January 28, 2025
Balloting Period for Municipal Employee Annual Certification Elections Set for April 8 – April 28, 2025
The Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission announced today that annual certification election balloting regarding municipal employee unions will be held from noon on Tuesday, April 8 through noon on Monday, April 28, 2025.
A union that is serving as the current collective bargaining representative of municipal employees and wants to participate in the annual certification must file a Request for Annual Recertification Election and the applicable filing fee with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, 2418 Crossroads Drive, Suite 1000, Madison, WI 53718. The Request for Annual Certification and fee must be physically received no later than 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 30, 2025. THIS DEADLINE WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.
Unions are reminded of the continuing importance of promptly providing the employer with a copy of the annual certification election petition that is filed with the Commission. Employer receipt of a copy of the petition triggers the employer’s obligation to promptly provide the Commission and the union with a proposed voter eligibility list.
Employers should follow the Eligibility List Guidelines to assist the Commission with voter list processing. An excel template can be found here.
Voters may choose to vote by telephone anytime between noon on Tuesday, April 8 through noon on Monday, April 28, 2025. After providing information that will verify that the employee is an eligible voter (the first four letters of last name and the last four digits of social security number), the employee will be asked “Do you want to continue to be represented by (the name of your current union) for the purpose of collective bargaining?” The employee will then be instructed on how to vote yes or no and be asked to confirm his or her choice. After confirming his or her choice, the employee’s vote will be electronically cast. The employee must confirm his or her choice for the vote to be cast. A graphical outline of the telephone voting process can be found here. A HelpDesk will be available to employees experiencing trouble using the telephonic voting system during the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday-Friday.
Voters can also vote online between noon on Tuesday, April 8 through noon on Monday, April 28, 2025, following the on-screen instructions for online voting. A graphical outline of the online voting process can be found here. A HelpDesk will be available to employees experiencing trouble using the online voting system during the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday-Friday.
A list of frequently asked questions about the elections can be found here.
January 14, 2025
Spring Election Statutory Deadline Approaching
Any union that is serving as the current collective bargaining representative of municipal employees and wants to participate in the annual certification must file a Request for Annual Recertification Election and the applicable filing fee with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, 2418 Crossroads Drive, Suite 1000, Madison, WI 53718. The Request for Annual Certification and fee must be physically received no later than 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 30, 2025.
October 8, 2024
Recertification Election Voting Website, Telephone and FAQs
During the election period of noon on Thursday, November 7 through noon on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, voters will have the option of voting through website or telephone. Online voting will be conducted at https://werc.elections.vote and telephone voting will be at 888-572-2350. A graphical outline of the online voting process can be found here. The Help Desk will be available to voters experiencing trouble using the voting system during the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday-Friday at 888-884-9403. A list of frequently asked questions about the elections can be found here.
September 4, 2024
Balloting Period for School District and State Employee Annual Certification Elections Set for November 7 – November 27, 2024
The Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission announced today that annual certification election balloting regarding school district and state employee unions will be held from noon on Thursday, November 7 through noon on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.
A union that is serving as the current collective bargaining representative of school district or state employees and wants to participate in the annual certification must file a Request for Annual Recertification Election and the applicable filing fee with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, 2418 Crossroads Drive, Suite 1000, Madison, WI 53718, no later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday, September 16, 2024. THIS DEADLINE WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.
Unions are reminded of the continuing importance of promptly notifying the employer that the annual certification election process has been started. That notice triggers the employer’s obligation to promptly provide the Commission and the union with a proposed voter eligibility list. To assist Commission staff with processing voter lists, we ask that the Eligibility List Guidelines be followed by the employer when preparing the list for the Commission’s use.
Voters may choose to vote by telephone anytime between noon on Thursday, November 7 through noon on Wednesday, November 27, 2024. After providing information that will verify that the employee is an eligible voter, the employee will be asked “Do you want to continue to be represented by (the name of your current union) for the purpose of collective bargaining?” The employee will then be instructed on how to vote yes or no and be asked to confirm his or her choice. After confirming his or her choice, the employee’s vote will be electronically cast. The employee must confirm his or her choice for the vote to be cast. Voters can also vote online between noon on Thursday, November 7 through noon on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, following the on-screen instructions for online voting.
Additional details and information forthcoming. Please visit our website for future updates on voting flowcharts, helpdesk information, and Frequently Asked Questions resources.
January 18, 2024
Balloting Period for Municipal Employee Annual Certification Elections Set for April 10 – April 30, 2024
The Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission announced today that annual certification election balloting regarding municipal employee unions will be held from noon on Wednesday, April 10 through noon on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
A union that is serving as the current collective bargaining representative of municipal employees and wants to participate in the annual certification must file a Request for Annual Recertification Election and the applicable filing fee with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, 2418 Crossroads Drive, Suite 1000, Madison, WI 53718. The Request for Annual Certification and fee must be physically received no later than 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 30, 2024. THIS DEADLINE WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.
Employers should follow the Eligibility List Guidelines to assist the Commission with voter list processing. An excel template can be found here.
In late March 2024, voters will be mailed a personal ID number which they will need to use to vote (instead of using the last four letters of their last name and the last four numbers of their social security number). The mailing the voter receives will emphasize this change. In the event a voter misplaces their ID number, they should contact the Help Desk for assistance.
Voters may choose to vote by telephone anytime between noon on Wednesday, April 10 through noon on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. After providing their personal ID number, the employee will be asked “Do you want to continue to be represented by (the name of your current union) for the purpose of collective bargaining?” The employee will then be instructed on how to vote yes or no and be asked to confirm his or her choice. After confirming his or her choice, the employee’s vote will be electronically cast. The employee must confirm his or her choice for the vote to be cast. A HelpDesk will be available to employees experiencing trouble using the telephonic voting system during the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday-Friday.
Voters can also vote online between noon on Wednesday, April 10 through noon on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, following the on-screen instructions for online voting. A HelpDesk will be available to employees experiencing trouble using the online voting system during the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday-Friday.
August 14, 2023
Balloting Period for School District and State Employee Annual Certification Elections Set for November 7 – November 27, 2023
The Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission announced today that annual certification election balloting regarding school district and state employee unions will be held from noon on Tuesday, November 7 through noon on Monday, November 27, 2023.
A union that is serving as the current collective bargaining representative of school district or state employees and wants to participate in the annual certification must file a Request for Annual Recertification Election and the applicable filing fee with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, 2418 Crossroads Drive, Suite 1000, Madison, WI 53718, no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, September 15, 2023. THIS DEADLINE WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.
Unions are reminded of the continuing importance of promptly notifying the employer that the annual certification election process has been started. That notice triggers the employer’s obligation to promptly provide the Commission and the union with a proposed voter eligibility list. To assist Commission staff with processing voter lists, we ask that the Eligibility List Guidelines be followed by the employer when preparing the list for the Commission’s use.
Voters may choose to vote by telephone anytime between noon on Tuesday, November 7 through noon on Monday, November 27, 2023. After providing information that will verify that the employee is an eligible voter (the first four letters of last name and the last four digits of social security number), the employee will be asked “Do you want to continue to be represented by (the name of your current union) for the purpose of collective bargaining?” The employee will then be instructed on how to vote yes or no and be asked to confirm his or her choice. After confirming his or her choice, the employee’s vote will be electronically cast. The employee must confirm his or her choice for the vote to be cast. A graphical outline of the telephone voting process can be found here. A HelpDesk will be available to employees experiencing trouble using the telephonic voting system during the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday-Friday.
Voters can also vote online between noon on Tuesday, November 7 through noon on Monday, November 27, 2023, following the on-screen instructions for online voting. A graphical outline of the online voting process can be found here. A HelpDesk will be available to employees experiencing trouble using the online voting system during the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday-Friday.
A list of frequently asked questions about the elections can be found here.
Prior Elections Removed for Brevity
August 17, 2015
Annual Election Procedures Adjusted to Comply with Circuit Court Decision, Pending Appeal
On Monday, August 17, 2015, the WERC sent the following notification by e-mail to all unions and employers involved in school district annual recertification elections in the fall of 2014:
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On July 31, 2015, a judge of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court determined that a portion of the Commission€™s administrative rules governing the recertification election procedure conflicted with the statute. More specifically, the Court decided the WERC must conduct recertification elections regardless of whether a petition for election was filed by the incumbent union. Because circuit courts have the authority to invalidate administrative rules the WERC must, pending the outcome of our appeal, change the current procedure for all labor organizations and employers as follows:
1. A union that is serving as the current collective bargaining representative, and wants to participate in the annual recertification election process is no longer required to file a petition with the Commission. HOWEVER, THE APPLICABLE FILING FEE MUST BE RECEIVED AT THE WISCONSIN EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS COMMISSION ON OR BEFORE THE FILING DEADLINE. Critical information must be provided to the Commission to allow for the conduct of the election. To provide the WERC with the needed election information, we urge unions, on a voluntary basis, to continue to file a completed annual recertification election request.
2. Unions are reminded of the continuing importance of promptly notifying the employer that the annual recertification election process has been started. That notice triggers the employer€™s obligation to promptly provide the Commission and the union with a proposed voter eligibility list. To assist Commission staff, please follow the instructions on the Eligibility List Guidelines.
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Questions can be directed to Peter Davis.
July 17, 2015
51% of Eligibles Now Required in Initial General Employee Elections
2015 Wisconsin Act 55 (the State Budget Law), in Secs. 3135i, 3138g and 9352, provides that in elections conducted after July 13, 2015, state and municipal sector general employee unions seeking initial certification to represent a collective bargaining unit have to receive at least 51% of the votes of all of the general employees in the collective bargaining unit in order to be initially certified to represent the collective bargaining unit. Under what has been and continues to be current law, a general employee union already authorized to represent a collective bargaining unit must receive at least 51% of the votes of all of the general employees in the collective bargaining unit in order to be recertified to represent the collective bargaining unit for an additional year. Prior to the above-noted change, if a general employee collective bargaining unit had been unrepresented, the union was required to obtain a majority of votes cast at the election in order to be initially certified to represent the collective bargaining unit.
Election Rules Become Permanent on July 1, 2014
The following permanent election rules chapters became effective on July 1, 2014, with their publication in the June end-of the-month Wisconsin Administrative Register. The only substantive change between the emergency rules and the permanent rules is a change in the filing deadline for school district and state employee unions to September 15.
ERC 70 Annual recertification elections for represented municipal sector general school district employees who, as of September 15, are not subject to a collective bargaining agreement or are subject to a collective bargaining agreement entered into on or after June 29, 2011.
ERC 71 Annual recertification elections for represented municipal sector general nonschool district employees who, as of January 30, are not subject to a collective bargaining agreement or are subject to a collective bargaining agreement entered into on or after June 29, 2011.
ERC 80 Annual recertification elections for represented state sector general employees who, as of September 15, are not subject to a collective bargaining agreement or are subject to a collective bargaining agreement entered into on or after June 29, 2011.