AFT-Wisconsin | AFT Stateweb

Spring Endorsements: Judge Susan Crawford, Dr. Jill Underly, and Melissa Agard

April 1 Election

From the Supreme Court to the State Superintendent and local races we're ready to fight for candidates that fight for working Wisconites this spring. Join your union and learn how to engage today!

2025 Scholarship Applications OPEN!

Our 2025 Scholarship Applications are OPEN!
3 Scholarships available to children of members to continue higher education at University or Technical Colleges.

State-employed workers, such as graduate assistants like us, should be guaranteed the same rights as public safety workers. We contribute so much to our communities, and we deserve a voice on the job. Legal action to restore collective bargaining rights to all state employees is one way to secure the livelihood of working people in Wisconsin.

We're Taking On Act 10

Wisconsin public employees file lawsuit challenging constitutionality of law banning collective bargaining

State statute unconstitutionally violates workers’ freedom to negotiate, unlawfully creating a disfavored class of public sector employees, says a new lawsuit filed by workers.

AFT-Wisconsin President Kim Kohlhaas on the Special Session on Public Education

For Immediate Release:
Monday, July 26, 2021

Madison, WI – Today Governor Evers announced a special session of the state legislature to discuss support for public education. AFT-Wisconsin President Kim Kohlhaas responded as follows:

“For years now, in opinion polls, listening sessions, referendums, and elections, Wisconsin voters have called for our students to get the educational support they need to thrive in their lives and careers. The Republican budget passed earlier this month neither invested in students nor created a vision for the state’s future.

We applaud Governor Evers’ principled and

AFT-Wisconsin President Kim Kohlhaas on the Appointment of AFT-W VP for Higher Education Jon Shelton to the UW System Presidential Search Committee

For Immediate Release:

Friday, July 9, 2021

Madison, WI - Today the UW System announced that Board of Regents President Edmund Manydeeds III has selected AFT-Wisconsin VP of Higher Education Jon Shelton as a member of the UW System Presidential Search Committee. Shelton is an Associate Professor of Democracy and Justice Studies at UW-Green Bay, and also serves as his campus’s Faculty Representative to the UW System. AFT-Wisconsin President Kim Kohlhaas responded as follows:

“The appointment of Jon Shelton to the search committee is a testament not only to Jon's hard work at UW-Green Bay, but

AFT-W President Kim Kohlhaas on Assembly and Senate Budget

For Immediate Release:

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Madison, WI – Today the State Senate voted to pass a budget bill, a day after the Assembly passed its budget. AFT-Wisconsin President Kim Kohlhaas responded to the legislature’s work as follows:

"The people were ignored. Our public schools are at a crisis point: districts regularly increase class sizes, and some are even having conversations about shutting down schools altogether. This budget offers no significant aid for schools. Our technical colleges and the UW System have suffered from years of cuts. This budget puts the burden on students

AFT and 400+ other organizations urge President Biden and Vice President Harris to cancel federal student debt

Over 415 organizations, including the American Federation of Teachers, have signed a letter to President Biden and Vice President Harris, calling on them to use executive authority to cancel federal student debt. The full text of the letter can be found below. A PDF of the letter (as sent on April 13) can be found here. You can find the press release here.

AFT-Wisconsin locals and other nonprofit organizations are also encouraged to sign in support! Click here to sign.

April 13, 2021

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Was

AFT-Wisconsin Responds to the Election of Edmund Manydeeds as President of the UW System Board of Regents

For Immediate Release:

Thursday, June 3, 2021

Today the UW System Board of Regents elected Evers’ regent appointee, Edmund Manydeeds to be the next Board of Regents President.

"Elections matter. The work we did in 2018 put an advocate of public higher education in the Governor’s office,” said AFT-Wisconsin Vice President for Higher Education, Jon Shelton, a professor of Democracy and Justice Studies at UW-Green Bay. “Today, we are thrilled that one of Gov. Evers’ first regent appointments—and a true supporter of shared governance and the Wisconsin Idea—has been elected Board of Regents

AFT-W to State Legislature: Support Transgender Students

President Kim Kohlhaas has sent letters to the state legislative committees considering legislation that would prevent transgender students from fully participating in sports aligned with their identity: "These bills won’t make sports safer or fairer for any student—they would only stigmatize and exclude a group of students who already face high levels of discrimination... Wisconsin’s teachers, faculty, and staff oppose any bill that hurts transgender youth from passing out of the legislature." You can read the (identical) letters in full here: