Questions on One Union's Contract in Wisconsin

A vice president of the instructors' union at the Milwaukee Area Technical College is criticizing the speed with which the union and the college's board ratified a new contract -- amid debate in Wisconsin over a proposal to end most collective bargaining rights for public employees, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. The contract has provisions that protect full-time faculty members from layoffs, but also concessions from the union on health insurance. Jim Benedum, second vice president of union, a local of the American Federation of Teachers, said that the union moved quickly to get the contract approved, and he objected to the message that such haste sent at a time the state might end collective bargaining rights. Before the vote, he said, he felt that "if we approve this, we’re going to be perceived by the public as arrogant snobs." Union leaders denied that the contract vote was rushed and said that Benedum was angry with the union over other issues.