Agency News Archive
2012 PUBLIC SECTOR CONFERENCE CONDUCTED -- CLE CREDITS APPROVED
The 2012 WERC Public Sector Labor Relations Conference was held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison on April 26, 2012. The number of registrants and other participants was 385 for the day-long program featuring plenary and panel presentations on a variety of topics of interest to public sector labor relations practitioners. The conference was coordinated by Danielle Carne of WERC.
Conference evaluation forms will be available on-line until May 10, 2012. Individuals and organizations with comments or suggestions about the Conference are encouraged to submit them via that form. Comments and suggestions are also welcome at any time, in care of Georgann Kramer.
The Conference has now been approved for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits as follows:
-The Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners has approved the conference for a total of 7.5 CLE hours, which includes 1.0 ethics/professional responsibility hour.
-The Illinois Minimum Continuing Legal Education Board has approved the course for a total of 6.5 credit hours, which includes 1.0 hour of professional responsibility.
-Minnesota has approved the conference for a total of 6.5 CLE credits, including 1 ethics credit.
The Commission thanks everyone who attended and all those who participated in presenting this year’s Conference.
May 2, 2012
COMMISSION SOLICITS INFORMATION AND ADVICE REGARDING BASE WAGE INCREASE RULES
Part of the new permanent rule making process involves preparation of an Economic Impact Analysis (Sec. 227.137, Stats) which, in turn, requires that “the agency shall solicit information and advice from businesses, associations representing business, local governmental units, and individuals that may be affected by the proposed rule.”
Accordingly, the Commission invites submission of information and advice regarding the following recently-implemented emergency rules regarding how to calculate the maximum dollar amounts available for bargaining over base wage increases for general municipal employee bargaining units and for general state employee bargaining units.. View municipal base wage rules redraft. View State base wage rules redraft.
Submissions must be in written form and must be received by the end of business on May 14, 2012, by the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission via email: (PeterG.Davis@wisconsin.gov.), fax: (608-266-6930), US mail sent to PO Box 7870, Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7870, or physical delivery to 1457 East Washington Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53703.
March 30, 2012
MAXIMUM GENERAL EMPLOYEE BASE WAGE INCREASE RULES REDRAFTED AND APPROVED BY GOVERNOR
On Monday March 26, 2012, the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission (Commissioner Neumann dissenting) submitted revised draft emergency administrative rules to Governor Walker regarding how to calculate the maximum dollar amounts available for bargaining over base wage increases for general municipal employee bargaining units and for general state employee bargaining units. On Friday March 30, Governor Walker approved the revised draft rules. The rules will become effective after the Commission formally promulgates them and the rules are published in the Wisconsin State Journal. View municipal base wage rules redraft. View State base wage rules redraft. View Commissioner Neumann’s Dissent.
March 28, 2012
VOTES CAST IN MARCH, 2012, INITIAL ANNUAL ELECTIONS ARE ANNOUNCED
The numbers of votes cast in the initial annual certification elections that began at noon on March 8 and concluded at noon on March 28 are now available. To view that information [click here].
Once the parties receive their individual election tallies, they will have eight calendar days in which to file challenges or objections with the WERC.
March 19, 2012
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX CALCULATION DEVELOPMENTS AND CHART
On March 13, 2012, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) has advised the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission (WERC) that the CPI-U increase applicable to one year collective bargaining agreements with a term beginning April 1, 2012 is 2.65% and 3.16% for collective bargaining agreements with a term beginning July 1, 2012.
Including those developments, the following chart reflects the CPI-U information provided by the DOR to date:
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February 22, 2012
VOTES CAST IN FEBRUARY, 2012, INITIAL ANNUAL ELECTIONS ARE ANNOUNCED
The numbers of votes cast in the initial annual certification elections that began at noon on February 2 and concluded at noon on February 22 are now available. To view that information [click here].
Once the parties receive their individual election tallies, they will have eight calendar days in which to file challenges or objections with the WERC.
STATE CIVIL SERVICE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE CHANGES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2012
Effective January 1, 2012, the Office of State Employment Relations revised Chapter 430 of the Wisconsin Human Resources Handbook setting forth the scope, procedures, and time limits for the “Employee Grievance Procedure.” The revision is intended to supersede Ch. ER 46, Wis. Admin. Code, and Sec. 230.44, Stats., and provides that State civil service employees who are not subject to a collective bargaining agreement’s grievance procedure are to grieve disciplinary actions and hazardous duty pay decisions before appealing those matters to the WERC.
Therefore, persons seeking review of
• a demotion, layoff, suspension, discharge, reduction in base pay, written reprimand,
• a denial of hazardous employment benefits, or
• an employer’s response at the third step of the grievance procedure established under Sec. 230.04(14), Stats.,
should carefully review Chapter 430.
February 14, 2012
MAXIMUM GENERAL EMPLOYEE BASE WAGE INCREASE RULES DRAFTS SENT TO GOVERNOR
Earlier today, pursuant to 2011 Wisconsin Act 21, the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission submitted parallel sets of draft emergency administrative rules to Governor Walker regarding how to calculate the maximum dollar amount available for bargaining over base wage increases for general municipal employee bargaining units and for general state employee bargaining units. The draft emergency rules are not final unless approved by the Governor.
January 31, 2012
LIST OF ANNUAL CERTIFICATION ELECTIONS TO BE CONDUCTED IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH, 2012
The Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission has released a list of annual certification elections to be conducted by the agency during February and March 2012.
For those of the listed bargaining units with petitions filed prior to January 1, 2012, the annual certification elections will be held February 2-22, 2012. For additional information concerning the February 2012 elections, [click here].
For those of the listed bargaining units with petitions filed between January 1, 2012 and January 30, 2012, the annual certification elections will be held March 8-March 28, 2012. Additional information concerning the March 2012 elections will be posted as soon as it is available.
January 26, 2012
ELECTIONS SCHEDULED REGARDING JANUARY, 2012 PETITIONS
The Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission has announced that initial annual certification elections will be held March 8-March 28, 2012 for those election petitions filed between January 1, 2012 and January 30, 2012. Additional information as to these elections will be posted in the near future.
The Commission has previously announced that initial annual certification elections will be held February 2-22, 2012 for those election petitions filed prior to January 1, 2012.
January 19, 2012
REGISTRATION MATERIALS AVAILABLE FOR
APRIL 26, 2012 PUBLIC SECTOR LABOR RELATIONS CONFERENCE and
ADDITIONAL ARBITRATION TRAINING SESSION
The finalized program for the April 26, 2012 Public Sector Labor Relations Conference at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison is now available. Applications for continuing legal education (CLE) credit will be submitted in the near future. The day-long Conference is sponsored by the WERC and is being coordinated by Danielle Carne of WERC.
An additional training session entitled 2012 Advocate Training Program -- The Future of Grievance Resolution, is being presented on Friday, April 27, 2012, the day after the Conference. That additional training session is sponsored by the Central Midwest Region of the National Academy of Arbitrators. While that training opportunity is not part of the 2012 Public Sector Conference and not sponsored by the WERC, because of its obvious relevance and interest to our clients the WERC has agreed to help publicize it to Conference participants, and to allow people to register for both programs at the same time.
Combined registration forms for the two programs are available in two formats:
- a convenient auto-fill Registration Form in RTF format. The form can either be filled-out on screen (IE browser required) and then printed and mailed/faxed, or the form can be downloaded, opened with your word processor, filled out on screen and either e-mailed or printed and mailed/faxed.
- a printable Registration Form in PDF format.
Hotel accommodation information for the WERC Conference appears on the registration form. Hotel accommodation information for the NAA training session appears in the additional training session program .
For further information, contact Georgann Kramer.
RICHARD MCLAUGHLIN RETIRING
After 30+ years of service to the State of Wisconsin as a WERC mediator, arbitrator and administrative law judge, Richard B. McLaughlin recently announced that he will retire from the professional staff, with his last day of work being Tuesday, January 3, 2012.
Rick joined the Commission's staff in 1981, after graduating from Lawrence University and the UW Law School. He has been a highly effective, productive and respected neutral in labor-management dispute resolution throughout his long career.
Rick has often been jointly requested in both grievance arbitration and contract mediation disputes. He has also played a central planning and implementation role in the indexing and publication of the agency’s written work in electronic form.
Rick’s post-retirement acitivities will no doubt include spending some time at his cabin in Door County and enjoying his grandchildren.
The Commission and staff wish Rick and his wife Joan and their family good health and happiness for many, many years to come.
December 8, 2011
VOTES CAST IN INITIAL ANNUAL ELECTIONS ARE ANNOUNCED
The numbers of votes cast in the initial annual certification elections that began November 18 and that concluded on December 8 are now available. To view that information [click here].
Once the parties receive their individual election tallies, they will have eight calendar days in which to file challenges or objections with the WERC.
December 7, 2011
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX CALCULATION DEVELOPMENTS
The Department of Revenue (DOR) has advised the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission (WERC) that the CPI-U increase applicable to one year collective bargaining agreements with a term beginning January 1, 2011 is 0.97%, and 1.64% for collective bargaining agreements with a term beginning July 1, 2011.
As previously announced, the DOR has also advised the WERC that the CPI-U increase applicable to one year collective bargaining agreements with a term beginning January 1, 2012 is 2.01%
November 2, 2011
SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNUAL ELECTIONS SCHEDULED
The Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission has targeted noon on Friday November 18, 2011 for the beginning of voting in the more than 200 initial annual certification elections involving school district employee bargaining units as to which election petitions were filed on or before September 30, 2011. Voters will have 20 calendar days to cast their ballots telephonically through a toll free number. Voting ends at noon Thursday December 8, 2011. The Commission hopes to have results available no later than Monday December 12, 2011. To view a flowchart of the annual certification process, [click here].
October 11, 2011
FURTHER CONSUMER PRICE INDEX CALCULATION DEVELOPMENT
By letter dated September 28, 2011, Secretary of Revenue Richard G. Chandler advised the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission that the CPI-U increase applicable to one year collective bargaining agreements with a term beginning January 1, 2012 is 2.01%
Commission requests for the CPI-U change for contracts with a term beginning January 1, 2011 and July 1, 2011 remain pending with the Department of Revenue.
DANIELLE CARNE SELECTED FOR ABA SECTION FELLOWSHIP
WERC staff attorney Danielle Carne has been selected to serve as a Fellow in the American Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section Government Fellowship Program. The Program is designed to sponsor the participation of agency-employed, government attorneys in Section activities. Her Fellowship is for a three-year term, beginning now and running through August of 2014.
DAN NIELSEN RETIRING
After a combined total of 29+ years of service to the State of Wisconsin, Daniel J. Nielsen announced this week that he will retire from the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission with his last day of work being Friday, October 7, 2011.
Dan first joined the Commission's staff in 1982 after graduating from UW-Parkside and the UW Law School. From 1986-90, he taught full-time at Parkside and then returned to the staff as a mediator, arbitrator and hearing examiner. In 1990 he was awarded membership in the National Academy of Arbitrators. He has been active in various bar and labor relations organizations, serving as President of the Association of Labor Relations Agencies in 2003-04.
Dan has been a highly effective, productive and respected neutral in labor-management dispute resolution throughout his long career. He has often been jointly requested in both grievance arbitration and contract mediation disputes, and he is well known for his patience, persistence and dry sense of humor. Dan also played a central planning and implementation role in the development and presentation of the six highly successful Wisconsin Public Sector Labor Relations Conferences held beginning in the Spring of 2005.
Dan intends to maintain a private mediation and arbitration practice following his retirement. He also plans to travel and to continue to enjoy annual fishing trips to Canada.
The Commission and staff wish Dan and his wife Jackie good health and happiness for many, many years to come.
September 14, 2011
ANNUAL ELECTION RULES EFFECTIVE 9-15-11
On September 13, 2011, Governor Walker approved and on September 14, 2011 the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission then adopted emergency administrative rules relating to the initial annual union certification elections required by 2011 Wisconsin Acts 10 and 32. The emergency rules become effective September 15, 2011. To view a copy of the Commission Order creating the rules, including a summary, the text of the rules and other related information [click here].
The only substantive changes between the rule draft provided to the Governor on August 25, 2011 and the rule draft approved by the Governor on September 13 and then adopted by the Commission on September 14 are: (1) extending from September 15 to September 22, 2011 the deadline for filing election petitions for State employee bargaining units (and for general municipal employee units whose contracts have expired but the parties have agreed to continue to live under the terms of the expired agreement for an indefinite period of time); (2) specifying that the voter eligibility date will always be a date during the payroll period when the election petition is filed; and (3) specifying that the three options for conducting the election are on-site balloting, mail balloting and telephonic balloting.
September 30, 2011 continues to be the deadline for filing election petitions for school district employee units which are not subject to a collective bargaining agreement as of September 30, 2011 or which are subject to an agreement reached on or after June 29, 2011.
A new petition for annual election form is now available both in PDF format and in word processor format.
September 14, 2011
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX CALCULATION RULES DEVELOPMENTS
On August 31, 2011, Governor Walker approved the request of the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission to develop administrative rules as to: (1) the method for providing the relevant changes in the CPI-U index to the State, municipal employers, and the unions representing state and municipal employees as well as (2) the calculation that will establish the maximum collectively bargained change in total base wages allowed under 2011 Wisconsin Acts 10 and 32.
Pursuant to 2011 Wisconsin Act 21, the Governor’s approval needs to be published in Legislative Reference Bureau’s Register before work on the proposed rules can begin. Given the timing of publication, it is anticipated that work will not be able to begin until late September.
While it awaits the ability to begin work on the administrative rules, pursuant to the request of affected parties, the Commission has requested that the Wisconsin Department of Revenue provide the average annual change in the CPI-U index for collective bargaining agreements with terms beginning July 1, 2011 and January 1, 2012. Once that information is received, it will be posted on the website.
The Commission anticipates that the CPI-U increase provided by Revenue for July 1, 2011 agreements will be 1.64% and for January 1, 2012 agreements will be 2.0%
August 25, 2011
REVISED ELECTION RULES DRAFT SENT TO GOVERNOR
On August 22, 2011, pursuant to 2011 Wisconsin Act 21, the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission submitted draft emergency administrative rules to Governor Walker regarding the union certification elections the Commission is required to conduct pursuant to 2011 Wisconsin Acts 10 and 32. The draft emergency rules are not final unless approved by the Governor.
A slightly revised draft of the emergency administrative rules was submitted to Governor Walker on August 25, 2011. The revisions appear in Chs. ERC 71, 72, 73 and 74 of the draft. An updated summary of the revised draft appears immediately below, with the updated portion of the summary appearing in boldface type.
Under the revised draft rules, the first round of elections will be during October 2011 for all State employee bargaining units (except those consisting of public safety employees) and any municipal employee bargaining units (except law enforcement, fire and transit employee units) with extension agreements in place as of July 1, 2011 (See draft ERC 70.02(1) for the definition of an “extension”). As to the October elections, if the current union wishes to continue as the collective bargaining representative, the union must file an election petition with the Commission on or before September 15, 201l. If no petition is filed, the union in question will be decertified.
Under the draft rules, the second round of elections will be in October and November, 2011 for school district employee bargaining units as to which no contract is in effect as of September 30, 2011 or, if a contract is then in effect, said contract was agreed upon after June 28, 2011. As to these elections, if the current union wishes to continue as the collective bargaining representative, the union must file an election petition on or before September 30, 2011. If no petition is filed, the union in question is decertified.
Under the draft rules, the third round of elections will be in February, March and April 2012 for all non-school district municipal employee bargaining units (i.e. city, county, technical college, municipal utility, library board, etc but excluding law enforcement, fire and transit employee units) as to which no contract is in effect as of January 30, 2012 or, if a contract is then in effect, said contract was agreed upon after June 28, 2011. As to these elections, if the current union wishes to continue as the collective bargaining representative, the union must file an election petition on or before January 30, 2012. If no petition is filed, the union in question is decertified.
Under the draft rules, the timing of elections for those bargaining units with contracts agreed upon before June 29, 2011 which are in effect on the filing deadlines will be on or before May 1 of the year following the expiration of the contract (for non-school district municipal employee units) and on or before December 1 of the year following the expiration of the contract (for all school district employee units).
2011 Wisconsin Act 32 requires that the Commission charge a fee for the elections. The draft rules * require that a union requesting an election must pay the following fee:
1-100 eligible voters=$200
101-250 eligible voters=$350
251-500 eligible voters=$500
501-1000 eligible voters=$750
1001-3000 eligible voters=$1500
3001 or more eligible voters=$2000.
* Commissioner Neumann dissented from the adoption of the fee schedule portion of the draft rules.
August 23, 2011
NEW ELECTION RULES DRAFT SENT TO GOVERNOR
On August 22, 2011, pursuant to 2011 Wisconsin Act 21, the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission submitted draft emergency administrative rules to Governor Walker regarding the union certification elections the Commission is required to conduct pursuant to 2011 Wisconsin Acts 10 and 32. The draft emergency rules are not final unless approved by the Governor.
Under the draft rules, the first round of elections will be during October 2011 for all State employee bargaining units (except those consisting of public safety employees). As to the October elections, if the current union wishes to continue as the collective bargaining representative, the union must file an election petition with the Commission on or before September 15, 201l. If no petition is filed, the union in question will be decertified.
Under the draft rules, the second round of elections will be in October and November, 2011 for school district employee bargaining units as to which no contract is in effect as of September 30, 2011 or, if a contract is then in effect, said contract was agreed upon after June 28, 2011. As to these elections, if the current union wishes to continue as the collective bargaining representative, the union must file an election petition on or before September 30, 2011. If no petition is filed, the union in question is decertified.
Under the draft rules, the third round of elections will be in February, March and April 2012 for all non-school district municipal employee bargaining units (i.e. city, county, technical college, municipal utility, library board, etc but excluding law enforcement, fire and transit employee units) as to which no contract is in effect as of January 30, 2012 or, if a contract is then in effect, said contract was agreed upon after June 28, 2011. As to these elections, if the current union wishes to continue as the collective bargaining representative, the union must file an election petition on or before January 30, 2012. If no petition is filed, the union in question is decertified.
Under the draft rules, the timing of elections for those bargaining units with contracts agreed upon before June 29, 2011 which are in effect on the filing deadlines will be on or before May 1 of the year following the expiration of the contract (for non-school district municipal employee units) and on or before December 1 of the year following the expiration of the contract (for all school district employee units).
2011 Wisconsin Act 32 requires that the Commission charge a fee for the elections. The draft rules * require that a union requesting an election must pay the following fee:
1-100 eligible voters=$200
101-250 eligible voters=$350
251-500 eligible voters=$500
501-1000 eligible voters=$750
1001-3000 eligible voters=$1500
3001 or more eligible voters=$2000.
* Commissioner Neumann dissented from the adoption of the fee schedule portion of the draft rules.
August 19, 2011
WERC SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR 2011 ACT 10 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
WERC Chairman James Scott today issued the following announcement.
We are aware many public employers are in the process of deciding how to implement the civil service/grievance procedure requirement of 2011 Act 10, and we wish to advise all that the WERC staff is able to fulfill the impartial hearing officer duties. To request such services, simply file a request for mediation services, and we will provide assistance subject to the normal mediation filing fee of $800.
CHAPTERS 111 AND 230, WIS. STATS., REVISED TO INCLUDE 2011 ACTS 10 AND 32
The Revisor of Statutes has published revised statutes on the Legislative Reference Bureau website that are (unofficially) current through the budget repair law (2011 Act 10) and the budget law (2011 Act 32). The Revisor's updates include Chapter 111 and Chapter 230.
Set forth below are links to unofficial versions, in HTML format, of the three labor relations statutes administered by the WERC, produced by WERC Staff Attorney Richard McLaughlin, based on the Revisor's unofficial published version.
o MERA as revised by 2011 Acts 10 and 32
o SELRA as revised by 2011 Acts 10 and 32
o WEPA as revised by 2011 Acts 10 and 32
Please submit any questions about the revised statutes to Peter Davis.
SENATE CONFIRMS SCOTT AND PASCH NOMINATIONS
On June 8, 2011, the Wisconsin Senate, by votes of 33-0, confirmed Governor Walker's nominations of James R. Scott and Rodney Pasch as members of the WERC.
As noted earlier, both began their work with the WERC prior to the Senate's confirmation actions because the positions they filled had been vacated.
SUSAN BAUMAN'S TERM AS A COMMISSIONER CONCLUDES
Effective at the end of the day on May 20, 2011, Susan J. M. Bauman will conclude her work for the WERC.
Bauman has been a Commissioner since June 1, 2003, having most recently been reappointed for a six-year term beginning on March 1, 2005.
Prior her work with the Commission, she served six years as Mayor of Madison and for almost 16 years before that she engaged in the private practice of law, emphasizing employment and labor. Before attending law school, Bauman was a teacher in the Madison Public Schools, teaching 8th grade mathematics for eight years.
Sue plans to maintain a private arbitration practice. She and her husband live in Madison. The Commission and staff wish them both many years of good health and happiness.
Sue's friends and colleagues are invited to informally gather in her honor on May 20, 2011, at Paisan's (131 West Wilson St. in Madison, outdoor patio weather permitting) from 4:30 PM on.
PASCH BECOMES COMMISSIONER ON 5-23-11
Governor Walker has announced his nomination of Rodney G. Pasch, Ph.D, of Fond du Lac, as WERC Commissioner. The nomination for the remainder of the six-year term that began on March 1, 2011, is subject to Wisconsin Senate confirmation. Because Commissioner Susan J. M. Bauman is resigning the position effective on May 22, 2011, Pasch will begin work on May 23, 2011, even if the Senate has not acted on the nomination by that date.
Pasch previously served as Consultant/Director Human Resources for the City of Fond du Lac (2005-11); as the lead Consultant in the design and development of a corporate university for the US Department of Health and Human Services (2002-03) and as Vice President of Academic Affairs, Human Resources, Facilities and Informational Technology Services for Moraine Park Technical College (1985-2002). He also has nine years of full time teaching experience at the university and technical college levels, and two years of service as US Army combat engineer.
His educational background includes a doctorate in Educational Administration from UW-Madison and a BS/MS degree in Industrial Technology from UW-Platteville.
Pasch has served in numerous state and local leadership positions, including as a past chairperson of the Fond du Lac Area Economic Authority, as a member of the former Wisconsin Council on Municipal Labor Law, and as a Consultant/Evaluator for the North Central Association, The Higher Learning Commission. He has received numerous awards and recognitions, including recognition from the National Society of Human Resources in 2009 for the implementation of a program for employees titled "Have a Career -- Make a Life."
April 28, 2011
SCOTT NAMED COMMISSIONER AND CHAIR
Governor Walker has announced his nomination of James R. Scott as WERC Commissioner and his designation of Scott as WERC Chair. The nomination for the remainder of the six-year Commissioner term that began on March 1, 2009, is subject to Wisconsin Senate confirmation. Because the Commissioner position is currently vacant, Scott will begin work as both Commissioner and Chair on May 2, 2011, even if the Senate has not acted on the nomination by that date.
Scott comes to the WERC from a position as a shareholder and director with the Milwaukee labor and employment law firm of Lindner & Marsack, S.C., where his primary areas of concentration were employment litigation and employment discrimination. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a B.S. degree in 1966, and from Marquette University Law School in 1969. He was also awarded a fellowship for graduate studies in law from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
He is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, the American Bar Association, and the Bar Association for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He is past Chairman of the State Bar of Wisconsin Labor and Employment Law Section, and has served as Vice-Chairman of the American Bar Association Administrative Law Section Committee on Civil Rights and Employment Discrimination.
MARSHALL GRATZ RETIRING
After 39+ years as a neutral in labor-management disputes, Marshall Gratz announced that he will retire from the agency with his last day of work being June 10, 2011.
Marshall has been a part of the WERC staff since 1972, except for two periods as a WERC commissioner and one as a private practice arbitrator. A member of the National Academy of Arbitrators and a former chair of what is now the Wisconsin Bar's Labor and Employment Law Section, he has for many years served as one of the WERC's team leaders and has been responsible for creating and managing the agency website.
In retirement, Marshall intends to begin cleaning his home office, sleep in on many weekday mornings, pay even closer attention to his wife's directions, and perhaps serve occasionally as a private practice mediator.
Marshall has requested that no retirement gathering be planned, pointing out that he already had his departure party when he left the agency previously.
The commission and staff wish Marshall and his wife, Rene', good health and happiness for many years to come.
March 3, 2011
APRIL 27, 2011 NAA ARBITRATION ADVOCACY TRAINING PROGRAM CANCELLED
The arbitration advocacy training program previously scheduled for Wednesday, April 27, 2011, has been cancelled. Program Coordinator Stanley Michelstetter of the Central Midwest Region of the National Academy of Arbitrators advised the Commission that the Region is postponing the program to a future date not yet determined, in light of the cancellation of the 2011 Public Sector Conference that had been scheduled for the following day. Registration fees paid will be fully refunded, and the Region regrets the inconvenience caused by this cancellation.
For further information, contact Georgann Kramer.
February 25, 2011
APRIL 28, 2011 CONFERENCE CANCELLED
Conference Coordinator Dan Nielsen has, today, issued the following cancellation notice regarding the April 28, 2011 Public Sector Labor Relations Conference:
For the past seven years, the WERC has taken pride in presenting a conference that represents a high value, high quality experience for all participants. Given the potential for significant changes to the scope and content of the bargaining law, it appears likely that many of the planned program elements for this year's conference would no longer be relevant, and given the potential workload demands imposed by some elements of the proposed legislation, we cannot say with any certainty that the staff of the WERC would be available to coordinate and implement the conference. Moreover, there is not sufficient time to analyze the new issues that would emerge from a reconfiguration of collective bargaining, and to prepare a replacement program of sufficient quality to merit your time and expense for attendance.
We are cancelling the April 28 conference. Our present intention is to conduct a conference in the late summer or in the fall, subject to agency resources and sufficient interest from the labor-management community. Any registrations received to this point will, of course, be fully refunded. The National Academy of Arbitrators will make its own judgment as to the arbitration session it had planned for the day before.
Please accept our sincere regrets for the inconvenience that this causes.
Dan Nielsen
Conference Coordinator
For further information, contact Georgann Kramer.
January 19, 2011
CRANEY NOMINATION WITHDRAWN
Governor Walker has withdrawn several gubernatorial nominations which were awaiting confirmation by the Wisconsin Senate. Among those withdrawn was Governor Doyle's September 2010 nomination of Terrance L. Craney as a WERC member as regards an unexpired six year term nominally ending on March 1, 2015. Mr. Craney began work in that capacity on September 11, 2010, following Commissioner Paul Gordon's resignation. The Craney nomination was subject to Senate confirmation, but the Senate did not act on the nomination before Governor Walker withdrew it.
Accordingly, at present, a vacancy exists in the six-year WERC member term that began on March 1, 2009. That vacancy does not prevent the Commission from issuing decisions on which Commissioners Neumann and Bauman agree. Other decisions will await appointment of a third member to break the tie.
January 13, 2011
REGISTRATION MATERIALS AVAILABLE FOR
APRIL 28, 2011 PUBLIC SECTOR LABOR RELATIONS CONFERENCE
The finalized program and registration forms for the April 28, 2011, Seventh Annual Public Sector Labor Relations Conference at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison are now available. Applications for continuing legal education (CLE) credit will be submitted in the near future.
The day-long Conference program again features plenary and panel presentations by labor and management attorneys and practitioners, private practice arbitrators and WERC Commissioners and staff.
The Conference is sponsored by the WERC and co-sponsored by the UW Law School and the State Bar of Wisconsin Labor and Employment Law Section. The conference is again being coordinated by Dan Nielsen of WERC.
An additional training session entitled the Third Biennial Labor Arbitration Advocacy Program, is being presented on Wednesday, April 27, 2011, the day before the Conference. That additional training session is sponsored by the Central Midwest Region of the National Academy of Arbitrators. While that training opportunity is not part of the 2011 Public Sector Conference and not sponsored by the WERC, because of its obvious relevance and interest to our clients the WERC has agreed to help publicize it to Conference participants, and to allow people to register for both programs at the same time.
For further information, contact Georgann Kramer.
January 11, 2011
COLEEN BURNS RETIRING
Coleen Burns has announced that she will retire from the staff of the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission. Her last day of work is expected to be January 31, 2011.
The Commission and staff thank Coleen for her long and valued service and wish her good health and happiness for many, many years to come.
January 3, 2011
STAFF ATTORNEY VACANCIES POSTED
A job announcement regarding two WERC staff attorney vacancies has been posted. To view the announcement on the State of Wisconsin's WISC.JOBS website, [ click here ].
Please note that completed application materials must be submitted to the Wilson Street address listed in the announcement by January 20, 2011.
The Commission encourages everyone to share the announcement with persons who might be interested in applying for the position.
September 11, 2010
TERRY CRANEY SUCCEEDS PAUL GORDON AS COMMISSIONER
Effective today, Terrance (Terry) Craney succeeds Paul Gordon as a WERC Commissioner as regards an unexpired six year term nominally ending on March 1, 2015. Gordon resigned from the Commission effective on September 10, 2010, creating a vacancy that Craney fills based on his nomination by Governor Doyle, pending State Senate confirmation.
Craney graduated from UW-Eau Claire in 1974 with a degree in education, with a major in physics and a minor in mathematics. He earned a master's degree in physics education in 1977. He began his career in 1974 as an instructor of applied physics and math at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay. He served 23 years in the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS ).
Craney was elected president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council in 1995, becoming a statewide leader of K-12 teachers, WTCS instructors and education support personnel. President Bill Clinton appointed Craney to the National Skill Standards Board in 1994. In 2003, Governor Jim Doyle appointed Craney executive director of the Governor's Work-Based Learning Board. Since 2005, Craney has served as manager of the administrative services division of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, where he managed a $4.8 million budget and supervised 45 staff members and six managers in four bureaus.
Terry, his wife, Diane, and their two children live in Madison.
September 10, 2010
PAUL GORDON’S TERM AS A COMMISSIONER CONCLUDES
Effective at the end of the day today, Paul Gordon has resigned from the Commission.
Gordon has been a Commissioner since May 1, 2003. Prior to that he was in the private practice of law for 25 years, served as the City Attorney for Chippewa Falls, as a member of the Chippewa Falls Board of Education, as a board member and former chair of the Work Force Development Board for West Central Wisconsin, and is Chair of Workforce Resource,Inc. He has been active in the United Way, Kiwanis Club, Area Food Pantry, and is a former president of the Chippewa Area YMCA and the Chippewa Area Senior Cent er. He was also on the Board of Directors of Group Health Cooperative of Eau Claire and the Board of Governors for the Shriners Hospital for Children-Twin Cities.
A 1976 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he received a law degree from the Drake University Law School in Des Moines, Iowa in 1979.
Gordon and his wife, Christine, now live in Madison. They have two grown children.
May 26, 2010
SAVE THE DATE -- THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2011 --
SEVENTH ANNUAL WISCONSIN PUBLIC SECTOR LABOR RELATIONS CONFERENCE
WERC Chair Judy Neumann announced today that the WERC will again be co-sponsoring a day-long conference on a variety of public sector labor relations topics at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison on Thursday, April 28, 2011. The conference is again being coordinated by Dan Nielsen of WERC.
Program and registration information will be posted on this website and otherwise distributed when finalized.
All members of the labor-management community are cordially encouraged to save the date for the conference.
For further information, contact Georgann Kramer.
May 10, 2010
CLE CREDITS FOR SIXTH ANNUAL SPRING CONFERENCE
The Sixth Annual Wisconsin Public Sector Labor Relations Conference was held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison on April 29, 2010. The number of registrants and other participants totalled 455 for the day-long program featuring plenary and panel presentations on a variety of topics of interest to public sector labor relations practitioners. The Conference has now been approved for up to 7.0 hours of Wisconsin Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit, including up to 1.0 hour of Wisconsin ethics (EPR) credit for those attending Session K.
As in past years, the Conference was sponsored by the WERC and co-sponsored by the UW Law School and the State Bar of Wisconsin Labor and Employment Law Section. The conference was coordinated by Dan Nielsen and Georgann Kramer of WERC.
WERC Chair Judy Neumann has expressed WERC's intent to continue the Conference as an annual spring event. Evaluation form responses from attendees will be reviewed carefully. Individuals and organizations with additional comments or suggestions about the Conference are welcome to submit them in care of Georgann Kramer.
December 9, 2009
STAFF ATTORNEY HIRED
WERC Chair Judy Neumann has announced that E. Matthew Greer has been offered and has accepted employment as a WERC attorney.
Prior to and during law school Matt worked for seven years on the management side as a human resources professional in the publishing industry. Since graduating from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2008 with a law degree and a certificate in Labor and Employment Law and obtaining his Illinois law license, he has practiced law with the union-side firm of Katz, Friedman, Eagle, Eisenstein, Johnson & Bareck in Chicago.
Greer's first day of work for the WERC will be January 4, 2010. He will be stationed at the Madison office.
July 30, 2009
STAFF ATTORNEY HIRED
WERC Chair Judy Neumann has announced that John Carlson, Jr. has been offered and has accepted employment as a WERC attorney to replace Sharon Gallagher.
Since earning his JD degree at the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1998, Carlson has been engaged in the private practice of law with Lawton & Cates in Madison, concentrating on civil trials and appeals in employment, contract and personal injury disputes.
Carlson's first day of work will be September 14, 2009. He will be stationed at the WERC Madison office.
May 4, 2009
FIFTH ANNUAL SPRING CONFERENCE CONDUCTED
The Fifth Annual Wisconsin Public Sector Labor Relations Conference was held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison on April 30, 2009. The number of registrants and other participants grew to 516 for the day-long Conference program featuring plenary and panel presentations on a variety of topics of interest to public sector labor relations practitioners. The keynote speaker was management attorney Peter Hurtgen, senior counsel in Morgan Lewis's Labor and Employment Practice, and formerly a Member and Chair of the NLRB and Director of the FMCS.
As in past years, the Conference was sponsored by the WERC and co-sponsored by the UW Law School and the State Bar of Wisconsin Labor and Employment Law Section. The conference was coordinated by Dan Nielsen and Georgann Kramer of WERC.
Two milestones recognized during the opening plenary session were the retirement of Prof. Carin Clauss of the UW Law School and the 70th anniversary of the WERC and its predecessor agency, the Wisconsin Employment Relations Board. [photo]. Former Commissioners in attendance included Arvid Anderson, Zel Rice, Howard Bellman, Charles Hoornstra, William Strycker and Marshall Gratz. [photo].
WERC Chair Judy Neumann has expressed WERC's intent to continue the Conference as an annual spring event. Evaluation form responses from attendees will be reviewed carefully. Individuals and organizations with additional comments or suggestions about the Conference are welcome to submit them in care of Georgann Kramer.
June 25, 2008
STAFF ATTORNEY HIRED
WERC Chair Judy Neumann has announced that Michael R. O'Callaghan has been offered and has accepted employment as a WERC attorney to replace Karen Mawhinney.
O'Callaghan grew up in Racine. He is a May, 2008 graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he served as Articles Editor for the Wisconsin Law Review. He also holds a BS in Political Science and an MPA degree in Public Affairs from UW-Madison. During the summer of 2007, he worked as a Legal Extern to Federal District Judge Joan B. Gottschall of the Northern District of Illinois.
O'Callaghan's first day of work will be July 14, 2008. He will be stationed at the WERC Madison office.
May 27, 2008
WERC STREET ADDRESS CHANGE
Effective immediately, the street address of the WERC Madison office has changed to 1457 East Washington Avenue. The mailing address remains PO Box 7870, Madison WI 53707-7870.
The physical location of the office remains unchanged, but the street address has changed because South Thornton Avenue is no longer accessible from either East Washington Avenue or East Main Street.
March 4, 2008
NEUMANN NOMINATION CONFIRMED
Governor Doyle's nomination of WERC Chair Judy Neumann as a member of the Commission for a term ending March 1, 2013, was unanimously approved by the Wisconsin Senate today.
February 27, 2008
SHARON GALLAGHER RETIRING
After 30+ years as a labor relations attorney, Sharon Gallagher announced that she will retire from the staff of the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission with her last day of work likely to be sometime in late November, 2008.
Sharon joined the Commission's staff in 1984 after working several years with the National Labor Relations Board in Washington, D.C., and Milwaukee.
Sharon has been a well-respected neutral in labor-management dispute resolution as a WERC staff mediator, arbitrator and hearing examiner. She is well known for handling a caseload heavily weighted with grievance arbitration cases and for often issuing grievance awards well in advance of the agency's time guidelines.
Sharon also recently announced her engagement to Richard Fritz, with a June wedding planned.
Following her retirement, Sharon intends to continue to reside in Oshkosh, to spend more time with her family and on religious and charitable activities, and to maintain a private arbitration practice.
The commission and staff wish Sharon and her family good health and happiness for many, many years to come.
October 16, 2007
KAREN MAWHINNEY RETIRING
After 20+ years at the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, Karen Mawhinney announced that she will retire from the agency with her last day of work being February 1, 2008.
Karen joined the Commission's staff in 1987 after working several years in television news production and then writing and editing legal publications for CCH in Florida following graduation from Stetson Law School in 1982.
Karen has been a well-respected neutral in labor-management dispute resolution throughout her years as a WERC staff mediator, arbitrator and hearing examiner. She has efficiently handled several complex representation cases, and she is well known for issuing written decisions and awards in advance of the agency's time guidelines.
Karen intends to maintain a private arbitration practice following her retirement. She will also continue to pursue her interest in breeding and boarding Labrador and other pure bred dogs.
The commission and staff wish Karen good health and happiness for many, many years to come.
September 13, 2007
OUTSIDE SEARCH ENGINES BLOCKED FROM SEARCHING
WERC DECISIONS, GRIEVANCE AWARDS AND PERSONNEL APPEALS
By majority vote, Commissioner Gordon dissenting, the WERC has directed that steps be taken to block outside search engines (Google, Yahoo, etc.) from searching WERC labor relations decisions, grievance awards and personnel appeals on the WERC website and from searching WERC labor relations decisions and grievance awards on the WisBar website.
The Commission majority's action in that regard is an effort to balance the privacy concerns of individuals named in those documents with the needs of the labor relations community and the public at large to have full-text search access to those documents.
All WERC website content remains fully searchable directly from the WERC site. Interest awards and other general WERC web content remain accessible to outside search engines, as well.
It cannot be known how quickly the blocking process will become effective. In the meantime, however, the WERC has removed the "[G]" links by which Google searches of labor relations decisions, grievance awards, and personnel appeals had been facilitated from the upper right-hand corner of the WERC website's opening page.
Questions about the above developments can be directed to Marshall Gratz.
July 30, 2007
ROBERT McCORMICK (1928-2007)
Robert M. (Bob or Mac) McCormick passed away on Friday, July 27, 2007, at the Don and Marilyn Anderson HospiceCare Center in Madison, with his family by his side.
Bob served as a Mediator, Arbitrator and Examiner for the WERC for 28 years. Among many, many others in the public and private sectors, he mediated Dairyland Power, La Crosse contracts over a 20 year period and dozens of Dairy Land REN member coops in western Wisconsin. On June 28, 1990, Bob retired from the WERC following a retirement party and roasting attended by management attorneys, labor representatives and municipal officials, from all over the state of Wisconsin.
Services will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007, at 11 a.m. at BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 312 Wisconsin Ave., Madison, with Pastor Curt Everson officiating. Friends may call Tuesday, July 31, 2007, from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the JOYCE-RYAN FUNERAL HOME, 5701 Odana Road, Madison. A private burial of his cremains will be conducted at St. Mary's of the Lake Cemetery, Westport. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bethel Horizons, 312 Wisconsin Ave., Madison, WI 53703 or the Tower 11 Heart Center, Meriter Hospital, Madison.
STAFF ATTORNEY HIRED
WERC Chair Judy Neumann has announced that Danielle L. Carne has been offered and has accepted employment as a WERC attorney to replace David Shaw.
A graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law, Carne has worked for the last three years as an associate in the Madison office of Hawks, Quindel, Ehlke & Perry, SC, handling a wide range of labor and employment law cases.
Carne's first day of work will be August 21, 2006. She will be stationed at the WERC Madison office.
May 1, 2006
SECOND ANNUAL SPRING CONFERENCE CONDUCTED
The Second Annual Wisconsin Public Sector Labor Relations Conference was held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison on April 28, 2006. [view pictures]
Approximately 444 registrants and participants shared in the day-long Conference program featuring plenary and panel presentations on a variety of topics of interest to public sector labor relations practitioners. To view the program, [click here]
As in 2005, the Conference was sponsored by the WERC and co-sponsored by the UW Law School and the State Bar of Wisconsin Labor and Employment Law Section. The conference was coordinated by Dan Nielsen of WERC.
WERC Chair Judy Neumann has expressed WERC's intent to continue to make the Conference an annual spring event. Evaluation form responses from attendees will be reviewed carefully. Individuals and organizations with additional comments or suggestions about the Conference are welcome to submit them in care of Georgann Kramer.
March 2006
DAVID SHAW RETIRING
After 25+ years at the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, David Shaw announced that he will retire from the agency effective in mid-August, with his last day of work being July 28, 2006.
David joined the Commission's staff in 1981 after several years in private practice as a labor and employment attorney.
David has been a well-respected neutral in labor-management dispute resolution throughout his years as a WERC staff mediator, arbitrator and hearing examiner. He has often been assigned complex hearing-type cases, and his decisions have always been been characterized by outstanding clarity and depth of analysis. He played a major role in the drafting of several Commission decisions in the 1980's involving the constitutionality of Wisconsin's fair share law, some of which were ultimately reviewed and largely affirmed by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
David intends to maintain a private arbitration practice following his retirement. An avid outdoorsman, David will no doubt be taking frequent hunting and fishing trips, as well.
The commission and staff wish David and his wife Mary good health and happiness for many, many years to come.
STAFF ATTORNEY HIRED
WERC Chair Judy Neumann announced today that Steve Morrison has been offered and has accepted employment as a WERC attorney to replace Dennis McGilligan.
Morrison worked as an examiner, mediator and arbitrator for the WERC for three years ending in August of 2003, and since then he represented Brown County and more recently the City of Green Bay in labor relations and other legal matters. Prior to his initial service with WERC, Steve had substantial experience as a private practice litigator and civil case arbitrator based in Illinois and later on Washington Island.
Morrison's first day of work will be May 1, 2006. He will be stationed in Wausau at a location to be determined.
November 28, 2005
DENNIS MCGILLIGAN RETIRING EFFECTIVE JANUARY 13, 2006.
After a 33-year career as a neutral in dispute resolution, consisting of 28 years as a WERC mediator, arbitrator, hearing examiner, and five intervening years with the Wisconsin Personnel Commission as a Commissioner and later as Chair, Dennis P. McGilligan announced his intention to retire from State service. His last day of work for the agency will be on January 13, 2006, with his official severance date sometime in April.
Throughout his WERC service, Dennis has earned the respect of labor and management representatives for his skills as a mediator, grievance arbitrator, and hearing examiner, and for his expertise in labor-management cooperation training and facilitation. Since 1991, Dennis has worked tirelessly as a trainer and facilitator providing encouragement and support for both labor-management committee effectiveness and the consensus bargaining process. Most recently, he has served as Director of the agency's Labor Management Cooperation Program.
In addition to his service in the labor-management dispute resolution field, Dennis served for several years as Coordinator of the Wisconsin Farm Mediation & Arbitration Program administered by the Wisconsin Department of Aghriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection.
Dennis' retirement plans include maintaining a private arbitration and mediation practice with a labor management cooperation trainining and facilitation component, spending more time with his family, and -- hopefully -- staying in touch with his WERC colleagues.
The Commission and staff wish Dennis, his wife Mary Louise Griffin, and their family many happy and healthy years on the occasion of his retirement from the agency.
Following Dennis' departure, John Emery will be leading the agency's Labor-Management Cooperation program.
April 29, 2005
STAFF ATTORNEY HIRED
WERC Chair Judy Neumann announced today that Stanley Michelstetter has been offered and has accepted employment as a WERC attorney to replace Edmond Bielarczyk.
Michelstetter worked as an examiner, mediator and arbitrator for the WERC for eight years in the 1970's and since then has been very active on the Commission's ad hoc panel, the FMCS panel, and other state panels. He has issued some 69 interest arbitrations in Wisconsin alone, as well as numerous grievance awards. He is a member of the National Academy of Arbitrators and takes an active leadership role in that organization.
Michelstetter's first day of work will be May 19, 2005. He will be stationed at the WERC Madison office.
April 29, 2005
SPRING CONFERENCE CONDUCTED
The First Annual Wisconsin Public Sector Labor Relations Conference was held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison on April 29, 2005.
Approximately 410 registrants and participants shared in the day-long Conference program featuring plenary and panel presentations by UW-Law School faculty, labor and management attorneys and practitioners, private practice arbitrators and WERC Commissioners and staff. Help desks were also available throughout the day for attendees to consult with WERC personnel regarding on-line research and WERC procedures. To view the program, [click here]
The Conference was sponsored by the WERC and co-sponsored by the UW Law School and the State Bar of Wisconsin Labor and Employment Law Section. The conference was coordinated by Dan Nielsen of WERC.
WERC Chair Judy Neumann has expressed the agency's interest in making the Conference an annual spring event. Evaluation form responses from attendees will be reviewed carefully. Individuals and organizations with additional comments or suggestions about the Conference are welcome to submit them in care of Georgann Kramer.
January 11, 2005
PUBLIC SECTOR LABOR RELATIONS CONFERENCE PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
WERC Chair Judy Neumann today announced the program for the First Annual Public Sector Labor Relations Conference to be presented at the UW Law School in Madison on April 29, 2005.
The day-long Conference program features plenary and panel presentations by UW-Law School faculty, labor and management attorneys and practitioners, private practice arbitrators and WERC Commissioners and staff. Help desks will also be available throughout the day for attendees to consult with WERC personnel regarding on-line research and WERC procedures. To view the program, [click here]
The Conference is sponsored by the WERC and co-sponsored by the UW Law School and the State Bar of Wisconsin Labor and Employment Law Section. The conference is being coordinated by Dan Nielsen of WERC.
Registration information will be posted on this website and otherwise distributed when finalized. For further information, contact Georgann Kramer
December 2004
ED BIELARCZYK RETIRING
After 25+ years at the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, Edmond Bielarczyk, Jr. announced that he will retire from the agency as of January 21, 2005.
Ed joined the Commission's staff in 1980 after working as a Personnel Specialist with the Wisconsin Departments of Administration and Employment Relations. Prior to his State service, Ed was a Staff Sergeant with the US Air Force.
Ed has been a highly effective and productive neutral in labor-management dispute resolution throughout his years as a WERC staff mediator, arbitrator and hearing examiner. He has often led the staff in numbers of field activities conducted and numbers of miles driven conducting them. For many years, Ed has served as Director of the WERC’s Labor-Management Cooperation program. In that capacity, he has trained hundreds of labor and management representatives in both the municipal and state sectors throughout Wisconsin regarding both the consensus bargaining process and labor-management committee effectiveness techniques. He has also served as a facilitator for many of the groups he has trained, assisting the parties to put their training to work in resolving both contract negotiation disputes and various other workplace matters.
Ed intends to maintain a private arbitration practice following his retirement. He also plans to spend time with his family and friends within and outside Wisconsin.
The commission and staff wish Ed and his wife Maggie good health and happiness for many, many years to come.
September 29, 2004
JANE BURROWS BUFFETT 1940-2004
The Commission recently received word that on September 25, former WERC staff attorney Jane Buffett, 64, died at her home, surrounded by her family. A service of burial was held on September 28 at the Old Evangelical Lutheran Church cemetery in Madison, followed by a service of songs, scripture and prayers at the Madison Christian Community,
There will be a service of memorial and thanksgiving on Saturday, November 27. A full obituary and notice of that service will be published in Madison on Sunday, November 21.
Jane’s body was put to rest beside that of her daughter, Vera, who died on September 17, 1983. Jane is survived by her husband of forty years, Roger Buffett, their devoted sons Perry and Carl, her daughters-in-law, Sara Buffett and Audrey Freudenberg, and four loving grandchildren: Erika, Allison, Simon and Zelia. Among those who mourn her will be countless friends and relatives whose lives Jane has touched. Jane was a woman of many hats: an English teacher (and later a tutor), a mediator/arbitrator for the State of Wisconsin, a homemaker and a gardener. She was a tireless advocate for good things like grammar, grandchildren, justice and other growing things. This fiery woman could make an impression on a person, and the family is endeavoring to make some lasting record of these impressions for the sake of her grandchildren, the youngest of whom is one year old. Stories and photographs may be sent them by e-mail to janememories@mac.com.
The family has expressed special thanks to Eliot Williams and all of the other doctors, nurses and staff at the University of Wisconsin Hospital. With their help, and the love, help and support of many, many friends, Jane was able to live life with zest for over eight and one half years, while living with multiple myeloma, for which a cure is yet to be found.
WERC Chair Judy Neumann announced today that plans for a park bench or other memorial in Jane’s honor are underway and that further information regarding location and contributions will be posted on this website when available.
September 13, 2004
AD HOC ARBITRATOR CONFERENCE CONDUCTED
The Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission sponsored a day-long conference in Madison for the members of its Ad Hoc Arbitrator Roster on September 13, 2004.
The Conference was coordinated by Arbitrator Herman Torosian and WERC Chair Judy Neumann. The 43 attendees heard presentations from WERC representatives concerning various administrative issues affecting Roster members, caselaw and other developments affecting grievance and interest arbitration in Wisconsin, and the use of the WERC website for interest-arbitration related research. [view presentation outlines] Two panels of labor, management and neutral representatives then discussed issues relating to health insurance and the parties’ expectations of grievance arbitrators.
The Commission hopes to conduct future conferences for its Ad Hoc Roster members on a biannual basis or more often if developments warrant.
October 8, 2003
WERC EXPEDITES ELECTION CASE PROCESSING
In an effort to further encourage the prompt disposition of election petitions, the WERC has revised its standard initial letter to the parties. The WERC will continue to encourage stipulations. However, the WERC will explicitly state that any party may request that a hearing be scheduled, even while a stipulation is being further pursued. If the WERC receives a request for a hearing, the hearing will be scheduled for a date within 30 days of the request. The WERC’s revised standard letter will also set time limits for the parties to respond to proposed stipulations.
October 6, 2003
KURT STEGE HIRED FOR TRANSITION PROJECT
Kurt M. Stege has been hired by the WERC in a project employee position as Personnel Commission Transition Attorney.
Kurt's primary responsibilities will include familiarizing the WERC and its staff with the various personnel appeals functions recently transferred to the WERC from what had been the State Personnel Commission.
Kurt had served for many years as a staff member and General Counsel for the Personnel Commission before that agency was eliminated as a part of the recent State budget.
Kurt will be stationed at the WERC's Madison office. To view his contact information, [click here].
July 31, 2003
STEVE MORRISON TO LEAVE WERC STAFF
Staff Attorney Steve Morrison has announced he will be leaving his WERC employment effective at the end of business on August 15, 2003. He has accepted employment in the Brown County Corporation Council's Office in Green Bay.
Steve has been with the agency since the fall of 2000, stationed in Wausau. Before joining the WERC staff, Steve had substantial experience as a private practice litigator and civil case arbitrator based in Illinois and later on Washington Island.
The commissioners and staff wish Steve well in his new position, and wish Steve good health and happiness always.
Cases that were previously assigned to Steve are being transferred to other WERC personnel. Parties with questions about the status of any such case are welcome to contact Marshall Gratz.
May 23, 2003
HENRY HEMPE RESIGNING
After 16 years as a member of the WERC, including service as Chairperson from 1989 to 1996, A. Henry Hempe today announced his intention to resign from the agency. In his announcement to agency personnel, Commissioner Hempe stated, "[i]t is mutually agreed between myself and Governor Doyle that my resignation will be effective on June 15. Sue Bauman will be coming in as a Commissioner on June 16. I wish her well."
Commissioner Hempe also stated that he values his associations over the years with all WERC personnel, and he expressed his confidence that each of the three newly-appointed WERC members will do well in the performance of their responsibilities.
Before joining the WERC, Commissioner Hempe had been engaged in the private practice of law in southcentral Wisconsin, where he served as a member and president of the Beloit School Board and as Rock County Corporation Counsel. Governor Tommy Thompson initially appointed Hempe as a WERC member in 1987 and then initially designated him as agency Chairperson in 1989, a position he held until 1996.
Throughout his years with the agency, Commissioner Hempe has been a strong and effective proponent of labor-management cooperation and consensus bargaining. He was instrumental in developing the agency's LMC training and facilitation functions, and he has been active in promoting and providing those services to parties in both the state and municipal sectors. He has also served for many years on the State of Wisconisn Labor and Management Council which helps develop labor and management conferences and meetings and promotes positive relations between labor and management, state-wide.
As Chairperson of the WERC, his contributions to labor peace included chairing a panel of labor and management representatives known as the Council on Municipal Labor Relations, which was created as a part of the 1993 State budget law to develop recommendations for the Legislature regarding major public policy issues then under consideration as regards municipal contract negotiation dispute resolution procedures.
While he has not formally announced his future plans, it is widely anticipated that Commissioner Hempe will establish a Madison-based private mediation and arbitration practice with a labor-management-cooperation training and facilitation component, and that he will pursue his longstanding interests in hunting, fishing and generally enjoying the great out-of-doors.
The Commission and staff wish Henry and his wife Cornelia many years of good health and much happiness.
April 18, 2003
SUSAN BAUMAN NAMED COMMISSIONER
Governor Jim Doyle announced the appointment today of former Madison Mayor Sue Bauman to the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission.
"I am pleased that Sue Bauman will be serving our state as a member of the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission," Governor Doyle said. "Having served six years as Mayor, 12 years on the Common Council, and 16 years as a lawyer on employment and labor issues, Sue is uniquely qualified for this job. She will bring valuable expertise to the Commission, and make an important contribution to our state."
Bauman will serve a term to expire March 1, 2005.
Susan J.M. Bauman was elected Mayor of Madison on April 1, 1997. Prior to assuming the office of Mayor, she served 12 years as a member of the Madison Common Council. She received her law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1981 at the same time as she received a Master’s Degree in Industrial Relations. Prior to her election as Mayor, she engaged in the private practice of law, emphasizing employment and labor, for almost 16 years. Before attending law school, Bauman was a teacher in the Madison Public Schools, teaching 8th grade mathematics for eight years.
Governor Doyle's press release announcing the appointment stated that Ms. Bauman's service with the WERC is scheduled to begin on June 1.
April 10, 2003
PAUL GORDON NAMED COMMISSIONER
Governor Jim Doyle announced the appointment today of Paul Gordon to the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission. Gordon has most recently served as the City Attorney for Chippewa Falls."I am pleased to appoint Paul Gordon to the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission," Governor Doyle said. "Paul has over 23 years of legal experience in a variety of areas and is respected throughout the community, and I know that he will be a true asset to the Commission.""As City Attorney for Chippewa Falls, Paul has shown his ability to serve the people of Wisconsin honestly, fairly and efficiently," Doyle said. "And I know that he will bring these qualities to the Employment Relations Commission."Gordon will begin serving on May 1. Gordon will serve a term to expire March 1, 2009.Paul Gordon, 48, has served as the City Attorney for the City of Chippewa Falls for the past 10 years. He currently serves on the Board of Education for the Chippewa Falls School District and is a board member and former chair of the Work Force Development Board for West Central Wisconsin. He has been active in the United Way, and is a former president of the Chippewa Area YMCA and the Chippewa Area Senior Center. He is also on the Board of Directors of Group Health Cooperative of Eau Claire and the Board of Governors for the Shriners Hospital for Children-Twin Cities. A 1976 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he received a law degree from the J.D. Drake Law School in Des Moines, Iowa in 1979. Gordon and his wife, Christine, have two children and live in Chippewa Falls.
March 28, 2003
STEPHEN BOHRER RESIGNING
Staff Attorney Stephen Bohrer announced today that he will resign from his WERC employment effective at the end of business on April 25, 2003. He has accepted employment as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Eau Claire.
Steve has been with the agency since early January, 1999, stationed in Eau Claire. Before joining the WERC staff, Steve worked as a private sector attorney in Eau Claire since 1991 after previously working two years with the National Labor Relations Board in Chicago.
The commissioners and staff wish Steve well in his new position, and wish Steve, his wife Ann and their family good health and happiness always.
March 18, 2003
HAHN RESIGNING
WERC Commissioner Paul Hahn has announced his intention to resign from the Commission effective on April 25, 2003.
Commissioner Hahn has served as a member of the Commission since April of 1997, after being appointed by Governor Thompson to a term nominally expiring on February 28, 2003. For the past two years, Commissioner Hahn has led the agency's effort to develop a comprehensive revision of its administrative rules. Prior to joining the Commission, Mr. Hahn was engaged in the private practice of law since 1969, retiring in December of 1996.
Following his resignation from the WERC, Mr. Hahn plans to establish a private arbitration practice from his home in Albany, Wisconsin.
The commission and staff wish Paul and his wife Jane good health and happiness for many, many years to come.
If no successor to Commissioner Hahn is appointed by April 25, his position will become vacant at that time. That would not prevent the Commission from issuing decisions on which Commissioner A. Henry Hempe and Chair-designate Judith Neumann agree. Other cases would await appointment of a third Commission member to break the tie. Ms. Neumann plans to begin work with the agency on April 1.
March 5, 2003
JUDITH NEUMANN NAMED WERC CHAIR
Governor Jim Doyle announced the appointment today of Judith M. Neumann as Chair of the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission. Neumann, a native of Milwaukee, most recently served as legal counsel with the Massachusetts Teachers Association in Boston. "Judith is a knowledgeable, experienced individual who will be a true asset to the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission," Doyle said. "This appointment will restore public confidence in the WERC, an agency with a long and proud history. The WERC has a crucial role in maintaining harmony in public employee labor relations. To fulfill that role, unions and employers must have trust that their issues will be handled expertly and efficiently. " "Judith has over 25 years of experience in both neutral and advocacy roles, " Doyle said. "Having practiced in both Wisconsin and Massachusetts, she brings a broad vision and a fresh perspective. Her intellect and accomplishments are well respected across all sectors of the labor community. We are pleased that she is returning to Wisconsin to handle this important job during our administration." Judith Neumann, 53, served as legal counsel with the Massachusetts Teachers Association in Boston, Massachusetts for the past 11 years. She is a former counsel and hearing officer for the Massachusetts Labor Relations Commission. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Neumann worked as staff counsel at the Wisconsin Education Association Council in Madison and as a history teacher in the Milwaukee Public School System before moving to Boston in 1982. She is a 1971 magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Marquette University and received a law degree cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1977, where she also served on the Law Review. Neumann and her husband Ken Goldberg will be moving back to Wisconsin from Boston. They have two children, both students at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
January 2003
SORENSON NOMINATION WITHDRAWN
On January 6, 2003, Governor Doyle withdrew 127 gubernatorial nominations which were, as of that date, awaiting confirmation by the Wisconsin Senate. Among those withdrawn were Governor McCallum's February, 2002 nomination and designation of Steven R. Sorenson as a WERC member and chair, respectively. Mr. Sorenson began work in those capacities on March 25, 2002.
Governor Doyle has advised Mr. Sorenson and others that the withdrawal of their nominations does not necessarily rule out the possibility that they could be renominated, and Mr. Sorenson has advised the Governor of his continuing interest in resuming his work for the WERC.
Accordingly, at present, vacancies exist in both the six-year WERC member term that began on March 1, 2001 and the 2-year designation of a WERC member as Chair which also began on March 1, 2001. Until Governor Doyle formally designates a WERC member as chair, those responsibilities will be shared by Commissioners A. Henry Hempe and Paul A. Hahn. The WERC member vacancy does not prevent the Commission from issuing decisions on which Commissioners Hempe and Hahn agree. Other decisions will await appointment of a third member to break the tie.
September 2002
AMEDEO GRECO RETIRING
After 29+ years at the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, Amedeo Greco announced that he will retire from the agency as of September 6, 2002.
Amedeo joined the Commission's staff in August of 1973 after working as a legal advisor to NLRB chairman Frank W. McColluch and NLRB member Ralph Kennedy in Washington DC and as an NLRB trial attorney in Milwaukee.
Amedeo has been a highly effective and productive neutral in labor-management dispute resolution throughout his years as a WERC staff mediator, arbitrator and hearing examiner. He has often led the staff in numbers of cases handled and awards/decisions issued, and he has frequently been jointly requested by parties to serve as a mediator or grievance arbitrator. Over the past 20 years, Amedeo has been a member of the National Academy of Arbitrators and active in a variety of Academy programs and committees.
Amedeo intends to maintain his private arbitration practice following his retirement. He also hopes to make frequent boat trips in search of bluefish from his hometown Atlantic Highlands Township Pier in New Jersey.
The commission and staff wish Amedeo and his wife Linda good health and happiness for many, many years to come.
July 2002
MARY BLUM IS RETIRING
On June 19, 1967, she walked into the Hill Farms State Office Building and into the offices of the Wisconsin Employment Relations Board (now Commission), and the place has never been the same. Now, on July 12, 2002, Mary Blum will be retiring after 35 years of service to the Board/Commission and the State of Wisconsin. She was trained by "The Chairman", Morris Slavney, and went on to successfully train at least five other Chairs, as well as numerous other staff members of the Commission. Mary has been the historian and the "rule book" for the agency and will truly be missed.
The Commission and staff wish Mary and her husband Dave a long, happy and healthy retirement.
March 19, 2002
STEVEN R. SORENSON NOMINATED AS WERC COMMISSIONER AND CHAIR
Governor McCallum has nominated Attorney Steven R. Sorenson as a member of the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission and has designated Mr. Sorenson as chair of the agency. The nomination is for the remainder of a six year term that began on March 1, 2001. It is subject to confirmation by the Wisconsin Senate; however, because the nomination fills a vacancy, Mr. Sorenson will assume his duties as both commission member and chair beginning on March 25, 2002.
A native of Chippewa Falls and a past president of the State Bar of Wisconsin, Mr. Sorenson most recently has been engaged in the private practice of law in Ripon and Fond du Lac including service as Village Attorney in Fairwater and Town Attorney for Towns of Utica (Winnebago County) Springvale and Rosendale (Fond du Lac County). He was previously City Attorney for the City of Ripon and a member of the Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors.
Mr. Sorenson is a 1972 political science and business administration graduate of Luther College (Decorah, Iowa, ) and a 1977 graduate of Marquette University Law School.
December 28, 2001
MEIER RETIRES
WERC Chairperson James R. Meier has advised Governor McCallum that he will be retiring effective January 5, 2002.
Meier was appointed to the Commission in August 1995 by then Governor Tommy Thompson who subsequently designated Meier as WERC Chairperson in January 1996.
Meier comments that he is proud of the agency’s accomplishments during his six years as Chairperson -- particularly the improved timeliness of Commission and staff decision-making; stationing of staff members in Eau Claire and Wausau; creation of a website that gives all WERC customers easy, timely and free access to agency decisions and procedures; and completion of a comprehensive proposed revision of the agency’s administrative rules.
WERC General Counsel Peter Davis praised Meier as a leader with vision, integrity and guts who was willing to make difficult and unpopular decisions on the merits regarding both agency operations and cases.
Meier, a University of Wisconsin law school graduate, moved to the WERC from the Labor Industry Review Commission where he had been a commissioner since 1991. Prior to that, Meier served as Deputy Executive Director of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority from 1990 - 91, Director of the Division of Management Services of the Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services (H & SS) from 1988 - 90, and Director of the Division of Community Services (H & SS) from 1987 - 88.
Before coming to Madison in 1987, Meier was the Corporation Counsel for Columbia County for 13 years where his duties included representing the county in its labor negotiations and other labor relations matters in which it was involved. From 1972 - 74, Meier served as an assistant district attorney in Columbia County.
[April, 2001]
TOM YAEGER RETIRING
After 27+ years at the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, Tom Yaeger announced that he will retire from the commission as of July 7, 2001.
Tom's contributions to the Commission's work and reputation have been so substantial and so varied as to make it impossible to do them justice in a few sentences. Since March 4, 1974, when he joined the agency as a mediator, arbitrator and hearing examiner, Tom has been a highly effective and respected neutral in labor-management dispute resolution. As the agency's staff director from July 1980 - March 1991 and as a team leader ever since, Tom has been responsible for a wide range of supervisory and administrative responsibilities as well as carrying a caseload of his own..
Tom described his future plans this way, "While I am not yet ready to retire to an easy chair and call it a career, I do want to change the focus of my work life. While I still have my health, I want to take the opportunity to concentrate on establishing a private arbitration practice, spending more time with my family located around the country, and taking more time away from work to finish unfinished projects. . . . I will be forever grateful for having had the opportunity to pursue such a professionally rewarding career, and to everyone from whom I have learned so much."
Everyone at WERC wishes Tom and his wife Sally good health and happiness for many, many years to come. Discussions are under way regarding plans for a suitable recognition event in Tom's honor. Details will be announced when they are known.
In response to Tom's resignation, WERC Chair James Meier announced that the agency will not be hiring a new person to fill the vacancy created by Tom's resignation. Tom's supervisory and administrative responsibilities will be allocated among other agency personnel, principally Peter Davis, Marshall Gratz, Bill Houlihan and Georgann Kramer. Davis will be performing a general staff direction function in addition to his duties as General Counsel.
Beginning May 1, parties with questions or communications that would otherwise have been directed to Tom Yaeger can now direct those communications to Peter Davis at 608-266-2993. An updated WERC organization chart [view it] and list of primary contact persons for various WERC functions [view it] are available elsewhere on the WERC website.
December, 2000
LIONEL CROWLEY RETIRES EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 21, 2000
After a long and dedicated career in State service, including 20 years as a WERC mediator, arbitrator, hearing examiner, Lionel L. Crowley announced his intention to retire from State service effective on December 21, 2000.
Lee joined the staff of the then State Bureau of Personnel's Bureau of Collective Bargaining in 1972. He later spent two years in private law practice and then joined the WERC professional staff in 1981. Throughout his years of WERC service, Lee has carried a heavy hearing and writing caseload. He has provided outstanding service to labor, management and the public by consistently issuing his examiner decisions and grievance arbitration awards in a timely fashion, often well in advance of the applicable agency timelines. Lee has also contributed significantly to an improved understanding of the WERC and its complaint case process by editing numerous editions of the WERC World publication and by co-authoring the agency's Hearing Examiner Manual for Complaint Cases which is available on the agency's website.
Lee's future plans include becoming what he describes as "the junior person on my wife's staff" at her estate planning law firm, Crowley and Associates in Madison. The Commission and staff thank Lee for his many years of dedicated service and wish Lee and his wife Marilyn many happy and healthy years on the occasion of his retirement from the agency.
Cases that were previously assigned to Lee are being transferred to other WERC staff members. Parties with questions about the status of any such case are welcome to contact Tom Yaeger.
September, 2000
"EMPLOYE" IS NOW "EMPLOYEE"
Effective immediately, the WERC has directed that "employe" be spelled with a double-"e" at the end of the word in all agency documents. The Legislature recently authorized the alternative use of "employee" for official State purposes.
September, 2000
STAFF ATTORNEYS HIRED FOR WAUSAU
Two staff attorneys are being hired by the WERC, effective in the fall of 2000. They are Steve Morrison and Lauri A. Millot.
Steve comes to the WERC with substantial experience as a private practice litigator and civil case arbitrator based in Illinois and later on Washington Island. Since May of 1999, Steve has been employed in State service as a Client Rights Specialist at the Wisconsin Resource Center in Oshkosh. Steve will begin work on September 11.
Lauri comes to the WERC with significant experience as a human resources professional in the Wisconsin public sector. Since July of 1998, Lauri has been the Human Resources Director for the School District of Rhinelander. Her experience prior to that includes work as Human Resources Coordinator/County Coordinator for Price County and Iron County. Lauri will begin work on October 9.
They will both be stationed in Wausau.
June, 2000
DOUGLAS KNUDSON RETIRES EFFECTIVE JULY 7
After a distinguished 30-year career as a WERC mediator, arbitrator, hearing examiner and Representation Case Coordinator, Douglas V. Knudson announced his intention to retire from State service effective on July 7, 2000.
Throughout his long and dedicated WERC service, Doug has earned the respect of labor and management representatives in the private and public sectors for his skills as a mediator, grievance arbitrator, and hearing examiner, and for his expertise in conciliation and coordination of representation disputes. He has successfully resolved countless representation cases, sparing the parties and the agency a great deal of time and cost. He has worked tirelessly to improve the parties' understanding of the WERC's representation processes, rules and case law, and he has provided valued guidance to numerous WERC Commissioners on the intricacies of representation case law and procedure, as well.
Doug's retirement plans include travel, spending time with his grandchildren, maintaining a private arbitration practice, and -- hopefully -- staying in touch with his WERC colleagues.
The Commission and staff wish Doug, his wife Lynda, and their family many happy and healthy years on the occasion of his retirement from the agency.
Following Doug's departure, Tom Yaeger will be performing Doug's representation case processing responsibilities, at least for the near term.
[April, 1999]
WASB PUBLIC SECTOR DECISIONS DIGEST AVAILABLE IN CD-ROM FORMAT
The Wisconsin Association of School Boards recently announced publication on CD-ROM of a compiled version of its digests of WERC and related court decisions concerning the Wisconsin municipal and state sectors. The new 1999 compiled version of the digests covers the period 1976-1999. [contact WASB]
The new WASB consolidated public sector digests are published in Adobe PDF format and searchable with free Adobe Acrobat Reader with Acrobat Search software that is included on the WASB CD-ROM.
Digests published by the WERC covering municipal and state sector decisions prior to 1976 and covering private sector decisions prior to 1989 are currently available in HTML format elsewhere on the WERC website [view list]. In addition, WERC is currently exploring the possibility of converting and indexing those WERC-published digests so that, once downloaded, they too can searched with Acrobat Search software. For information concerning planned WERC electronic publications, contact Marshall Gratz.
January, 1999
STAFF ATTORNEYS HIRED
Two experienced attorneys are being added to the WERC staff, effective in early January, 1999. They are Stephen G. Bohrer and John R. Emery.
Both come to WERC with substantial experience as private sector attorneys in Wisconsin. Bohrer's practice has been based in Eau Claire since 1991; he previously worked for two years with the NLRB in Chicago. Emery's practice has been based in Fond du Lac since 1988; he previously worked three years in Wisconsin Rapids.
They will both be stationed in Eau Claire.
Press Release - April 9, 1997
PAUL HAHN NOMINATED AS WERC COMMISSIONER
Mr. Hahn engaged in the private practice of law since 1969, retiring in December of 1996. His entire career was devoted to the practice of labor relations representing private and municipal employers and not-for-profit organizations. Mr. Hahn's experience included all aspects of the collective bargaining relationship between employers and unions in the public and private sector, as well as early experience in State sector labor relations. His nomination to the Wisconsin Employment Relations by Governor Thompson was supported by representatives of management and labor.
Mr. Hahn commented as follows regarding his nomination: "I look forward to serving the labor relations community in Wisconsin as Commissioner. I believe strongly that one of the goals of the Commission is to enhance the collective bargaining relationship between employers and unions as well as efficiently perform our quasi-judicial functions."
TOROSIAN RETIRES
Herman Torosian is retiring this April after serving 21 consecutive years as a Commissioner with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission.
Torosian has been the agency's acknowledged leader and institutional conscience since Morris Slavney's retirement in 1983. His tenure assured the continued status of the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission as a nationally acclaimed labor relations agency.
"As I look back at my career with the WERC, I will remember the work as challenging and satisfying," Torosian said. "More importantly, however, I feel proud and privileged to have served the State of Wisconsin and to have worked and served with high quality labor relations professionals, commissioners and staff."
Torosian's service to the State of Wisconsin was hailed by former governor Anthony Earl as "personifying the best" that citizens can receive from a public servant. Earl named Torosian as Commission Chairperson during 1983-1987. Earl noted that Torosian's tenure as a Commissioner was noteworthy not only for its length but also for its quality. "Herman didn't avoid controversy as a Commissioner and fulfilled the legacy of Morrie Slavney," Earl stated.
Current Governor Tommy Thompson echoed Earl's sentiments. "Herman Torosian has served the people of Wisconsin with distinction and honor. The State of Wisconsin is indebted to him."
Former governor Martin Schreiber recalled Torosian's role in settling the first state-wide strike by State employes and characterized Torosian as "critically important in advice and counsel, mild mannered, intelligent, hard working, and possessing great integrity and an uncommon ability to relate to people."
Torosian believed passionately that the leaders of the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission should be fully engaged in the agency's work. Thus, in addition to fulfilling his role as an agency decision-maker, Torosian maintained a substantial mediation caseload during his entire tenure as a Commissioner. In bargaining units ranging in size from two to 20,000 employes, Torosian exercised his mediation skills with patience, humor, and a devotion to the collective bargaining process. To meet the needs of the parties in protracted labor disputes and strikes, Torosian and his family sacrificed much time together. His 26 days of mediation during a 1977 Racine teacher's strike and 41 days of mediation during a 1975 Milwaukee teacher's strike epitomized Torosian's commitment to the resolution of labor disputes.
Torosian recalls that "During this time of state-wide strike activity, most of our time was spent putting out fires. The demands on mediation as a dispute resolution procedure were great, requiring sacrifices by all those involved. However, as a mediator, the reward of helping the parties and the affected public made it all worthwhile."
Although widely respected and sought after as a mediator, Torosian's contributions to the development of Wisconsin public sector labor law are also substantial. Commission decisions in which he participated as a member of the majority were rarely overturned by the Wisconsin courts, and his occasional dissents were generally adopted by the courts as the law of Wisconsin. Particularly during the 1980's when the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission was grappling with constitutional and statutory issues related to union security and with the interrelationship between interest arbitration, the status quo, and impasse, Torosian's keen insights into the collective bargaining process were invaluable. But whether deciding the alleged supervisory status of a single employe or an issue with state-wide implications, Torosian was committed to providing the parties with his best personal assessment of their case.
Torosian joined the WERC as a staff mediator immediately following his graduation from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1967. Appointed by both Democrats (Gov. Patrick J. Lucey in 1974 and Gov. Tony Earl in 1983) and Republicans (Gov. Lee Dreyfuss in 1981 and Gov. Thompson in 1989 and 1992), Torosian's career as a Commissioner reflects a level of bipartisan support and respect which may never be seen again. At the time of his retirement, Torosian had the longest continuing tenure of any current labor relations agency leader in the United States.
During his tenure as a Commissioner, Torosian served with ten fellow Commissioners including Morris Slavney (1974-1983), Howard Bellman (1974-1976), Charles Hoornstra (1976-1978), Marshall Gratz (1978-1979 and 1983-1987), Gary Covelli (1979-1984), Danae Davis Gordon (1984-1987), Stephen Schoenfeld (1987-1989), A. Henry Hempe (1987 to present), William Strycker (1989-1995), and James Meier (1995 to present).
Following his retirement, Torosian anticipates continuing to serve as an arbitrator and mediator. Current Commission Chairperson James Meier also announced "We are delighted that Herman has agreed to continue to work with our agency on a part-time basis."
Torosian and his wife, Una, will continue to live in Madison, Wisconsin, with frequent visits to Arizona where son Craig, an attorney, and daughter Tonya, a social worker, reside.
STRYCKER RESIGNS AS COMMISSIONER; MEIER APPOINTED
WERC Commissioner William K. Strycker resigned his post as a WERC Commissioner in mid-August to become the Human Relations Director at Madison Area Technical College. Attorney James R. Meier is Governor Tommy Thompson's choice to replace Strycker.
Strycker, who was appointed to the Commission in 1989, was praised by WERC Chairperson A. Henry Hempe as knowledgeable and effective. Hempe added that he was particularly grateful for Strycker's strong support for the labor-management cooperation and consensus bargaining training initiated by the Commission in 1990.
Meier, a University of Wisconsin law school graduate, moves to the WERC from the Labor Industry Review Commission where he had been a commissioner since 1991. Prior to that, Meier served as Deputy Executive Director of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority from 1990 - 91, Director of the Division of Management Services of the Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services (H & SS) from 1988 - 90, and Director of the Division of Community Services (H & SS) from 1987 - 88.
Before coming to Madison in 1987, Meier was the Corporation Counsel for Columbia County for 13 years where his duties included representing the county in its labor negotiations and other labor relations matters in which it was involved. From 1972 - 74, Meier served as an assistant district attorney in Columbia County.
Hempe and Commissioner Herman Torosian, along with other WERC staff members welcomed Meier to his new duties. "Jim Meier brings us a rich background in labor relations, as well as a diversity of experience in both courtroom and administrative areas, and we look forward to working with him," Hempe said.
Commenting on his appointment, Meier said, "I feel privileged to have the opportunity of working with the fine professional and support staff at the WERC."
Meier's appointment will be scheduled for confirmation by the Senate later this fall.
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This page is a public domain communication of the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission. The URL of this page is http://badger.state.wi.us/agencies/werc/selected_press_releases_and_werc_world_articles.htm}. Last modified on 09 MAY 2012. Comments, questions and suggestions.