Governor Scott Walker Defeated Again as
Workers Vote for OPEIU Local 95!
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin (February 23, 2012) — Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 95 last night won elections in two units, Community Care of Central Wisconsin (CCCW) and Portage County, overcoming Governor Scott Walker’s Act 10 legislation requiring recertification by annual secret ballot vote. These two victories follow an earlier win in December 2011 at the Port Edwards School District, where workers voted to recertify the Union.
Of the 133 eligible voters at CCCW, 83 voted yes to the union, with only 12 no votes. At Portage County, of the 92 eligible voters, 65 voted yes to the union with only 4 no votes.
“Local 95 has once again defeated Governor Scott Walker and his program to end collective bargaining for public employees,” said OPEIU International President Michael Goodwin. “These election victories are even more profound in Wisconsin since the right to bargain on terms and conditions of employment have been eliminated, and it sets the stage statewide for workers to fight back and win.
“Local 95 showed these workers in the bargaining unit the importance of staying with the union to fight another day, and that day will come when Gov. Walker is recalled, the State Senate comes under Democratic control and the Act 10 legislation is reversed,” said Goodwin.
“Local 95 will now take these votes of confidence from our members and use them to fight for restoration of collective bargaining rights for all public sector employees in Wisconsin,” said Local 95 President Jeff Jester.
The Local 95 CCCW unit consists of professional employees such as registered nurses and social workers in the central Wisconsin counties of Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Portage and Wood. The Local 95 Portage County unit consists of similar professional Portage County employees, as well as computer programmers. The Local 95 Port Edwards School district unit consists of clerical employees working as support for the staff at the schools, including secretaries and food service employees.