Earlier today, faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Stout voted 196-31 of a unit of 283 in favor of union representation through AFT-Wisconsin, a statewide labor federation affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
The vote comes in the wake of Gov. Scott Walker having introduced a budget repair bill that would eliminate academic staff and faculty's right to collectively bargain, and a budget bill that would substantially cut funding to the UW System
"What we've seen at UW-Stout today is an extension of what we've seen across Wisconsin for the past four weeks," stated Barb Flom, an associate professor of education. "Our state is at a crossroads. The vast majority of Wisconsinites have made it known that they want to preserve our state's rich tradition and move forward, not backward. Today, UW-Stout faculty stood united and echoed that message by saying, 'We deserve a voice in the workplace.'"
According to Prof. Flom, Gov. Walker's budget repair bill galvanized the faculty's resolve to form a union. "When it became clear that the governor's extremist legislation had nothing to do with balancing the budget and everything to do with denying workers' rights, UW-Stout faculty realized the urgency in this vote. Together, we stood up, took notice, and turned out to vote."
UW faculty and academic staff were extended the right to collectively bargain in June of 2009. Since that time, faculty at three campuses - UW-Eau Claire, UW-Superior, and UW-La Crosse - have voted in favor of collective bargaining representation.
