Technical College Employees Vote for Union Representation by Crushing Margins

The recertification elections that ended April 28 for five WEAC technical college employee local unions that chose to participate were overwhelmingly successful.

Statewide, more than two-thirds of the eligible voters participated in the recertification voting, and more than 98 percent of voters voted in favor of union representation.

WEAC President Peggy Wirtz-Olsen thanked all colleagues who organized and voted in the April 8-28 recertification elections.

“Once again, the unions won, and it wasn’t even close,” Wirtz-Olsen said. “These voting totals illustrate that technical college educators support the union and appreciate the outcomes that result from union affiliation.”

Recertification designates the local association as the sole legal bargaining agent for all employees in the bargaining unit vying for recertification. This requires the employer to bargain in good faith with the union annually over cost of living pay increases and reinforces union members’ right to union representation.

Where local union leaders decide to do so, bargaining unit members must vote every year to recertify their association. To win the vote, in elections overseen by the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, 51 percent of all eligible voters must vote “yes” that they want their local association to be their representative. Under the law, every non-vote is considered a “no” vote.