Many Wisconsin Teachers Prefer Freedom

Half of Wisconsin teachers eligible for Wisconsin Education Action Council (WEAC) membership prefer freedom over union membership. All Wisconsin teachers have the right to represent themselves, or choose representation through another organization. Those teachers who teach in districts which re-certified a union representative, can exercise their right to resign. Erin Richards has the story in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Officials from the Wisconsin Education Association Council said Tuesday that 97% of its local education unions that sought to re-certify — which accounts for about half its locals — were successful.

The other half of the WEAC-affiliated education unions didn’t even attempt to re-certify. That means they can still exist as unions but are not a recognized agent to meet with management and collectively bargain over wage increases tied to inflation.
Under the state’s Act 10 law, most public employee unions have to win a recertification election each year to preserve the union’s authority to collectively bargain over wage increases tied to inflation. At least 51% of eligible voters have to vote yes for re-certification to occur.