Some would ask whether our presence makes a difference, and we recently saw the outcome of that presence. The governor has called for a special session of the legislature to commence on Monday. He has drafted a new budget, which will be submitted to both houses for their consideration. In that new budget, he preserved the comp line items and the comp reserve among many other things. Curiously enough, the assembly provided their version of a counter proposal. They also have maintained the integrity of the comp reserve. This is a major signal, but none of these numbers are any good unless the budget is passed. Without a budget we see a situation where there are real cuts to real people who feel real pain. The republicans in the assembly have publicly stated that they will not vote for the new budget and throw us all into a world of unknown. It is important that you and your members contact your state assembly person, especially the democrats and strongly encourage them to support the governor’s budget proposal which will be before them on Monday, Oct.15th. It’s also important that all the democrats support this as well as republicans.

COUNTER RALLY OCTOBER 17TH
As reported there is a rally for the “Americans for Prosperity” on the 17th. The chief spokesperson for this group stated that it is their intent that to not have a state budget is better than having one. One of the key speakers for the neo-conservative, Vicki McKenna has been on the radio this week railing the state employees and the counter rally. She has been urging “her people” to make signs up that say, “State Employees, You Are Our Employees!” and stick those signs in our faces on the 17th. These folks are adamant about crippling the dependable state service and Wisconsin values, as we’ve come to know and understand. The counter rally has now been co-sponsored by the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO. We are receiving commitments from building trade unions, other public sector unions, and industrial unions. For Example: The state fire fighters have told us they will bring 100 fire fighters in tear-out gear to the rally. We have busses coming from every corner of the state. We need as many of our members, family members or community groups to come to Madison. Two, three, four busses rented - we’ll do what it takes. The counter rally will start at 10:00 with a press conference in the senate parlor of the capitol. Then we’ll move to the rotunda, and eventually to the capitol grounds. The Americans for Prosperity rally will begin around 12:00. Our coalition of community groups of labor unions, church groups, students and other groups will be there to send a clear message that we need to get the budget done in a fair and equitable manor. Not only is this an important fight back event but it also can be a great family event - spending the day at the capitol with your kids participating in Wisconsin history. For information about busses, or counter rally information, contact your council staff representative or go to the SEPAC website.... www.wseu-sepac.org

The members of the conference committee and their e-mail addresses are listed below.
SENATE
Judy Robson (Majority Leader): Sen.Robson@legis.wisconsin.gov
Russ Decker: Sen.Decker@legis.wisconsin.gov
Robert Jauch: Sen.Jauch@legis.wisconsin.gov
Scott Fitzgerald (Minority Leader): Sen.Fitzgerald@legis.wisconsin.gov
ASSEMBLY
Mike Huebsch (Speaker): Rep.Huebsch@legis.wisconsin.gov
Jeff Fitzgerald (Majority Leader): Rep.Fitzgerald@legis.wisconsin.gov
Kitty Rhoades: Rep.Rhoades@legis.wisconsin.gov
James Kreuser (Minority Leader): Rep.Kreuser@legis.wisconsin.gov

ARE YOU 1 OF THE MILLION? It is estimated that nearly one million people suffer depression in Wisconsin today. Too many don’t know what to do next. It’s easy to find out. Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton encourages you to visit the following website for a free, confidential screening: www.ltgov.wisconsin.gov. We have been working closely with the Lt. Gov. on this, which is one of her “pet” initiatives. Wednesday, 10/11 has been designated National Depression Screening Day. We encourage local unions to support this initiative and utilize the tools Lt. Gov. Lawton has established. We applaud her commit to workplace mental health issues.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 10/29; Council 24.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 10/26/07; AFSCME Headquarters, Madison.

October 5, 2007

STATE BUDGET…We continue our eternal vigil in the Capitol. This week our vigil was joined by members from Locals 171, 1800, 15, and 2412. We also participated in an onsite impromptu civics class, when an elementary school class from Waunakee was on tour in the Capitol. Their teachers spoke to our members in vigil about what they were doing, and then sat the children down, explained the issue, and allowed the kids to ask questions. It was a great educational opportunity for the kids, they enjoyed it and so did our members. More locals are scheduled to continue coming in next week Tuesday and Thursday to maintain our presence. Budget debate is occurring mostly behind closed doors, out of the pubic eye. That is of concern to us, but what is of more concern is that they still are not done. We are beginning to see real cuts, affecting real people, and bringing real pain.
Again, the members of the conference committee and their e-mail addresses are listed below.
SENATE
Judy Robson (Majority Leader): Sen.Robson@legis.wisconsin.gov
Russ Decker: Sen.Decker@legis.wisconsin.gov
Robert Jauch: Sen.Jauch@legis.wisconsin.gov
Scott Fitzgerald (Minority Leader): Sen.Fitzgerald@legis.wisconsin.gov
ASSEMBLY
Mike Huebsch (Speaker): Rep.Huebsch@legis.wisconsin.gov
Jeff Fitzgerald (Majority Leader): Rep.Fitzgerald@legis.wisconsin.gov
Kitty Rhoades: Rep.Rhoades@legis.wisconsin.gov
James Kreuser (Minority Leader): Rep.Kreuser@legis.wisconsin.gov

COUNTER RALLY OCTOBER 17TH …The “Americans for Prosperity”, a right-wing, anti public-employee, anti government group is having a rally at the Capitol on 10/17. They have purchased billboards in Milwaukee, and are trying to schedule buses from around the state to come to Madison and assure Republicans that it is o.k. not to have a budget, and it’s o.k. to cut public services, and that if Republicans don’t continue to comply, they will be taken out of office. This past week was full of comment from the group’s national leaders about no new taxes. In fact the group’s Republican Chair, from Wisconsin, stated that it is o.k. to NEVER have a budget. Council 24 has been the backbone of the message about getting the budget done, and protecting public services. We now need to be the backbone of a COUNTER RALLY on 10/17. We are issuing the call to all locals, our partners, coalition members, other AFSCME affiliates, and any other like-minded groups to join with us in a counter demonstration on Wednesday, 10/17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We need to carry the day and corner the media. We need to be the bearers of the message to get the budget done, and preserve public services for Wisconsin that we all have become accustomed to. Both your staff representatives and Steve Williams are functioning as coordinators in terms of scheduling buses, etc. We strongly encourage you to work with them and turn out your members. We have enclosed some information and background regarding the rally, and our counter rally. This is important – we need to be forceful, vocal, and carry the day. If you have questions or need further info contact your field rep, or PEL Coordinator Steve Williams.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Outsourcing, 10/11; Education, 10/29; all at Council 24.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 10/26/07; AFSCME Headquarters, Madison.

September 28, 2007

STATE BUDGET…The intrigue continues with budget discussions having moved behind closed doors. All discussions are now occurring at the Executive Residence. Information we have received is that not much more progress is occurring than when in open session. We’ve had some contact with higher ranking participants about our issues, and their priority in the discussion. In spite of these talks moving behind closed doors, we continue our daily vigils in the Capitol. It seems each week we get stronger and more diverse in terms of participants. This week many of our own locals were joined by non-public sector unions. For example, thanks goes to Local 758 and DOT leadership; Locals 281, 555, 13, 145, 2412 who were all among the participants, as well as about a dozen members from Council 40’s new leadership class who joined us on Thursday. In addition on Thursday, the Milwaukee County Labor Council brought a bus of trade unionists from the Milwaukee area including SEIU, AFGE, IBEW, Steelworkers, Plumbers, CWA and the list goes on and on. As you can see, our activity is not losing steam, but rather it is picking up momentum. We are noticed, we are there, we are strong in our position. As many who have been there will attest, it is truly an experience in terms of education and solidarity. If your local hasn’t yet participated, we strongly encourage you to work with your field representatives and local president to arrange a day to spend some time protecting your interests and economic well-being. We need to change the dynamic from partisan bickering to doing an honest day’s work and getting the budget done. To make arrangements for a vigil, contact PEL Coordinator Steve Williams, your field rep, or your bargaining teams (see below) to add your group to the master calendar.

The members of the conference committee and their e-mail addresses are listed below.
SENATE
Judy Robson (Majority Leader): Sen.Robson@legis.wisconsin.gov
Russ Decker: Sen.Decker@legis.wisconsin.gov
Robert Jauch: Sen.Jauch@legis.wisconsin.gov
Scott Fitzgerald (Minority Leader): Sen.Fitzgerald@legis.wisconsin.gov
ASSEMBLY
Mike Huebsch (Speaker): Rep.Huebsch@legis.wisconsin.gov
Jeff Fitzgerald (Majority Leader): Rep.Fitzgerald@legis.wisconsin.gov
Kitty Rhoades: Rep.Rhoades@legis.wisconsin.gov
James Klauser (Minority Leader): Rep.Kreuser@legis.wisconsin.gov

BARGAINING… This week we met with the Technical team and reached agreement in two areas. Although minimal in the big picture, these two issues are important for people working in certain worksites. The two areas of agreement are procedure and policy regarding “work directives”; and new language regarding distribution of medication by non-licensed workers are Mendota Mental Health Institution. Next week we are scheduled to spend time with the Security unit on wrongful orders and also working on DNR issues regarding vehicle use and overtime issues. We are keeping the process going so that we will have put some of these non-economic issues behind us.
For more info on the status of these topics, contact teams as follows:

E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message).

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…Friday, 10/26/07; AFSCME Headquarters, Madison.

September 21, 2007

STATE BUDGET…We continue having a significant presence in the Capitol. This week we had members there on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Monday, the Council field staff in its entirety attended the Conference Committee and vigil. On Tuesday members from the American Federation of Teachers and the “Peoples’ Legislature” joined with our members in protest about the budget. On Wednesday, a bus of about 50 members from southwest Wisconsin (1622, 509 and 903) came to the Capitol, met with legislators, and made their presence known. Thursday brought Local 3394 members, attorneys from Lawton & Cates, and a mix of members from various Madison locals. Even though there is very little progress being made, it is very important that we maintain our presence. Again this week, we had a legislator show his true colors. Senator Scott Fitzgerald, in whose Senate District there are three correctional institutions, told several correctional officers that there was no way the Republicans would support money for a 2% and 2% increase for state employees. He was very cold about the restoration of the compensation reserves, and in his own way during this discussion showed his disdain and lack of support for the state employees in his District. This sort of cavalier attitude needs to be dealt with. He needs to hear from our members who are his constituents that this position is totally unacceptable. Every week it seems like one of the ringleaders of the conservative element goes off on our members. It is a sign that we are getting to them, they are feeling the pressure, and for us to be successful we need to turn up the heat. These legislators need to respect us as workers, taxpayers, and human beings. It seems the Republican philosophy is that we are tax users and somehow not part of the Wisconsin idea. Let’s hold them accountable.
To make arrangements for a vigil, contact PEL Coordinator Steve Williams, your field rep, or your bargaining teams (see below) to add your group to the master calendar.

BARGAINING… Teams were in this week, however we did not meet with the employer, but rather worked on proposals and language. We will meet again next week in sidebar discussion regarding some specific issues. For more info on the status of these topics, contact teams as follows: E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message).

LOCAL UNION WEBSITE OPPORTUNITIES… Local Union President Reminder regarding upcoming training opportunity to either begin or expand your Local’s development and use of a Local website. Training will accommodate all levels of computer ability, from beginner to advanced. Council 24, in partnership with Union-Local, LLC will be conducting training for Council 24 affiliated Locals, on Monday, October 1, 2007 at 10:00 am. To register for the training session, or for more information, contact: Kara Schwartz at 836-0024, ext 113 or kschwartz@wseu-24.org.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…Education, 10/29; all at Council 24.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…WEDNESDAY, 9/26/07, 8:30 a.m.; SEPAC, 9/27; AFSCME Headquarters, Madison.

September 14, 2007

STATE BUDGET…The travesty continues with the Conference Committee meeting usually one day per week for a couple of hours, doing little or nothing. These guys need to be held accountable for their inactivity and irresponsibility regarding this budget. Our members continue to respond and actually are having some impact on certain legislators. Late last week, Sen. Lasee in a childish fit, shouted at our members in vigil, that they should “get a job” and “work for a living”. Again, we see the arrogance and complete lack of touch with reality in these legislators. We also had two others – Rep. C. Owens and Sen. Roessler – tell our members that we have apparently “lost our fire” since they have stopped receiving e-mail from state employees concerning the budget.
We continue to have a variety of members and unions present in the Capitol each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. This week we had representatives from Local 171, 634, 892, 3777, 2412, 2748, as well as representatives of the Science Professionals of AFT. There is also a group we have previously overlooked, a significant number of correctional educators from SPEIC Council 1 who have attended the vigils and conference committee meetings along with our correctional locals.
The Assembly Republicans are now beginning to switch gears and piecemeal the budget, indicating a willingness to adopt and put forward certain portions without dealing with the budget as a whole. Anyone experienced in bargaining knows this is a recipe for disaster. It seems as though this week they are spending more time with meeting on Thursday and Friday morning (2 days per week – a MAJOR breakthrough!). Next week the Assembly Republicans have a floor period on Tuesday. We have buses and multiple local unions at the Capitol on Wednesday and Thursday next week, including groups from Central Wisconsin and Southwest Wisconsin. We continue to encourage all local unions and groups of members to spend time with us in the Capitol. Come and see your legislators at work. Express your opinion about your future and your family’s economic well-being. Come and make your voice heard. To make arrangements, contact PEL Coordinator Steve Williams, your field rep, or your bargaining teams (see below) to add your group to the master calendar.

BARGAINING… we continue to keep the process moving. This week we meet on home based work in the PSS unit; higher education opportunities in the AS unit; and wrongful orders in the SPS unit. We are meeting just enough to keep the process moving, there have been no major agreements, though we are close in some areas. For specific info on the status of these topics, contact teams as follows:
E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message).

ETF ANNOUNCES FALL PRESENTATIONS...ETF has scheduled free, public presentations of WRS participants, especially those considering retirement soon. (See next page for location listing.) Topics include WRS retirement, death, and separation benefits, as well as health and life insurance benefits. Sessions run generally from 7 – 9 p.m. No reservations needed unless indicated. All locations accessible.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…LTE Abuse, Thursday, 9/20, Education, 10/29; all at Council 24.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…WEDNESDAY, 9/26/07, 8:30 a.m.; AFSCME Headquarters, Madison.

ETF FALL 2007 PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS

SPONSOR	LOCATION
Appleton October 10 (Wednesday)	Fox Valley Technical College - Cafeteria 1825 N. Bluemound Dr., Appleton
Baraboo September 25 (Tuesday)	Jack Young Middle School - Auditorium 1531 Draper St., Baraboo
Eau Claire October 10 (Wednesday)	Chippewa Valley Tech College - Auditorium Rm. 103 620 W. Clairemont Ave., Eau Claire
Green Bay October 25 (Thursday)	Southwest High School - Auditorium 1331 Packerland Dr., Green Bay
Hudson (6:30-8:30 P.M.) September 27 (Thursday)	St. Croix County Government Center - Community Room 1101 Carmichael Rd., Hudson (Use lower parking lot)
Janesville November 13 (Tuesday)	Marshall Middle School - Cafeteria 25 S. Pontiac Dr., Janesville
Kenosha October 23 (Tuesday)	Tremper High School - Auditorium 8560 26th Ave., Kenosha
LaCrosse October 24 (Wednesday)	Hogan Administrative Center - Auditorium 807 East Ave. South, LaCrosse
Madison November 1 (Thursday)	Monona Grove High School - Auditorium 4400 Monona Dr., Madison
Madison LIVE INTERNET BROADCAST November 8 (Thursday) Watch online or attend in person.	Department of Employee Trust Funds - Conf. Rm. GB 801 W. Badger Rd., Madison **Limited Seating, Reservations Required
Minocqua September 27 (Thursday)	Lakeland Union High School - Auditorium 9573 Hwy. 70 West, Minocqua
Pewaukee (6:30-8:30 P.M.) October 23 (Tuesday)	Waukesha Co Tech College - Richard T. Anderson College Ctr 800 Main St., Pewaukee (Free Parking in lots 7, 8 or 9)
Platteville November 7 (Wedesday)	UW Platteville Pioneer Student Center - Univ Rooms 1 Univ Plaza, Platteville
Sheboygan October 3 (Wednesday)	South High School - Commons Rm 3128 South 12th St., Sheboygan
Spooner October 9 (Tuesday)	Spooner Middle School - Cafeteria 500 College St., Spooner
Superior (6:30-8:30 P.M.) September 20 (Thursday)	Superior High School - Performing Arts Center 2600 Catlin Ave., Superior
Wausau October 2 (Tuesday)	John Muir Middle School - Auditorium 1400 W. Stewart Ave., Wausau
West Allis October 4 (Thursday)	Nathan Hale School - Auditorium 11601 W. Lincoln Ave., West Allis
West Bend November 14 (Wednesday)	West Bend High School - East Cafeteria 1305 E. Decorah Rd., West Bend (Park on east side of building.)
Wisconsin Rapids October 30 (Tuesday)	Lincoln Senior High School - Performing Arts Center 1801 16th St. South, Wisconsin Rapids

September 7, 2007

STATE BUDGET…We continued maintaining our presence in the Capitol this week. On Tuesday and Wednesday we had a small presence, and on Thursday Local 3021 had about 40 members in the Capitol talking and making their views known about this craziness. The Conference Committee met on Wednesday again for only 1 ½ hours and accomplished nothing other than more partisan bickering. Speaker Heubsch has decided, in his cavalier manner, that there is no reason to meet again until next week for MORE political bickering. These politicians need to pay for this inactivity, and we need to step up the pressure. Why don’t they do the responsible thing and work toward resolution? No one – not even their wealthy friends, benefit from this delay. It’s all about a lack of leadership. As this drags on, we ask you to come back to the Capitol and either vigil or attend the Conference Committee meetings. Please contact PEL Coordinator Steve Williams or your bargaining teams (see below) to add your group to the master calendar.

BARGAINING… teams continue to do what they can in the midst of this budget uncertainty. To keep in touch, use the following methods:
E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message).

COMMITTEE MEETINGS…LTE Abuse, Thursday, 9/20, Council 24.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…WEDNESDAY, 9/26/07, 8:30 a.m.; AFSCME Headquarters, Madison

August 31, 2007

LABOR DAY… Monday, 9/3 has been set aside as our own special day. Even if your community does not hold a special Labor Day event, we ask that you take a few moments Monday in recognition of what this day is for. Please remember that it is for all working men and women to honor the contributions and commitments to their jobs, their families and their communities and society. It’s your day – so make the most of it.

STATE BUDGET…Leadership and locals continue to have a presence in the Capitol. Vigil participants are growing more and more diverse. On Tuesday this week, joining Locals 634, 145 and other locals, was Phil Neuenfeldt, Secretary-Treasurer of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO as well as other union officers. On Wednesday, approximately 20 officers from Waupun Correctional joined 30 or so members from Local 82 – UW Milwaukee. This group was joined by State AFL-CIO President Dave Newby, and members of Local 1215, 634, 281 and various other assorted local unions. The Conference Committee is only set to meet one day, Thursday, 8/30, this week. Local 126 is set to be present in vigil and at the Committee meeting. The agenda should include discussion on compensation reserves and benefit reductions.
Every day we pick up more support, not only from within, but also from other affected groups and citizens. Senator Roessler sent a letter to her conferees on the Committee, asking them to restore money in compensation reserves, and some other cuts, which went about half way to restoring our issues. We figure she gets ½ a credit for that. We also met this week with the Governor. It was a very positive meeting, and a lengthy discussion on the budget and related issues. Clearly, he is our ally in this fight and will do what he can to protect our rights, benefits and economic sustenance.
We try each week to list vigil participants by local union, and surely we miss some from time to time. Let it be said that the participation at the vigils and other functions in the Capitol is overwhelming, with a multitude of locals sending members – whether it’s a handful, or whether it’s in greater numbers. Clearly the union as a whole is carrying its own weight in this battle, with all Council 24 locals responding. Keep up the good work - contact PEL Coordinator Steve Williams or your bargaining teams (see below) so that we can add your group to the master calendar for September.

COUNCIL STAFF CHANGES…On Friday, 8/31 we say goodbye to Field Staff Support Assistant Jill Malak. Many of you have had the opportunity to meet and work with Jill through her current job, and her previous duties which included the annual bowling tournament and dental insurance program. Jill has been special to us not only for the commitment, skills, and assets she brought to the Council, but also for her special connection as the niece of the scholarship program’s founder and former Council President, Jim Boyd. We wish Jill all the best as she leaves us to advance her career. We will miss you!
Toward that end, we are looking for a full time administrative support staff person, providing support to our field staff, including maintenance of grievance tracking data base; maintenance and disposition of case files; tracking of arbitration & legal expenses; and other related work such as briefs and subpoenas. Interested persons should submit resume to: lmegonigle@wseu-24.org before 9-5-07; or mail to: Lynn Megonigle, at Council headquarters.

BARGAINING… meetings continued this week. Most of our issues are being dealt with in sidebar discussions on specific issues such as education and career development language in the Professional and Administrative Support units. We’re also dealing with catastrophic leave and sabbatical improvements, and wrongful orders in DOC. All of this continues as we try to affect change in the state budget. As always, if you would like a more detailed report, contact your bargaining team.
E-Mail Contact List:
Administrative Support - asteam@wseu-24.org;
Blue Collar – bcteam@wseu-24.org;
Professional Social Serv. – pssteam@wseu-24.org;
Security & Public Safety – spsteam@wseu-24.org;
Technical Team – techteam@wseu-24.org;
or call the toll-free bargaining hotline at 800-836-4024 (leave message).

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING…WEDNESDAY, 9/26/07, 8:30 a.m.; AFSCME Headquarters, Madison.

August 24, 2007

STATE BUDGET… Activity continues to swirl around the budget. Each day this week we have had interesting experiences. On Tuesday members from Local 6 (Lincoln Hills School); Local 32 (Green Bay Correctional); and 1005 (Fox Lake Correctional) came to the Capitol to attend the Conference Committee meeting and make their concerns known. During the course of the day, Rep. Don Friske (R-Merrill) confronted Local 6 President, Ron McAllister, who is also a constituent, and in front of Ron’s members actually called Ron an “idiot”. This really illustrates the arrogance, insensitivity, and lack of reality these legislators gain once they get to Madison. We can only say that Rep. Friske is quite fortunate that he did not endure any physical harm during that interchange. On Wednesday we had more than 40 members of Local 178 (Dodge Correctional), along with 40 or so from the LaCrosse area locals who spent the day at the Capitol to spread their message. The LaCrosse area folks sought out Rep. Huebsch as constituents, but he hid in fear somewhere in the confines of the Capitol. Thursday brought John Kies and Local 281 members from Redgranite Correctional, along with representatives of the Milwaukee Teachers Association; Service Employees International Union; some members of Local 126 (Taycheedah Correctional); and various other members to the Conference Committee, which started at 11:30 a.m. and was over by 1:00 p.m. – again having accomplished nothing! On Thursday evening, our members sent a message through the Eau Claire Republican party, where Huebsch and the Fitzgera