On Oct. 17, the Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER) met to approve a pay plan for state staff and state collective bargaining agreements. JCOER authorised raises for state staff, however excluded raises for Universities of Wisconsin staff. JCOER additionally didn’t vote on the tentative settlement with the Wisconsin State Constructing Trades Negotiating Committee (representing the UW–Madison Constructing Trades staff).

Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin’s assertion is under:

Earlier this yr, as a part of the 2023-25 state funds, the complete legislature authorised pay will increase for all state employees, together with College of Wisconsin–Madison (and Universities of Wisconsin) staff. As we speak, the Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER) members disregarded that motion and separated UW staff from different state staff and withheld much-needed value of residing changes. Withholding this well-deserved improve defies each purpose and longstanding legislative custom, and for this I’m deeply upset.

Twenty-four thousand hardworking College of Wisconsin–Madison staff are affected: those that put together and serve meals to college students in our residence halls, those that defend the security of our group members, those that educate our 50,000 college students, those that conduct transformative analysis that seeks to treatment illness and defend and improve key industries equivalent to agriculture and manufacturing, and so many extra. It impacts UW–Madison staff not solely in Dane County, however all throughout Wisconsin, together with those that work for our Division of Extension to enhance the well being of state residents in addition to the surroundings through which we dwell, work and play.

The US skilled file excessive inflation final yr. By delaying motion and thus withholding much-needed pay will increase for our staff, JCOER harms those that immediately contribute to retaining UW–Madison on the forefront of upper training establishments and assist transfer Wisconsin and its economic system ahead.

I, together with Universities of Wisconsin management, strongly urge members of the state legislature to work towards a good and swift decision.