After two years of writing weekly opinion columns, this will be my last article. I've written on several different issues in the past 55-plus weeks, but one of the main topics occupying this space has been UW-Madison's poor labor policies. I choose to write about this again, because I think it will continue to be of importance in the next year and beyond.
UW-Madison and the state of Wisconsin in general have been cutting their permanent work force and replacing these positions with so-called \limited-term employees."" LTEs are not allowed to be represented by a union, and do not receive the same benefits as classified state employees. Legally, LTEs can only work 1,043 hours in any position, but UW-Madison personnel officers get around the law. They simply rehire the same worker for the same job, but change the job's official title.
In the current Wisconsin state budget, the Student and Labor Action Coalition was successful in ensuring that a provision was included to review UW-Madison's use of long-term LTE labor. This provision included funding to properly classify 50 long-term LTEs into permanent classified staff. Many people have already been properly classified and are now receiving the benefits and respect they deserve for their years of dedicated service to students.
Recently, Adam Walsh, an ASM representative, sponsored an LTE resolution that was unanimously passed by ASM Student Council. The enacted resolution states, ""Be it resolved, the Associated Students of Madison support the movements of the Wisconsin state Legislature as they mandated the transition of 50 limited-term employees to permanent positions. ... The Associated Students of Madison request the University of Wisconsin-Madison re-evaluate their use of limited-term employees. ... The Associated Students of Madison support any efforts by the University of Wisconsin-Madison to increase their use of permanent employees rather than limited-term employees.""
The Memorial Union was given the authority to properly classify a number of long-term LTEs, one who was to be custodian and one a food service worker. So far neither of these positions has been converted, even though there are numerous LTEs working in both departments. Mark Guthier, the director of the Memorial Union, has been notified of AFSCME 171's concerns, yet has responded in a defensive and unprofessional manner.
Most recently, Lilian Wales, an employee at the State Historical Society, has been a victim of the corrupt LTE system. Wales is not an LTE. Her position required her to approve LTEs for enrollment in the Wisconsin Retirement System. The WRS program allows LTEs who have been employed for over one year, or 600 hours, the opportunity to participate in a health, life and dental insurance plan with a deferred compensation retirement policy.
When she was first hired over a year ago, Wales was commended by her employer for enrolling over 50 LTEs in the WRS program. However, since that time, her supervisor, Alice Jackson, has told her to stop approving qualified LTEs for enrollment due to ""budget concerns."" Besides being unscrupulous, her supervisor's order was illegal. When Wales refused, she found herself suspended for three days without pay, and is facing permanent suspension June 30. Since her suspension, Jackson has removed several qualified LTEs from the WRS program, leaving them and their children without healthcare.
The most disgusting aspect of what happened to Wales is that she will be replaced by two ""limited-term"" employees.
Finally, UW-Madison should not rejoin the Fair Labor Association. Throughout the year, the UW's Labor Licensing Committee has been reviewing the possible costs or benefits of rejoining the FLA. Currently, the university is a member of the labor union and student-financed Workers Rights Consortium, which has been extremely successful in investigations of licensed factory conditions. But Chancellor John Wiley has suggested that he might reject students and LLC members' recommendations to remain separate from the corporate-controlled FLA.
Students should continue to pay attention to UW-Madison's labor practices. If the university continues exploiting workers and investing in sweatshops, then students must take a stand.
