Chapter 111

111.815 111.815 Duties of state.

111.815(1) (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. 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.

111.815(2) (2) The administrator of the division shall, together with the appointing authorities or their representatives, represent the state in its responsibility as an employer under this subchapter except with respect to negotiations in the collective bargaining units specified in s. 111.825 (1r) and (1t). Except as provided in s. 36.115 (7), the administrator of the division shall establish and maintain, wherever practicable, consistent employment relations policies and practices throughout the state service.

111.815(3) (3) With regard to collective bargaining activities involving employees who are assistant district attorneys, the administrator of the division shall maintain close liaison with the secretary of administration.

111.815 History History: 1977 c. 196; 1983 a. 27 s. 2200 (15); 1985 a. 42; 1989 a. 31; 1995 a. 27; 2001 a. 16, 104; 2003 a. 33; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 10, 32; 2013 a. 20 ss. 2365m, 9448; 2013 a. 166; 2015 a. 55.

111.82 111.82 Rights of employees. 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 has the right to refrain from paying dues while remaining a member of a collective bargaining unit.

111.82 History History: 1971 c. 270; 1995 a. 27; 2011 a. 10.

111.825 111.825 Collective bargaining units.

111.825(1) (1) 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 are structured on a statewide basis with one collective bargaining unit for each of the following occupational groups:

111.825(1)(a) (a) Administrative support.

111.825(1)(b) (b) Blue collar and nonbuilding trades.

111.825(1)(c) (c) Building trades crafts.

111.825(1)(cm) (cm) Law enforcement.

111.825(1)(d) (d) Security and public safety.

111.825(1)(e) (e) Technical.

111.825(1)(f) (f) Professional:

111.825(1)(f)1. 1. Fiscal and staff services.

111.825(1)(f)2. 2. Research, statistics and analysis.

111.825(1)(f)3. 3. Legal.

111.825(1)(f)4. 4. Patient treatment.

111.825(1)(f)5. 5. Patient care.

111.825(1)(f)6. 6. Social services.

111.825(1)(f)7. 7. Education.

111.825(1)(f)8. 8. Engineering.

111.825(1)(f)9. 9. Science.

111.825(1)(g) (g) Public safety employees.

111.825(1r) (1r) Except as provided in sub. (2), collective bargaining units for employees who are employed by the University of Wisconsin System, other than employees who are assigned to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, are structured with one collective bargaining unit for each of the following occupational groups:

111.825(1r)(a) (a) Administrative support.

111.825(1r)(b) (b) Blue collar and nonbuilding trades.

111.825(1r)(c) (c) Building trades crafts.

111.825(1r)(cm) (cm) Law enforcement.

111.825(1r)(d) (d) Security and public safety.

111.825(1r)(e) (e) Technical.

111.825(1r)(eb) (eb) The program, project and teaching assistants of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

111.825(1r)(ec) (ec) The program, project and teaching assistants of the Universities of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Green Bay, La Crosse, Oshkosh, Parkside, Platteville, River Falls, Stevens Point, Stout, Superior and Whitewater.

111.825(1r)(ef) (ef) Instructional staff employed by the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System who provide services for a charter school established by contract under s. 118.40 (2r) (cm), 2013 stats.

111.825(1r)(eh) (eh) Research assistants of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

111.825(1r)(ei) (ei) Research assistants of the Universities of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Green Bay, La Crosse, Oshkosh, Parkside, Platteville, River Falls, Stevens Point, Stout, Superior, and Whitewater.

111.825(1r)(em) (em) The program, project, and teaching assistants of the University of Wisconsin-Extension.

111.825(1r)(er) (er) Research assistants of the University of Wisconsin-Extension.

111.825(1r)(f) (f) Professional:

111.825(1r)(f)1. 1. Fiscal and staff services.

111.825(1r)(f)2. 2. Research, statistics, and analysis.

111.825(1r)(f)3. 3. Legal.

111.825(1r)(f)4. 4. Patient treatment.

111.825(1r)(f)5. 5. Patient care.

111.825(1r)(f)6. 6. Social services.

111.825(1r)(f)7. 7. Education.

111.825(1r)(f)8. 8. Engineering.

111.825(1r)(f)9. 9. Science.

111.825(1t) (1t) Except as provided in sub. (2), collective bargaining units for employees employed by the University of Wisconsin System and assigned to the University of Wisconsin-Madison are structured with one collective bargaining unit for each of the following occupational groups:

111.825(1t)(a) (a) Administrative support.

111.825(1t)(b) (b) Blue collar and nonbuilding trades.

111.825(1t)(c) (c) Building trades crafts.

111.825(1t)(cm) (cm) Law enforcement.

111.825(1t)(d) (d) Security and public safety.

111.825(1t)(e) (e) Technical.

111.825(1t)(em) (em) The program, project, and teaching assistants of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

111.825(1t)(er) (er) Research assistants of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

111.825(1t)(f) (f) Professional:

111.825(1t)(f)1. 1. Fiscal and staff services.

111.825(1t)(f)2. 2. Research, statistics, and analysis.

111.825(1t)(f)3. 3. Legal.

111.825(1t)(f)4. 4. Patient treatment.

111.825(1t)(f)5. 5. Patient care.

111.825(1t)(f)6. 6. Social services.

111.825(1t)(f)7. 7. Education.

111.825(1t)(f)8. 8. Engineering.

111.825(1t)(f)9. 9. Science.

111.825(2) (2) Collective bargaining units for employees in the unclassified service of the state shall be structured with one collective bargaining unit for each of the following groups:

111.825(2)(d) (d) Assistant district attorneys.

111.825(2)(e) (e) Attorneys employed in the office of the state public defender.

111.825(3) (3) The commission shall assign employees to the appropriate collective bargaining units set forth in subs. (1), (1r), (1t), and (2).

111.825(4) (4) Any labor organization may petition for recognition as the exclusive representative of a collective bargaining unit specified in sub. (1), (1r), (1t), or (2) in accordance with the election procedures set forth in s. 111.83, provided the petition is accompanied by a 30 percent showing of interest in the form of signed authorization cards. Each additional labor organization seeking to appear on the ballot shall file petitions within 60 days of the date of filing of the original petition and prove, through signed authorization cards, that at least 10 percent of the employees in the collective bargaining unit want it to be their representative.

111.825(5) (5) Although supervisors are not considered employees for purposes of this subchapter, the commission may consider a petition for a statewide collective bargaining unit of professional supervisors or a statewide unit of nonprofessional supervisors in the classified service, but the representative of supervisors may not be affiliated with any labor organization representing employees. For purposes of this subsection, affiliation does not include membership in a national, state, county or municipal federation of national or international labor organizations. The certified representative of supervisors who are not public safety employees may not bargain collectively with respect to any matter other than wages as provided in s. 111.91 (3), and the certified representative of supervisors who are public safety employees may not bargain collectively with respect to any matter other than wages and fringe benefits as provided in s. 111.91 (1).

111.825(6) (6) 

111.825(6)(a) (a) The commission shall assign only an employee of the department of administration, department of transportation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, or board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System who engages in the detection and prevention of crime, who enforces the laws and who is authorized to make arrests for violations of the laws; an employee of the department of administration, department of transportation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, or board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System who provides technical law enforcement support to such employees; and an employee of the department of transportation who engages in motor vehicle inspection or operator’s license examination to a collective bargaining unit under sub. (1) (cm), (1r) (cm), or (1t) (cm), whichever is appropriate.

111.825(6)(b) (b) The commission may assign only a public safety employee to the collective bargaining unit under sub. (1) (g).

111.825(7) (7) Notwithstanding sub. (3), if on July 1, 2015, an employee of the University of Wisconsin System is assigned to a collective bargaining unit under s. 111.825 (2) (a), (b), (c), (g), (h), or (i), 2013 stats., or sub. (1) the commission shall assign the person to the corresponding collective bargaining unit under sub. (1r) or (1t), whichever is appropriate. Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, the commission may not assign any other persons to the collective bargaining units under sub. (1r) or (1t).

111.825 History History: 1985 a. 29; 1985 a. 42 ss. 4 to 6, 8, 18; 1985 a. 332; 1987 a. 331; 1989 a. 31; 1995 a. 27, 251, 324; 1997 a. 24; 2001 a. 16; 2005 a. 253; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 10, 32; 2013 a. 20 ss. 2365m, 9448; 2013 a. 166; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 365 s. 111; 2017 a. 366.

111.825 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. ERC 27, Wis. adm. code.

111.83 111.83 Representatives and elections.

111.83(1) (1) Except as provided in sub. (5), a representative chosen for the purposes of collective bargaining by at least 51 percent of the general employees in a collective bargaining unit shall be the exclusive representative of all of the employees in such unit for the purposes of collective bargaining. A representative chosen for the purposes of collective bargaining by a majority of the public safety employees voting in a collective bargaining unit shall be the exclusive representative of all of the employees in such unit for the purposes of collective bargaining. Any individual employee, or any minority group of employees in any collective bargaining unit, may present grievances to the employer in person, or through representatives of their own choosing, and the employer shall confer with the employee or group of employees in relation thereto if the majority representative has been afforded the opportunity to be present at the conference. Any adjustment resulting from such a conference may not be inconsistent with the conditions of employment established by the majority representative and the employer.

111.83(2) (2) Whenever the commission decides to permit employees to determine for themselves whether they desire to establish themselves as a collective bargaining unit, such determination shall be conducted by secret ballot. In such instances, the commission shall cause the balloting to be conducted so as to show separately the wishes of the employees in the voting group involved as to the determination of the collective bargaining unit.

111.83(3) (3) 

111.83(3)(a) (a) Whenever a question arises concerning the representation of employees in a collective bargaining unit the commission shall determine the representative thereof by taking a secret ballot of the employees and certifying in writing the results thereof to the interested parties and to the administrator of the division. There shall be included on any ballot for the election of representatives the names of all labor organizations having an interest in representing the employees participating in the election as indicated in petitions filed with the commission. The name of any existing representative shall be included on the ballot without the necessity of filing a petition. The commission may exclude from the ballot one who, at the time of the election, stands deprived of his or her rights under this subchapter by reason of a prior adjudication of his or her having engaged in an unfair labor practice. The ballot shall be so prepared as to permit a vote against representation by anyone named on the ballot. The commission’s certification of the results of any election is conclusive as to the findings included therein unless reviewed under s. 111.07 (8).

111.83(3)(b) (b) Annually, no later than December 1, the commission shall conduct an election to certify the representative of a collective bargaining unit that contains a general employee. There shall be included on the ballot the names of all labor organizations having an interest in representing the general employees participating in the election. The commission may exclude from the ballot one who, at the time of the election, stands deprived of his or her rights under this subchapter by reason of a prior adjudication of his or her having engaged in an unfair labor practice. The commission shall certify any representative that receives at least 51 percent of the votes of all of the general employees in the collective bargaining unit. If no representative receives at least 51 percent of the votes of all of the general employees in the collective bargaining unit, at the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement, the commission shall decertify the current representative and the general employees shall be nonrepresented. Notwithstanding s. 111.82, if a representative is decertified under this paragraph, the affected general employees may not be included in a substantially similar collective bargaining unit for 12 months from the date of decertification. The commission’s certification of the results of any election is conclusive unless reviewed as provided by s. 111.07 (8). The commission shall assess and collect a certification fee for each election conducted under this paragraph. Fees collected under this paragraph shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.425 (1) (i).

111.83 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. ERC 80, Wis. adm. code.

111.83(4) (4) Whenever an election has been conducted under sub. (3) (a) in which the name of more than one proposed representative appears on the ballot and results in no conclusion, the commission may, if requested by any party to the proceeding within 30 days from the date of the certification of the results of the election, conduct a runoff election. In that runoff election, the commission shall drop from the ballot the name of the representative who received the least number of votes at the original election. The commission shall drop from the ballot the privilege of voting against any representative if the least number of votes cast at the first election was against representation by any named representative.