Approximately 50 members of a local union led an informational picket Friday during the Red Tie Gala at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, which celebrated the Wisconsin Alumni Association's 150th anniversary.
The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees protested WID's use of non-unionized labor.
WID uses non-unionized labor at their two restaurants as well as for its catering service. AFSCME's ""ultimate goal is to make WID employees UW employees,"" said AFSCME Spokesperson Laurie Peterson.
WID says it is exempt from unionized labor because it is half-public, half-private, said Jerry Chernow, an AFSCME staff member. AFSCME believes it is incumbent upon publically funded institution to support public workers.
Since the WID opened in December of 2010, AFSCME has worked to convince WID to hire unionized labor at the facility through protests and pickets.
""We have had a long battle with the people at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery about why their food services workers are non-unionized when everyone else on campus is,"" explained Chernow.
When WID opened last year, John Morgridge, who donated $50 million to the institute, directly addressed union protesters present at the grand opening.
""We didn't build just a structure here, but we also built a human structure,"" Morgridge said. ""For you union people here, there were probably 500-plus union employees who proudly built this building.""
While the protest occurred outside of the Red Tie Gala event, WAA spokesperson Kate Dixon said it did not cause a disruption.
""We were very focused for the evening on our celebration of alumni,"" Dixon said.
AFSCME said it attempted to work with other groups across campus to achieve unionized labor.
""We have tried to reach out to the board of directors ... and the state representatives who are sympathetic and have pretty much no response,"" Chernow said. ""We have been going through the usual union community, and we get a lot of support but no real concrete ideas.""
AFSCME considered the protest, which took place on Johnson Street, successful, according to Peterson.
""We got a lot of honks and positive feedback,"" Peterson said. ""We will continue protesting.""
