Wisconsin Teachers Use Legal Loophole in Act 10 to Get Their Union Back

X post in Labor & GD


http://wepartypatriots.com/wp/2015/01/15/wisconsin-teachers-use-legal-loophole-in-act-10-to-get-their-union-back/




Part of the anti-union power of Wisconsin’s contentious Act 10 bill is that it forces all school district collective bargaining units to recertify on an annual basis, before December 1 of a given year. This means that 51 percent of all eligible voters — not only those who participate in a vote — must recertify their union membership annually for the union to exist. Those who are absent or unable to attend a vote are ruthlessly counted as ‘no’ votes.

This places an incredible burden on unions, one which Governor Scott Walker and the state GOP were aware of (excited about, rather) when they passed the measure. Following Act 10’s implementation in 2013, eight unions decertified, including the Kenosha Education Association (KEA). In 2014, one hundred unions failed to certify and an additional 25 decertified after elections.

But the KEA has turned into an interesting case. They did not even apply for recertification in 2013, choosing to simply decertify. Now, a loophole in Act 10 has allowed them to again be recognized as a collective bargaining unit:

Under Wisconsin law, unrepresented employees can file to hold an election to see if they would like to be represented by a union, as long as they have been unrepresented for at least one year. In this case, KUSD employees filed for a vote to be represented by KEA.

FULL story at link.

About the Author: Chaz Bolte
Chaz Bolte is a native of Pittsburgh, PA where he attended Slippery Rock University. He currently contributes to WePartyPatriots, Addicting Info, Secret Party Room, and Football Nation. You can follow him on Twitter @ChazBolte