Classified staff contracts still in limbo

Despite promises from Gov. Jim Doyle to fund the new classified staff contracts negotiated by the state and union leaders last year, the pay raises have yet to gain legislative approval.

The governor’s 2003-05 budget proposal, unveiled Feb. 18, includes money for the contracts if they are ultimately approved.

In a letter to members of the Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER) and Dane County lawmakers, Chancellor John Wiley expressed concern over the impact the delay is having on UW- Madison’s 5,000 classified staff members.

“Without a contract, I fear staff morale and our ability to retain excellent staff will be severely damaged,” Wiley wrote.

Represented classified staff are among those employees covered by 15 contracts that were negotiated last year by Gov. Scott McCallum’s administration but have yet to considered by the full Legislature.

After a six-hour hearing Feb. 13, Republicans on JCOER rejected the contracts on a 5-2 party line vote, saying the state could not afford the contracts, given the state’s projected deficit. Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton) and Rep. Jim Kreuser (D-Kenosha) cast the dissenting votes.

The committee urged the Department of Employment Relations to renegotiate the contracts, which affect many UW–Madison graduate student and classified employees. However, Marty Beil, executive director of the Wisconsin State Employees Union, has said employees won’t go back to the bargaining table.

“Without a new contract, many classified staff find themselves working multiple jobs to make ends meet,” Wiley’s letter stated. “Our classified staff levels have fallen behind city and county wages, and have not kept up with cost of living increases.”

A resolution supporting the pay raises will be considered by the academic staff assembly March 10. Supporters of the raises have also been granted permission to speak at the March 3 faculty senate meeting.