August 24, 2007
Volume #29, Issue
#29
AFSCME KEEPS PRESSURE ON CONFERENCE COMMITTEE - On Tuesday the Republican and
Democratic members of the Conference Committee traded political talking points over the
state’s
Stewardship Fund and funding for K-12 schools. No progress was made, and it remains
unlikely that any
movement will occur before Labor Day weekend.
However, AFSCME’s constant pressure has become impossible for legislators to ignore.
The daily vigils
in the Capitol, office visits by AFSCME members busing in from around the state, phone
calls and emails
to legislative offices, as well as AFSCME member grassroots efforts in legislators’
home bases are the
source of constant conversation in the Capitol. So while the conference committee
isn’t accomplishing
much, it’s important that we don’t get discouraged. Only through continued
pressure will we succeed in
preserving the public sector and preventing harm to public employees and the collective
bargaining
process.
Join AFSCME members at the Capitol Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as we conduct our vigil
to urge
legislators to support adequate funding for public services and the working people across
this state who
provide those essential services. Or, if you can’t make it to the Capitol, call or
email your legislator(s) again
to support the public sector!
PRO-LABOR LEGISLATION SET FOR HEARING - On Tuesday at 11:00 am in the State
Capitol, the
Senate Labor Committee will hold a public hearing on several pro-labor bills. Among them
is Senate Bill
121, which would prohibit an employer under the Municipal Employment Relations Act from
ending fair
share agreements or grievance arbitration during a contract hiatus. Senator Dave Hansen
introduced the
bill as a response to action taken by Brown County against Teamsters Local 75 to end dues
check-off and
take away arbitration rights after the collective bargaining agreement expired in
December, 2003.
Another bill on the committee’s agenda is SB 243, which would make teacher
preparation time a
mandatory subject of collective bargaining. A third bill, SB 83, would exempt unemployment
compensation
from state income taxes.
AFSCME supports these measures as well as the Senate Labor Committee Chair Senator Spencer
Coggs’ (D-Milwaukee) ongoing support of labor issues. Senator Coggs is a member of
AFSCME.
SENATE COMMITTEE TO TOUR TAYCHEEDAH CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION AUGUST 28 - The
Senate Judiciary and Corrections Committee will visit Taycheedah Women’s Correctional
Institution from
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 28. After the tour, the Committee will hold a
public hearing on
the "State of the Justice System". The hearing will be at 3:00 p.m. at the Fond
du Lac City/County
Government Building.
This is one of several tours of correctional institutions and hearings that the Senate
Corrections Committee
will hold this summer/fall. The next stop is the Wisconsin Secure Program Facility in
Boscobel, tentatively
scheduled for September 25.
LEGISLATIVE WEBSITES. . .For those
"online", here are some good info spots:
Wisconsin State Legislature: www.legis.state.wi.us/
"Who Are My Legislators": www.legis.state.wi.us./waml/
State of Wisconsin: www.wisconsin.gov/state/home
Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau: www.legis.state.wi.us/lrb/
Wisconsin Legislative Council: www.legis.state.wi.us/lc/
Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau: www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/
Wisconsin Ethics Board: http://ethics.state.wi.us