News

In response to attacks by Wisconsin Republicans on academic freedom in the University of Wisconsin System, the AFT-Wisconsin Higher Education Council has drafted a statement calling on the UW System Regents and chancellors to uphold protections for academic staff and tenure-track faculty that ensure academic freedom and high quality research and education at every UW System institution.  UW System employees are encouraged to print the statement and display it in their workplaces.  AFT-Wisconsin members are also circulating a petition in support of the statement; to obtain a copy of the

Labor Day is just around the corner!  Local labor councils, the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, and community partners will be coming together across the state to celebrate the struggles, achievements, and victories of workers everywhere.  Our sisters and brothers at the Wisconsin AFL-CIO have compiled a list of local Labor Day celebrations throughout Wisconsin - check it out, and help spread the word!

On Thursday, April 7, UFAS-UWEC held its Spring General Membership Meeting.  Members present debated and ultimately passed three resolutions regarding tenure, merit pay increases, and the University's patronage of companies who sponsor the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), an organization that supports policies that undermine public funding of higher education. The resolutions passed are as follows:

On Tenure:

Whereas all academic success and progress depends upon intellectual freedom of speech,

whereas tenure was developed as a means to ensure that intellectual freedom of speech, by

UW-Eau Claire recently earned a spot on The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll of 2014 for student volunteerism. Because of work done through the Center for Service Learning, courses that earn Service Learning credits, and additional volunteer hours, UW-Eau Claire students tallied 355,581 hours of volunteer community service between July 1, 2012 and June 20, 2013.

The estimated value of this work? $7.7 million in fiscal 2012-13 alone! Congratulations to al the students, staff, and faculty who have helped make the Chippewa Valley and the state of Wisconsin a better place

That's the provocative title of an article by Washington Post education reporter Valerie Strauss, who provides a comprehensive overview of the relentless assault on public education in Wisconsin.  Strauss notes that for the first time in over 20 years, the legislature will not be increasing state aid for PK-12 education to at least keep up with inflation, in addition to further draining public education funds by expanding the statewide voucher program that takes money from public school students and sends it to unaccountable private and charter schools.  And Wisconsin is one of only six states

Governor Scott Walker broke yet another promise to working Wisconsinites this morning by signing so-called “right to work” legislation. After repeatedly stating that it was not a priority, that private sector unions were essential partners in economic recovery, and that the bill would never make it to his desk, he signed the bill gleefully, showing yet again that he’s willing to betray Wisconsin as many times as it takes in service to his personal political aspirations. But we’re not surprised; we’ve come to expect this from Scott Walker. We all know what Scott Walker’s promises are worth. And

Dear colleagues,

I'm taking a few moments to let you know what your union has learned about the current budget crisis, and the best ways that we think we can help each other.

First, let’s all support our adjuncts on national adjunct walk out day, this Wednesday (tomorrow!), by wearing black armbands.

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Secondly, it is election time. Here is a message from Jim Phillips

UFAS Members,

We will be holding an election for executive board members this spring. The terms for the current executive board members expire on August 1