Comments from Kay Hansen, co-chair of the WEAC Bargaining Goals Committee, in presenting the Paul Bierbrauer Award for bargaining excellence to the Mid-State Technical College Education Support Professionals (February 4, 2006):

The Mid-State Technical College Education Support Professionals were formerly affiliated with the O.P.E.I.U. In June of 2004 they elected to become part of the Central Wisconsin UniServ Council, the Wisconsin Education Association Council and the National Education Association. The college had a made a big push for them to vote for no union, promising them large raises and increased vacation benefits. The association leaders worked hard to support the change to WEAC, and the members voted almost unanimously for WEAC.

Mid-State Tech. ESPs then set out to bargain their first contract as a WEAC affiliate, and they knew it would not be easy. It was rumored that the college was going to make the ESPs fight tooth and nail for every language item and there would be no wage increase. It was that same year that the college had arbitrated a wage freeze for the faculty association.

Despite all of this, the Mid-State Tech. team was quite impressive at the table. The bargaining team members set goals, were well informed and remained united throughout the bargain. Their three main goals were to achieve at least a 3% wage increase, change the health insurance language to decrease the employees' premium contribution and improve the early retirement language to match that of the custodial unit.

The Mid-State Tech. team knew these goals would not be easily obtained. The college had a healthy financial reserve but argued that Wisconsin Rapids was a depressed area and that unemployment was on the rise. The college was also concerned about internal comparables, as the association was the first to bargain. Regardless of these adversities, the association prevailed and achieved its goals.

Their 2004-07 contract has numerous language changes that improved the job reclassification process, testing procedures and grievance procedures for the members. Mid-State Tech ESPs obtained a wage increase of 43 cents an hour each year. Also under the bargain:

• The employee health insurance premium co-pay decreased to 6% (from 7% for a single and 11% for family).
• Early retirement benefits were improved, allowing employees credit for 70% of their sick days and establishing a formula-based cash fund that resulted in a $43,000 benefit for a member retiring this year.

As you can see, the Mid-State Technical College Education Support Professionals bargaining team is the epitome of what the Paul Bierbrauer Award is all about - high standards, creativity, advocacy, and improving the wages, hours and working conditions of WEAC members.

It is with great pleasure that we present the Mid-State Technical College Education Support Professionals bargaining team as this year's winner of the Paul Bierbrauer Award.