A Dane County judge ruled Wednesday that parts of the state’s Act 10 law are unconstitutional… “This finding — if it was allowed to stand — would, in essence, remove the changes to collective bargaining …
School for Workers in the news
Honor Frank Emspak as an epic advocate for workers
In Frank Emspak’s autobiography written several years ago, he said, “by the time I finished my undergraduate career at UW, I was probably their most expensive student.” He wasn’t kidding. Through his pioneering efforts as …
The Passing of a Troublemaker
A unique figure within a unique generation of activists, Frank Emspak (born June 21, 1943 and died June 14, 2024) spent his final days as he always lived: offering inspiration and strategic advice to those around him. …
Wisconsin judge to hear union lawsuit against collective bargaining restrictions
A law that drew massive protests and made Wisconsin the center of a national fight over union rights is back in court on Tuesday, facing a new challenge from teachers and public workers brought after the state’s …
Act 10 is back in court. Here are the stakes for Wisconsin unions
In a Dane County court hearing Tuesday, the state sought to dismiss a lawsuit from public employee unions challenging Act 10, which limits their power. Childers, the UW-Madison professor, noted that undoing Act 10 could …
Federal rule banning noncompete agreements could give Wisconsinites more job mobility
A new federal rule could give Wisconsin workers more mobility in the labor market, but it faces legal challenges from business groups. Michael Childers, a labor education professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said noncompete …
Starbucks to bargain with a committee of 150 worker representatives
A Madison employee will be among delegates bargaining with Starbucks next week on behalf of workers at all 400 unionized U.S. stores. Dr. Michael Childers “thinks next week’s bargaining sounds promisingly similar to the process …
Three takeaways from UW-Madison panel on challenges to academic freedom
Humanities NOW hosted a panel of experts to discuss the role of public universities and academic freedom amid a controversial “DEI deal.” “There were many faculty that I spoke to that were outraged, and continue …
Economic Report of the President
In the recently released Economic Report of the President, the report Unlawful, co-authored by Assistant Professor Lola Loustaunau was cited. The data show that U.S. employers are willing to use a wide range of legal …
Trapped on Wisconsin farms: The hidden plight of trafficked workers
More than 10,000 undocumented immigrant workers perform an estimated 70% of the labor on Wisconsin dairy farms, according to an April 2023 survey by the School for Workers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Despite increasingly …