The Connection 1136 N. Military Ave. Green Bay, WI 54303 920-496-2440 800-472-5582

February 21, 2020

WEAC Region 3 represents public education employees in a large territory stretching from Florence to Port Washington, and from Menominee to Washington Island.

SAVE THE DATE! Saturday May 9, 2020

The WEAC Region 3 RA  will be held at the Rock Garden Banquet & Conference Center in Green Bay. Delegates to the RA will be electing the following positions to the WR3 Executive Committee: President, Vice President, ESP Member-at-Large, and Zone Leaders.  Watch for more info and nomination forms in the coming weeks.

Volunteer at NEA RA this summer Volunteers are being sought for the 2020 NEA RA in Atlanta this summer, which runs June 30-July 6. Many dedicated volunteers are needed to ensure a successful convention for all. You can volunteer to help at the convention by signing up now. Click here for more information .

Union Dues No Longer Deductible WEAC Region 3 has received a couple of questions regarding the deductibility of union dues. To ensure that everyone is aware of one of the changes that took place last year with the Federal Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017:   Union dues are no longer a deductible expense for those people who itemize on their personal tax return for tax years 2018-2025.

Public Schools: The Cornerstone of Democracy Make plans to attend and hear Dr. Julie Mead's answers to the question: "Why Public Education?" Monday, March 2 Neenah Public Library 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Click here for a flyer and details.

Flight Attendants’ leader to keynote 2020 conference Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, will keynote the 39 th  Annual Conference of the Wisconsin Labor History Society Saturday, March 28 , in Milwaukee. Entitled “Progressives, Populists and Socialists: How the Past Informs the Future,” the conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the American Postal Workers Union Hall, 417 N. 3 rd  St. in downtown Milwaukee . Nelson  has been President of the 50,000-member union since 2014 and has been credited with leading successful efforts to achieving a two hour increase in minimum legal rest for Flight Attendants and other efforts to combat fatigue on the job. Before that, she led the 90-day campaign to reverse national security policy to keep knives and other weapons off planes. She also crafted the campaign for “100,00 Eyes in the Skies,” which successfully resulted in mandatory training for Flight Attendants to recognize and report human trafficking. The program will include historians who will speak on how the labor movement with Socialists and Progressive Republicans early in the 20 th  Century helped to build the Wisconsin’s traditions of pro-worker and democratic governments. For more information and to register for the conference, click here .

Important Dates for WTCS Locals: April 1 - 21, 2020 Voting period (complete details to follow).

Disrupted Learning Town Hall How many of us have had to make do with what we have knowing students deserve better? How many of us have experienced a “classroom clear”? At play are homelessness, trauma, unmet mental health needs and more. At the same time, class sizes are growing, resources are shrinking, and educators are being asked to do more with less.   We need your stories! Thursday, March 5th 4:30-6:00pm Mead Public Library in The Loft 710 N. 8th St. Sheboygan Register: https://forms.gle/VHszVVuCsRjsiK6B6 You can also register here for Town Halls in Sun Prairie, Fond du Lac, Janesville, and Wauwatosa.

Member Benefits

Live Webinars Scheduled for March 2020 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.

Hi all, I hear it all the time. I hear it everywhere. "People won't come to meetings because they're afraid." "Our members won't get involved because they're too scared." "Oh no, we can't do that - - we'll have a target on our backs." The answer to all the fear is solidarity. It's organizing people who care around an issue that they are tired of living with. When you've had enough, give us a call and we'll help you figure out how to lose your fear. Peace,  Kathy Rohde Regional Director WEAC Region 3

WEAC Region 3 region3.weac.org 1136 N. Military Ave. Green Bay, WI 54303 Connect with us ‌ ‌ ‌