From longstanding nation-wide initiatives such as Medicare and Social Security to more local concerns like roads and sidewalks, Americans have shared the cost of important endeavors. What could be more important than making sure our collective voice is heard when it comes to our wages, benefits andworking conditions? Why would we let our co-worker bear that cost while we don’t contribute?

The “Fair Share” provision of the collective bargaining law that was maliciously removed as a result of Wisconsin Act 10 ensured that everyone covered by the contract was financially responsible for supporting the contract. The true intent of not requiring the sharing of this cost was to create dissention between co-workers and friends.

What can we do under the Employee Benefit Handbook (EBH) ordinance?

• Provide answers about laws, EBH provision, policies and rights
• Provide a strong voice in Handbook changes (impacts positions, rights, wages and
  
• benefits)
• Represent members in ALL aspects of EBH provisions including investigations and
• grievances
• Provide access to member-only benefits
• Advocate for your job security

But it is not just about who is paying for the structure to support the highly competitive wages and benefits we receive. It is also about what we can’t do for those who are not members of the association.

If you don’t join your Association:

• We can’t answer questions about laws, Employee Benefit Handbook (EBH) provisions, policies and rights
• We can’t help with any health insurance or FMLA issues
• We can’t take your input on suggestions for EBH changes
• We can’t represent you for grievances & disciplinary actions
• No access to member-only benefits
• We can’t advocate for your job security

Our successes as an Association pre-date our formation and begin with the creation of its supporting ordinance in 2013. Also, in 2013 we received an approximately 7% wage increase that offset dollar-for-dollar the cost employees would have paid out of pocket to fund their share of Wisconsin Retirement System contributions that were traditionally paid by the county.

Additionally, we were successful in transferring every provision of our previous contract to the EBH. Since 2011, the majority of municipal employees in Wisconsin have transitioned from a contract to a handbook as Act 10 dismantled collective bargaining agreements when they expired and punished working families. All those employees lost important provisions that protected workers in those handbooks. Dane County employees did not.

What else have we done lately?

• No employee premium share for HMO health care
• Affordable premiums for PPO health care
• Excellent benefits package and “Just Cause” disciplinary provision
• $0.87 wage increase in 2016 and 3% in 2017
• $0.75/hr Bi-lingual premium pay in 2017