AB50: Bill Text

AB50,959,5 111.70 (3g) Wage deduction prohibition. A municipal employer may not deduct labor organization dues from the earnings of a general municipal employee, unless the general municipal employee is in a collective bargaining unit that contains a frontline worker, or from the earnings of a supervisor.

AB50,1824 Section 1824. 111.70 (4) (bm) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,959,7 111.70 (4) (bm) (title) Transit employee or frontline worker determination.

AB50,1825 Section 1825. 111.70 (4) (bm) of the statutes is renumbered 111.70 (4) (bm) 1.

AB50,1826 Section 1826. 111.70 (4) (bm) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

AB50,959,16 111.70 (4) (bm) 2. The commission shall determine that a municipal employee is a frontline worker if the commission finds that the municipal employee has regular job duties that include interacting with members of the public or with large populations of people or that directly involve the maintenance of public works. The commission may not determine that a public safety employee or a transit employee is a frontline worker.

AB50,1827 Section 1827. 111.70 (4) (cg) (title), 1., 2., 3., 4. and 5. of the statutes are amended to read:

AB50,960,8 111.70 (4) (cg) (title) Methods for peaceful settlement of disputes; transit employees and municipal employees in a collective bargaining unit containing a frontline worker. 1. ‘Notice of commencement of contract negotiations.’ To advise the commission of the commencement of contract negotiations involving a collective bargaining unit containing transit employees or a collective bargaining unit containing a frontline worker, whenever either party requests the other to reopen negotiations under a binding collective bargaining agreement, or the parties otherwise commence negotiations if no collective bargaining agreement exists, the party requesting negotiations shall immediately notify the commission in writing. Upon failure of the requesting party to provide notice, the other party may provide notice to the commission. The notice shall specify the expiration date of the existing collective bargaining agreement, if any, and shall provide any additional information the commission may require on a form provided by the commission.

AB50,960,16 2. ‘Presentation of initial proposals; open meetings.’ The meetings between parties to a collective bargaining agreement or proposed collective bargaining agreement under this subchapter that involve a collective bargaining unit containing a transit employee or a frontline worker and that are held to present initial bargaining proposals, along with supporting rationale, are open to the public. Each party shall submit its initial bargaining proposals to the other party in writing. Failure to comply with this subdivision does not invalidate a collective bargaining agreement under this subchapter.

AB50,960,22 3. ‘Mediation.’ The commission or its designee shall function as mediator in labor disputes involving transit employees or municipal employees in a collective bargaining unit containing a frontline worker upon request of one or both of the parties, or upon initiation of the commission. The function of the mediator is to encourage voluntary settlement by the parties. No mediator has the power of compulsion.

AB50,961,5 4. ‘Grievance arbitration.’ Parties to a dispute pertaining to the meaning or application of the terms of a written collective bargaining agreement involving a collective bargaining unit containing a transit employee or a frontline worker may agree in writing to have the commission or any other appropriate agency serve as arbitrator or may designate any other competent, impartial, and disinterested person to serve as an arbitrator.

AB50,961,15 5. ‘Voluntary impasse resolution procedures.’ In addition to the other impasse resolution procedures provided in this paragraph, a municipal employer that employs a transit employee or a municipal employee in a collective bargaining unit containing a frontline worker and a labor organization may at any time, as a permissive subject of bargaining, agree in writing to a dispute settlement procedure, including binding interest arbitration, which is acceptable to the parties for resolving an impasse over terms of any collective bargaining agreement under this subchapter. The parties shall file a copy of the agreement with the commission. If the parties agree to any form of binding interest arbitration, the arbitrator shall give weight to the factors enumerated under subds. 7. and 7g.

AB50,1828 Section 1828. 111.70 (4) (cg) 6. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,962,9 111.70 (4) (cg) 6. a. If, in any collective bargaining unit containing transit employees or a frontline worker, a dispute has not been settled after a reasonable period of negotiation and after mediation by the commission under subd. 3. and other settlement procedures, if any, established by the parties have been exhausted, and the parties are deadlocked with respect to any dispute between them over wages, hours, or conditions of employment to be included in a new collective bargaining agreement, either party, or the parties jointly, may petition the commission, in writing, to initiate compulsory, final, and binding arbitration, as provided in this paragraph. At the time the petition is filed, the petitioning party shall submit in writing to the other party and the commission its preliminary final offer containing its latest proposals on all issues in dispute. Within 14 calendar days after the date of that submission, the other party shall submit in writing its preliminary final offer on all disputed issues to the petitioning party and the commission. If a petition is filed jointly, both parties shall exchange their preliminary final offers in writing and submit copies to the commission when the petition is filed.

AB50,1829 Section 1829. 111.70 (4) (cg) 7r. d., e. and f. of the statutes are amended to read:

AB50,962,15 111.70 (4) (cg) 7r. d. Comparison of wages, hours, and conditions of employment of the transit municipal employees involved in the arbitration proceedings with the wages, hours, and conditions of employment of other employees performing similar services.

AB50,962,19 e. Comparison of the wages, hours, and conditions of employment of the transit municipal employees involved in the arbitration proceedings with the wages, hours, and conditions of employment of other employees generally in public employment in the same community and in comparable communities.

AB50,962,23 f. Comparison of the wages, hours, and conditions of employment of the transit municipal employees involved in the arbitration proceedings with the wages, hours, and conditions of employment of other employees in private employment in the same community and in comparable communities.

AB50,1830 Section 1830. 111.70 (4) (cg) 7r. h. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,963,6 111.70 (4) (cg) 7r. h. The overall compensation presently received by the transit municipal employees involved in the arbitration proceedings, including direct wage compensation, vacation, holidays, and excused time, insurance and pensions, medical and hospitalization benefits, the continuity and stability of employment, and all other benefits received.

AB50,1831 Section 1831. 111.70 (4) (cg) 8m. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,963,20 111.70 (4) (cg) 8m. ‘Term of agreement; reopening of negotiations.’ Except for the initial collective bargaining agreement between the parties and except as the parties otherwise agree, every collective bargaining agreement covering transit employees or a frontline worker shall be for a term of 2 years, but in no case may a collective bargaining agreement for any collective bargaining unit consisting of transit employees subject to this paragraph be for a term exceeding 3 years. No arbitration award involving transit employees or a frontline worker may contain a provision for reopening of negotiations during the term of a collective bargaining agreement, unless both parties agree to such a provision. The requirement for agreement by both parties does not apply to a provision for reopening of negotiations with respect to any portion of an agreement that is declared invalid by a court or administrative agency or rendered invalid by the enactment of a law or promulgation of a federal regulation.

AB50,1832 Section 1832. 111.70 (4) (d) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,964,13 111.70 (4) (d) 1. A representative chosen for the purposes of collective bargaining by a majority of the public safety employees or transit municipal employees voting in a collective bargaining unit shall be the exclusive representative of all employees in the unit for the purpose of collective bargaining. A representative chosen for the purposes of collective bargaining by at least 51 percent of the general municipal employees in a collective bargaining unit shall be the exclusive representative of all employees in the unit for the purpose of collective bargaining. Any individual employee, or any minority group of employees in any collective bargaining unit, shall have the right to present grievances to the municipal employer in person or through representatives of their own choosing, and the municipal employer shall confer with the employee in relation thereto, if the majority representative has been afforded the opportunity to be present at the conferences. Any adjustment resulting from these conferences may not be inconsistent with the conditions of employment established by the majority representative and the municipal employer.

AB50,1833 Section 1833. 111.70 (4) (d) 2. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,966,7 111.70 (4) (d) 2. a. The commission shall determine the appropriate collective bargaining unit for the purpose of collective bargaining and shall whenever possible avoid fragmentation by maintaining as few collective bargaining units as practicable in keeping with the size of the total municipal workforce. The commission may decide whether, in a particular case, the municipal employees in the same or several departments, divisions, institutions, crafts, professions, or other occupational groupings constitute a collective bargaining unit. Before making its determination, the commission may provide an opportunity for the municipal employees concerned to determine, by secret ballot, whether they desire to be established as a separate collective bargaining unit. The commission may not decide, however, that any group of municipal employees constitutes an appropriate collective bargaining unit if the group includes both professional employees and nonprofessional employees, unless a majority of the professional employees vote for inclusion in the unit. The commission may not decide that any group of municipal employees constitutes an appropriate collective bargaining unit if the group includes both school district employees and general municipal employees who are not school district employees. The commission may not decide that any group of municipal employees constitutes an appropriate collective bargaining unit if the group includes both public safety employees and general municipal employees, if the group includes both transit employees and general municipal employees, or if the group includes both transit employees and public safety employees place public safety employees in a collective bargaining unit with employees who are not public safety employees or place transit employees in a collective bargaining unit with employees who are not transit employees. The commission may place frontline workers in a collective bargaining unit with municipal employees who are not frontline workers if the commission determines it is appropriate; if the commission places in a collective bargaining unit frontline workers and municipal employees who are not frontline workers, the collective bargaining unit is treated as if all employees in the collective bargaining unit are frontline workers. The commission may not decide that any group of municipal employees constitutes an appropriate collective bargaining unit if the group includes both craft employees and noncraft employees unless a majority of the craft employees vote for inclusion in the unit. The commission shall place the professional employees who are assigned to perform any services at a charter school, as defined in s. 115.001 (1), in a separate collective bargaining unit from a unit that includes any other professional employees whenever at least 30 percent of those professional employees request an election to be held to determine that issue and a majority of the professional employees at the charter school who cast votes in the election decide to be represented in a separate collective bargaining unit.

AB50,1834 Section 1834. 111.70 (4) (d) 3. a. and c. of the statutes are consolidated and renumbered 111.70 (4) (d) 3.

AB50,1835 Section 1835. 111.70 (4) (d) 3. b. of the statutes is repealed.

AB50,1836 Section 1836. 111.70 (4) (mb) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,966,15 111.70 (4) (mb) Prohibited subjects of bargaining; general municipal employees. (intro.) The municipal employer is prohibited from bargaining collectively with a collective bargaining unit containing a only general municipal employee employees with respect to any of the following:

AB50,1837 Section 1837. 111.70 (4) (mbb) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,966,22 111.70 (4) (mbb) Consumer price index change. For purposes of determining compliance with par. (mb), the commission shall provide, upon request, to a municipal employer or to any representative of a collective bargaining unit containing a only general municipal employee employees, the consumer price index change during any 12-month period. The commission may get the information from the department of revenue.

AB50,1838 Section 1838. 111.70 (4) (mc) (intro.), 6., 7. and 8. of the statutes are amended to read:

AB50,967,7 111.70 (4) (mc) Prohibited subjects of bargaining; public safety employees, transit employees, and frontline workers. (intro.) The municipal employer is prohibited from bargaining collectively with a collective bargaining unit containing a public safety employee, transit employee, or frontline worker with respect to any of the following:

AB50,967,15 6. Except for whether or not to provide health care coverage and the employee premium contribution, all costs and payments associated with health care coverage plans and the design and selection of health care coverage plans by the municipal employer for public safety employees, and the impact of such costs and payments and the design and selection of the health care coverage plans on the wages, hours, and conditions of employment of the public safety employee. For purposes of this subdivision, “design” does not include the decision as to who is covered by a health care coverage plan selected by the municipal employer.

AB50,968,2 7. In any bargaining unit composed of public safety employees, in a municipality with a retirement system established under chapter 396, laws of 1937, any terms of such a retirement system, including, but not limited to, the contribution rates, pension benefit calculation, or factors used to calculate a pension benefit under the system, with any bargaining unit composed of public safety employees. For such a retirement system, the terms of the system, including, but not limited to, the contribution rates, pension benefit calculation, or factors used to calculate a pension benefit under the system for employees who are part of a bargaining unit composed of public safety employees, shall be the same as those in effect on December 30, 2022.

AB50,968,10 8. In any bargaining unit composed of public safety employees or employees treated as public safety employees under par. (bn), in a municipality with a retirement system established under chapter 201, laws of 1937, any terms of such a retirement system, including, but not limited to, the costs, payments, contribution rates, pension benefit calculation, or design, including all impacts or effects that any changes made to the retirement system might have upon the wages, hours, or conditions of employment, with any bargaining unit composed of public safety employees or any employees treated as public safety employees under par. (bn).

AB50,1839 Section 1839. 111.70 (7m) (c) 1. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,968,19 111.70 (7m) (c) 1. a. Any labor organization that represents public safety employees or, transit employees, or a frontline worker which violates sub. (4) (L) may not collect any dues under a collective bargaining agreement or under a fair- share agreement from any employee covered by either agreement for a period of one year. At the end of the period of suspension, any such agreement shall be reinstated unless the labor organization is no longer authorized to represent the public safety employees or transit municipal employees covered by the collective bargaining agreement or fair-share agreement or the agreement is no longer in effect.

AB50,1840 Section 1840. 111.81 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 111.81 (1s) and amended to read:

AB50,969,10 111.81 (1s) “Collective bargaining” means the performance of the mutual obligation of the state as an employer, by its officers and agents, and the representatives of its employees, to meet and confer at reasonable times, in good faith, with respect to the subjects of bargaining provided in s. 111.91 (1), with respect to for public safety employees, with respect to the subjects of bargaining provided in s. 111.91 (1w) for employees in a collective bargaining unit containing a frontline worker, and with respect to the subjects of bargaining provided in s. 111.91 (3), with respect to for general employees who are in a collective bargaining unit that does not contain a frontline worker, with the intention of reaching an agreement, or to resolve questions arising under such an agreement. The duty to bargain, however, does not compel either party to agree to a proposal or require the making of a concession. Collective bargaining includes the reduction of any agreement reached to a written and signed document.

AB50,1841 Section 1841. 111.81 (1b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB50,969,15 111.81 (1b) “Academic staff” has the meaning given in s. 36.05 (1) but does not include academic staff under s. 36.15 (1) (a) that are supervisors, management employees, and individuals who are privy to confidential matters affecting the employer-employee relationship.

AB50,1842 Section 1842. 111.81 (1d) of the statutes is created to read:

AB50,969,18 111.81 (1d) “Authority” means a body created under subch. II of ch. 114 or ch. 231, 232, 233, 234, 237, 238, or 279.

AB50,1843 Section 1843. 111.81 (7) (ag) of the statutes is created to read:

AB50,969,20 111.81 (7) (ag) An employee of an authority.

AB50,1844 Section 1844. 111.81 (7) (ar) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,969,24 111.81 (7) (ar) Any employee who is employed by the University of Wisconsin System, except an employee who is assigned to the University of Wisconsin- Madison, and except including faculty, and except academic staff under s. 36.15.

AB50,1845 Section 1845. 111.81 (7) (at) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,970,4 111.81 (7) (at) Any employee who is employed by the University of Wisconsin System and assigned to the University of Wisconsin-Madison except including faculty and except academic staff under s. 36.15.

AB50,1846 Section 1846. 111.81 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,970,7 111.81 (8) “Employer” means the state of Wisconsin and includes an authority.

AB50,1847 Section 1847. 111.81 (8p) of the statutes is created to read:

AB50,970,11 111.81 (8p) “Faculty” has the meaning given in s. 36.05 (8) and includes faculty who are supervisors or management employees but excludes faculty holding a limited appointment under s. 36.17 and deans.

AB50,1848 Section 1848. 111.81 (9) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,970,19 111.81 (9) “Fair-share agreement” means an agreement between the employer and a labor organization representing public safety employees or a frontline worker under which all of the public safety employees in the collective bargaining unit or all of the employees in a collective bargaining unit containing a frontline worker are required to pay their proportionate share of the cost of the collective bargaining process and contract administration measured by the amount of dues uniformly required of all members.

AB50,1849 Section 1849. 111.81 (9b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB50,970,22 111.81 (9b) “Frontline worker” means an employee who is determined to be a frontline worker under s. 111.817.

AB50,1850 Section 1850. 111.81 (9g) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,971,2 111.81 (9g) “General employee” means an employee who is not a public safety employee or a frontline worker.

AB50,1851 Section 1851. 111.81 (12) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,971,8 111.81 (12) (intro.) “Labor organization” means any employee organization whose purpose is to represent employees in collective bargaining with the employer, or its agents, on matters that are subject to collective bargaining under s. 111.91 (1), (1w), or (3), whichever is applicable; but the term shall not include any organization:

AB50,1852 Section 1852. 111.81 (12) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,971,13 111.81 (12) (b) Which discriminates with regard to the terms or conditions of membership because of race, color, creed, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender expression, as defined in s. 111.32 (7j), gender identity, as defined in s. 111.32 (7k), or national origin.

AB50,1853 Section 1853. 111.81 (12m) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,971,23 111.81 (12m) “Maintenance of membership agreement” means an agreement between the employer and a labor organization representing public safety employees or a frontline worker which requires that all of the public safety employees or employees who are in a collective bargaining unit containing a frontline worker whose dues are being deducted from earnings under s. 20.921 (1) or 111.84 (1) (f) at the time the agreement takes effect shall continue to have dues deducted for the duration of the agreement, and that dues shall be deducted from the earnings of all public safety such employees who are hired on or after the effective date of the agreement.

AB50,1854 Section 1854. 111.81 (15m) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,972,11 111.81 (15m) “Program assistant” or “project assistant” means a graduate student enrolled in the University of Wisconsin System who is assigned to conduct research, training, administrative responsibilities or other academic or academic support projects or programs, except regular preparation of instructional materials for courses or manual or clerical assignments, under the supervision of a member of the faculty or academic staff, as defined in s. 36.05 (1) or (8), primarily for the benefit of the university, faculty or academic staff supervisor or a granting agency. “Project assistant” or “program assistant” does not include a graduate student who does work which is primarily for the benefit of the student’s own learning and research and which is independent or self-directed.

AB50,1855 Section 1855. 111.81 (16) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,972,18 111.81 (16) “Referendum” means a proceeding conducted by the commission in which public safety employees in a collective bargaining unit or all employees in a collective bargaining unit containing a frontline worker may cast a secret ballot on the question of directing the labor organization and the employer to enter into a fair-share or maintenance of membership agreement or to terminate such an agreement.

AB50,1856 Section 1856. 111.815 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,973,16 111.815 (1) In the furtherance of this subchapter, the state shall be considered as a single employer and employment relations policies and practices throughout the state service shall be as consistent as practicable. The division shall negotiate and administer collective bargaining agreements. To coordinate the employer position in the negotiation of agreements, the division shall maintain close liaison with the legislature relative to the negotiation of agreements and the fiscal ramifications of those agreements. Except with respect to the collective bargaining units specified in s. 111.825 (1r) and (1t), the division is responsible for the employer functions of the executive branch under this subchapter, and shall coordinate its collective bargaining activities with operating state agencies on matters of agency concern and with operating authorities on matters of authority concern. The legislative branch shall act upon those portions of tentative agreements negotiated by the division that require legislative action. With respect to the collective bargaining units specified in s. 111.825 (1r), the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System is responsible for the employer functions under this subchapter. With respect to the collective bargaining units specified in s. 111.825 (1t), the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison is responsible for the employer functions under this subchapter. With respect to the collective bargaining unit specified in s. 111.825 (1r) (ef), the governing board of the charter school established by contract under s. 118.40 (2r) (cm), 2013 stats., is responsible for the employer functions under this subchapter.

AB50,1857 Section 1857. 111.817 of the statutes is created to read:

AB50,973,23 111.817 Duty of commission; determination of frontline workers. The commission shall determine that an employee is a frontline worker if the commission finds that the employee has regular job duties that include interacting with members of the public or with large populations of people or that directly involve the maintenance of public works. The commission may not determine that a public safety employee is a frontline worker.

AB50,1858 Section 1858. 111.82 of the statutes is renumbered 111.82 (1) and amended to read:

AB50,974,11 111.82 (1) Employees have the right of self-organization and the right to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing under this subchapter, and to engage in lawful, concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection. Employees also have the right to refrain from any or all of such activities. A general employee may not be covered by a fair-share agreement unless the general employee is in a collective bargaining unit containing a frontline worker. Unless the general employee is covered by a fair-share agreement, a general employee has the right to refrain from paying dues while remaining a member of a collective bargaining unit.

AB50,1859 Section 1859. 111.82 (2) of the statutes is created to read:

AB50,974,19 111.82 (2) General employees who are not in a collective bargaining unit containing a frontline worker have the right to have their employer consult with them, through a representative of their own choosing, with no intention of reaching an agreement, with respect to wages, hours, and conditions of employment. The right may be exercised either when the employer proposes or implements policy changes affecting wages, hours, or conditions of employment or, if no policy changes are proposed or implemented, at least quarterly.

AB50,1860 Section 1860. 111.825 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,975,3 111.825 (1) (intro.) It is the legislative intent that in order to foster meaningful collective bargaining, units must be structured in such a way as to avoid excessive fragmentation whenever possible. In accordance with this policy, collective bargaining units for employees in the classified service of the state and for employees of authorities are structured on a statewide basis with one collective bargaining unit for each of the following occupational groups:

AB50,1861 Section 1861. 111.825 (1r) (am) and (ar) of the statutes are created to read:

AB50,975,5 111.825 (1r) (am) Faculty.

AB50,975,6 (ar) Academic staff.

AB50,1862 Section 1862. 111.825 (1t) (am) and (ar) of the statutes are created to read:

AB50,975,8 111.825 (1t) (am) Faculty.

AB50,975,9 (ar) Academic staff.

AB50,1863 Section 1863. 111.825 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB50,975,18 111.825 (3) The commission shall assign employees to the appropriate collective bargaining units set forth in subs. (1), (1r), (1t), and (2). The commission may place frontline workers in a collective bargaining unit with employees who are not frontline workers if the commission determines it is appropriate; if the commission places in a collective bargaining unit frontline workers and employees who are not frontline workers, the collective bargaining unit is treated as if all employees in the collective bargaining unit are frontline workers and may bargain as provided in s. 111.91 (1w).