March 8, 2019
WEAC Region 3 represents public education employees in a large territory stretching from Florence to Port Washington,
and from Menominee to Washington Island.
Governor Evers Visits Appleton for NEA's Read Across America!
Nicole Calaway, Lincoln Elementary
Diane Barnett, Lincoln Elementary
The day after delivering his pro-public education State Budget Address at the Capitol in Madison, Governor Evers hit the road and visited schools throughout the state, in part reading to students to help celebrate NEA’s Read Across America.
In the pictures, he is visiting Region 3 members Diane Barnett and Nicole Calaway at Lincoln Elementary School in Appleton. The governor’s proposed budget – for the first time ever – creates funding especially for after school programs.
Spotlight on Port Washington-Saukville Education Association
WEAC Vice President Peggy Wirtz-Olsen delivers the WEAC Strong Local Affiliate Certificate to Port Washington-Saukville Education Association (PWSEA) President Brian Borley, joined by PWSEA leaders (L- R) Laura Rashid, Connie Hildebrandt, Nathan Ugoretz, and Tera Rogers.  

WEAC is a proud sponsor of the Arts Day Celebration March 12 in Madison. Region 3 member Frank Juarez of Sheboygan will be on hand to celebrate the role of art in our schools & communities. If you care about Wisconsin’s future, be part of Arts Day and speak up for the arts and creativity throughout Wisconsin on Arts Day 2019. Read more.
Important
Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) RECERTIFICATION VOTE is MARCH 14 - APRIL 3
Recertification voting begins Thursday, March 14, 2019 at noon ( not one minute before! ) and the deadline for casting a vote in your Local's Recertification Election is Wednesday, April 3, 2019. 
 
The election will be conducted by phone or online. You may vote any time between noon on Thursday, March 14, 2019, and noon on Wednesday, April 3, 2019. You cannot change your vote after it is cast. 

Unlike any other democratic election you have ever participated in, the recertification vote counts people who do not vote as "NO" votes. So, if you do not participate, you are voting no to union involvement in the bargaining process.

You can vote by telephone (toll free at 1-866-458-9862) or online ( www.aaaelections.org/WERC ). The voting system is in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, during the voting period. The following are the instructions for voting:
  1. Be prepared to provide the first four letters of your last name and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
  2. Follow the instructions provided to you by telephone or online.
  3. After you vote "yes" or "no," you will be asked to confirm your choice. You must confirm your choice for your vote to be counted.
If you experience any problem with the voting system or need special assistance when voting, please call 1-800-529-5218 for assistance (Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Central time).

If you have questions about the election process, go to "Answers to Frequently Asked Election Questions" on the Commission's website at http://werc.wi.gov .

Contact your Local Association President for more information - watch for communication from your President concerning this election.
WEAC Representative Assembly is April 27 in Oshkosh
Hundreds of WEAC members will gather in Oshkosh April 27 for the annual WEAC Representative Assembly, where they set a budget, elect leaders and develop policy. This year, WEAC President Ron Martin and WEAC Vice President Peggy Wirtz-Olsen are running unopposed for re-election. Also running unopposed are Nicholas J. Sirek for NEA Director and Amanda Oudenhoven for Alternate NEA Director. The candidates for Minority Guarantee Representative to the WEAC Board are Jesse Martinez and Demond Coleman, and the candidate for Alternate Minority Guarantee Representative to the WEAC Board is Alexandra Agar-Pratt. Find out more about these candidates and also see what amendments are being proposed to the WEAC Resolutions and to the WEAC Constitution and Bylaws on the WEAC Representative Assembly page at weac.org/RA .

PLEASE NOTE: Delegate allotments have been calculated based on local membership as of February 26. Local presidents will soon be sent a delegate report form to be completed and returned to WEAC by April 5.
Does Your Local Participate in "Meet and Confer?
Read our article about the difference between" Meet and Confer" and "Bargaining."

Click here to participate in our Meet and Confer survey.

See the most recent results of our survey. Is your Local listed?
Wisconsin State Statute 118.22 governs the renewal and NON-renewal of full-time teacher contracts

For information about non-renewal and renewal of individual teaching contracts, click here.
Union Dues No Longer Deductible
Union dues are no longer a deductible expense for those people who itemize on their personal tax return. Below is a link to an IRS publication if people need more information.
   
Professional Development
The 2019 Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association Conference is March 31 to April 2 at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. The WEMTA Conference brings together current, future and past educators to share knowledge of library and technology topics. It includes 12 concurrent sessions over three days that offer a wide variety of choices, as well as featured speakers representing expertise in the latest educational technology tools and strategies. Find out more and register now.
Register for Future, Current Teacher Summit

WEAC is a proud co-sponsor of a summit for future and current teachers, March 20 at UW-Oshkosh. In addition to workshops and a competition for students, there are sessions and speakers for adult educators. Keynote speaker is Sarahi Monterrey, 2019 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year and WEAC member. Learn more and register.
Free webinar for WEAC members: Trauma Informed Pedagogy
Creating a trauma informed classroom requires a multi-faceted approach including sustaining an environment with clear behavior expectations, open communication, and sensitivity to the feelings and emotions of others. Join us for this free NEA / WEA Academy webinar from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. March 14. Register now .
Developed by a team of Nationally Board-Certified Teachers (NBCTs) from across the country, NEA Jump Start is a comprehensive, three+ day seminar designed to provide early support to National Board candidates. Jump Start lays the groundwork for understanding the certification process by deeply examining component and assessment center requirements. Time is dedicated to gathering resources and information needed to become successful in certifying. All of this is provided in a supportive, constructive, and collegial environment. This Jump Start training is Sunday, July 28, through Wednesday, July 31, 2019, at UW-Stevens Point. The registration fee is just $300 for WEAC members and $150 for drive-in WEAC Members (the full fee for non-members is $1000 / $850 drive-in). Find out more and register now.
Sign Up Now - June 25-26 in Madison
WEAC is a co-sponsor of Every Teacher a Leader training June 25-26 in Madison. Teacher leaders are the heart of successful schools. Every Teacher a Leader promotes, supports, and grows teacher leadership and voice. Develop your ideas and meet others who can support you along the way. Register by March 29!
Member Benefits
Free eBooks from Member Benefits
WEA Member Benefits created a number of free financial eBooks, and now they’re all in one easy to find place! While they are generally geared for younger educators, there is something for everyone. Download their helpful guides.
ETF is offering a series of 30-minute, live, interactive webinars designed to increase your understanding of Wisconsin Retirement System benefits. Individuals can also ask questions at the end of these sessions. Visit their webinar page to learn more.
Political Action
This is an 11.0101(10)(b)(1) communication with WEAC members. 

WEAC RECOMMENDS

LISA NEUBAUER FOR WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT

Just two workshops left!
Be a part of the action - helping Governor Evers make a case to support his budget (that includes great stuff for Wisconsin PUBLIC schools)!
Hi all,

In last week's newsletter I discussed the difference between "direct action" and "legal shenanigans." You can refresh your memory here .

A logical continuation of that discussion is to consider HOW we might involve our members in direct actions.

Often, we think about the grievance process as, a) affecting just one wronged person, and b) involving just that one person and a representative from the union (your building rep, your grievance or professional rights rep, or your Uniserv Director). A member gets disciplined unfairly, the union rep and the member meet with the administration, and the problem gets solved through the grievance process. Other members may or may not know a thing about it.

An article in the March 2019 Labor Notes suggests some other ideas about how to make the grievance process more effective and engaging: 1) get the grievant(s) directly involved; and, 2) involve other members in winning the grievance. Read more about it here.

[Note: This article talks about "stewards." that's another name for grievance rep or professional rights rep, the names we commonly use in WEAC.]

--Peace
Kathy Rohde
Region 3 Director