WEAC issues layoff notices to 40% of staff
By Erin Richards of the Journal Sentinel
Aug. 15, 2011 12:02 p.m. |(208) Comments
Layoff notices have been issued to about 40% of the Wisconsin Education Association Council workforce, a total of 42 employees who work for the state's largest teachers union, Executive Director Dan Burkhalter confirmed Monday.
Burkhalter said that the layoffs and other budget cuts at WEAC are a result of Gov. Scott Walker's "union-busting" legislation.
“Right now we’re engaged in membership continuation campaigns," Burkhalter said in a statement. "We’ve made steady progress in signing up members and we anticipate further progress will be made as the school year resumes. Despite budget cuts and layoffs, our goal remains the same: to be a strong and viable organization that represents the voices of Wisconsin’s public school employees.”
The organization has been working to stay relevant in a time when state legislation has severely clipped the collective bargaining rights of teachers and other public workers. The legislation makes it illegal for local teachers unions to electronically deduct dues from the payroll of teachers, and local unions also have to hold re-certification votes.
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/127751463.html-----------
This makes me sick. These MF'ers and their union busting tactics are going to lead to the extermination of the middle class in WI. While Scottie gives away millions to his business buddies, those in charge of educating our future generation are taking the hit and their bargaining rights are gone. WTF has happened to this state that I've been a lifelong resident of and care about deeply? Sad, sad, sad...
Word of warning, stay away from the comment section until your lunch has fully settled. It's amazingly disturbing.
On a more positive note, the article states union reps are working sign up continuing membership. I was aware of this and I believe they've been working on it for a month or two now. IMO, it's critical to get these members to sign on. Maybe even a life or death situation for strong labor that has been a tradition in WI since long before I was around.
Hopefully their efforts are being more successful than the story would lead one to believe. Ugh. Backward, Wisconsin.