It’s Election Day…
Get out and vote today!

Please be sure to vote today. Your voice is critical for our future. These are the AFL-CIO endorsed candidates, interviewed by your delegates and committed to working families issues.

State Supreme Court - Linda Clifford
Madison Mayor - Dave Cieslewicz
Madison Common Council
District 1 - Aaron Backer
District 6 - Marsha Rummell
District 10 - Brian Solomon
District 11 - Tim Gruber *
District 12 - Satya Rhodes-Conway *
District 13 - Julia Kerr
District 17 - Sarah Florino **
District 18 - Jon Becker *
District 20 - Gary Poulson
Madison School Board
Seat 3 - Beth Moss
Seat 4 - Johnny Winston, Jr *
Seat 5 - Marj Passman *
Fitchburg Mayor - Jeff Nytes
Fitchburg Common Council
District 4, Seat 7 - Steve Arnold
Chair, Town of Springfield - Tom Ripp *

* Current or retired Union Member
** AFSCME Local 2412 Member

As you can see an endorsement was not made in all races as that requires a two-thirds vote by rule. For more on these candidates and why Labor is supporting them you can follow this link: http://www.scfl.org

Not sure where to vote? Go to http://www.vote411.org/pollingplacebystate.php. (submitted April 3, 2007)

March 2007 Newsletter

Read about the April 1st Raise, get an update on Bargaining, and see what events are coming up in Madison.

HTML format or PDF

Rally and March to End the Iraq War
Saturday, March 17 2007 at 12:30 pm
UW Library Mall in Madison (Lake and State Streets)
Sponsored By: Madison Area Peace Coalition
Contacts: 242-9232

Join us for a demonstration to oppose the Iraq war on Saturday, March 17th. We are calling for an end to the war and bringing all the troops home now. We will gather to mark the 4th anniversary of the start of the Iraq war and call for "Not One More Death. Not One More Dollar." We will also be leafletting with the theme of encouraging young people to seek alternatives to military enlistment, and to resist the lures of military recruiters.

Gather at UW Library Mall at 12:30pm for musical satire and spoken word artists. Rally begins at 1pm with speakers. March steps off at 1:30pm. Bring signs and noise makers. Come early if you can volunteer to leaflet or help with another task. (submitted 3/9/07)

Local 2412 Member Sarah Florino Survives Primary Election for City Council

Local 2412 Election Results

At our last membership meeting, which took place on February 8th, all current Executive Board Members and Officers were re-elected by acclimation. Ruth Krause was elected as a new Trustee. For a full list of Executive Board Members, Officers and Trustees, visit our website at www.danenet.org/local2412/people (submitted 2/28/07)

Free Tax Help

Until tax filing day on April 15 the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs provide people with limited incomes, disabilities or limited English proficiency free tax help. For details call 1-800-829-1040 or (414) 297-3302.

(submitted 2/28/07)

Annual Dues Increase

In addition to our regular dues increase based on the average pay increase of all public employees, delegates at our Biannual National Convention in August adopted a proposal called the “21st Century Initiative. The initiative had several parts and can be viewed at: http://www.afscme.org/members/11027.cfm To implement the plan delegates approved additional dues increase of $3 per member per month which will be phased in over the next 3 years. In addition by 2011 Councils will have to come up with a progressive dues structure that will maintain the level of total dues collection but will allow the members at the lower end of the income scale to pay less and the members at the higher end of the scale to pay more. (submitted 1/29/07)

Working Women Speak Out

Find out working women's priorities for change in the 2006 Ask a Working Woman Survey Report, available in the Members Only section of our website.

Personnel Policies and Practices

Also, the Legislative Audit Bureau has a report on Personnel Policies and Practices in the UW System. The report evaluated the policies and practices related to:

• the use and reporting of sick leave and vacation time by unclassified staf;
• the availability of "back-up positions" and extended paid leave to unclassified staff in administrative postions;
• the employment of consultants; and
• the use of faculty sabbaticals.

A link to the full report is available in the Members Only section of our website. (submitted 11/16/06)

Attend a Forum on Health Care Reform in Wisconsin

There are three bills in the Wisconsin Legislature calling for substantial reform of our system of health care. Each calls for expanding access to health care for most if not all the uninsured in the state. Each of the three proposed bills has different approaches to solving our health care reform challenges.

To get the word out advocates for each of the three bills are traveling around the state and conducting forums on their proposals for local citizens. Below are a list of forums you are welcome to attend. Please share this information with others around the state that may be interested in learning more about improving health care in Wisconsin. If you need additional information on a particular forum please contact Kristin Settle at The Institute for One Wisconsin (414) 481-4323 www.onewisconsinnow.org.

Upcoming Wisconsin Health Care Reform Panel Presentations Open to the Public

• Madison October 21, There will be two multi-plan forums with the first starting at 9:00 am and running until 10:15 am and the second starting at 10:30am and running until 12:00 noon, both are sponsored by the League of Women Voters and will take place at the Best Western Inn Towner, 2424 University Avenue
• Racine October 26, 6:00 to 8:00, At the Racine City Hall 730 Washington Ave. sponsored by a coalition supporting an advisory referendum on health care reform
• Fennimore October 27, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, Southwestern WI Technical College, 1800 Bronson Blvd
• Madison October 29, 9:45 am to 10:45 am Midvale Community Lutheran Church at 4329 Tokay Blvd
• Platteville October 29, 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Sponsored by Grant County Grassroots, Mound City Motor Branch Bank Drive-in Conference Room, 25 East Pine Street
• Dodgeville October 30, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, City Council Chambers, 100 East Fountain Street
• Sheboygan November 12, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm depending on when the Packer game ends (we will know the exact time by November 1st when the football league decides when to start the game). It is sponsored by the Wisconsin Council of Churches and will be held at the Ebenezer Church.

Political Endorsements
AFL-CIO endorsements: Blue
WSEU-SEPAC endorsements: Red.
Both: Green

U.S. Senate - Herb Kohl
Congress 2nd Dist. - Tammy Baldwin
Governor - Jim Doyle
Lt. Governor - Barbara Lawton
Attorney General - Kathleen Falk

State Senate
Dist. 5 – Jim Sullivan
Dist. 17 - John Simonson
Dist. 21 – John Lehman
Dist. 23 – Pat Kreitlow
Dist. 27 - Jon Erpenbach
Dist. 29 – Russ Decker

State Assembly
Dist. 37 – Andy Jorgensen
Dist. 40 – Dan Naylor
Dist. 42 - Tim Henney
Dist. 43 - Kim Hixson
Dist. 46 - Gary Hebl
Dist. 47 - Meagan Yost
Dist. 48 - Joe Parisi
Dist. 54 – Gordon Hintz
Dist. 56 – Susan Garcia Franz
Dist. 62 – Cory Mason
Dist. 67 – Roberta Rasmus
Dist. 71 – Louis Molepske
Dist. 76 - Terese Berceau
Dist. 77 - Spencer Black
Dist. 78 - Mark Pocan
Dist. 79 - Sondy Pope-Roberts
Dist. 80 - Janis Ringhand
Dist. 81 - Dave Travis
Dist. 85 – Donna Seidl
Dist. 86 – Gary Adams
Dist. 93 – Jeffrey Smith
Dist. 94 – James Kinsman

Dane County
Sheriff - Dave Mahoney
Clerk - Bob Ohlsen
Coroner - John Stanley
Treasurer - Dave Gawenda
Register of Deeds - Peter Ellestad

Referenda
Madison School Funding – Yes
Civil Union Ban - No
Death Penalty - No

Member-to-Member Walks
Increase Awareness of Union Participation in the Elections!

October 14, 2006
Madison - Meeting at the Labor Temple at both 10am and 12pm (1602 S. Park Street, Madison).

October 21, 2006
Rock County - Meeting at the Steelworkers Hall at 11am (1620 Shore Drive, Beloit) and UAW Hall (1795 LaFayette Street, Janesville)

Member-to-Member Phone Banks

Member-to-Member Phone Banks - AFSCME Building every Wednesday and Thursday from 5:00-8:00 pm (8033 Excelsior Drive).

REAL PROBLEMS DESERVE REAL SOLUTIONS

Although the state legislature has been paralyzed by inaction on the issue of health care reform, there are three plans that have been proposed and deserve both a dialogue and debate in our state legislature. It is simply irresponsible for the legislative majority to ignore our need for reform. For more information on the three plans, please visit the following sites:

The Wisconsin Health Care Partnership Plan
http://www.wiscities.org/Newby1.pdf

The Wisconsin Health Plan
http://www.wisconsinhealthproject.org/plan/index.htm

The Wisconsin Health Security Act
http://www.wisconsinhealth.org/wiplan.htm

(submitted 7/31/06)

Administrative Support Bargaining Unit Conference  - UPDATE

Gary Mitchell was elected to serve on the 2007-2009 Bargaining Team.

AFSCME Health Care Petition

Today, many Americans, especially those covered by union contracts, enjoy decent wages and health care coverage. But even for those workers, and for many millions across the country, health insurance is increasingly unaffordable -- and one of the most contested issues at the bargaining table.

As AFSCME members, we can do something about the health care meltdown.

Sign the AFSCME health care petition. Our petition calls on President Bush to address the health care crisis of cost, coverage and quality without shifting more of the financial burden on to working families. (submited 6/25/06) Read more -->

Local 2412 to present resolutions for the Wisconsin State Employees Union Annual Convention, July 21st – 23rd

• Support Troops and Withdraw from Iraq
• Endorse “No” Vote on Constitutional Amendment to prohibit Gay Marriage
• Limited Term Employee (LTE) Justice (submitted 6/26/06)

See Full Resolutions -->

Universal Health Care Petitions for the AFL-CIO

The Wisconsin AFL-CIO has asked our help in gathering signatures to present to the Governor urging support of the AFL-CIO proposed Wisconsin Health Care Plan that has been endorsed by AFSCME. (submitted 6/26/06)

More -->

News on Retro Checks

Local President Gary Mitchell has been in contact with the Classified HR Office regarding retro checks. The latest word from Classified Human Resources Office is that retroactive pay will be paid at all UW campuses with the June 22 payday. Our back pay has been delayed - other state agencies received back pay today, June 8 - according to reports, because of difficulty with the Teaching Assistants contract settlement. (submitted 6/8/06)

Attorney General Peggy Lautenschlager at June Membership Meeting (6/8/06)

2005-2007 Contract Calculator

See approximately what you'll be getting for back-pay. This calculator only works for across-the-board raises and there are some classification titles that received additional increases that this calculator will not work for either (the file is in Microsoft Excel format).
Go to calculator -->

Contract Update

Contracts for Administrative Support, Blue Collar, Security & Public Safety, and Technical bargaining units were signed by Governor Doyle May 5 at 11:30 a.m.  Pay changes will be effective with the start of the payroll period on 5/14, which means retro checks and new pay rates will be out during the month of June. For previos updates, visit our Contract page. (submitted 5/5/06)

Pay Plan Implementation 2003-05

http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/ecbs/pay-plan-wseu-2003-05.html

New Classified Titles to Replace Program Assistant Series

--> Do any of these specifications describe YOUR JOB?
--> Steps for requesting a reclassification (Microsoft Word doc)

Current Local 2412 Stewards

Angela Powell - Chief Steward, Gary Mitchell, Mary Czynszak-Lyne, Rolf Rodefeld and Mary Noles.

Return to the top of the page