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In February 2003 a joint committee of the Wisconsin legislature refused to approve 16 collective bargaining agreements that had been ratified by the members of six state employees’ unions. “A deal’s a deal,” said the unions, and they launched a statewide campaign that forced the legislature, in May, to pass the contracts after all.

The Republicans had just won control of both houses, and these contracts were the first major piece of legislation to come up since the inauguration of the new Democratic governor. It appeared that the Republicans were intending to demonstrate who held the power. Over the years, state employees had consistently been used as punching bags by many of the legislators who were now holding the contracts hostage. For years they had told citizens that high taxes were the fault of state employees, ignoring the fact that the employees were implementing the programs created by the legislators themselves. The unions needed to build support not just for the contracts but for the state workers who provided valued services.

“A DEAL’S A DEAL”
The unions knew they needed a campaign that would both rally their members and build support in the media and with the general public. If that support was to do any good at the Capitol, they needed a campaign under the dome as well. The message had to be short and clear. “A Deal’s a Deal!” was born. It didn’t matter whether you liked union members or liked state employees--everyone understood that a deal’s a deal. If the politicians were allowed to dishonor an agreement negotiated with their employees, what would they back out of next? It was a good message that was adaptable to any environment or audience.

The campaign depended on four factors: mobilized and rejuvenated members at the base; consistent individual efforts; intensive education of and pressure on legislators; and support from the public and the media.

To mobilize members statewide and in many different bargaining units, the unions used cross-union meetings and smooth communication systems. Most of the unions—the American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin (AFT-W), National Education Association, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), American Federation State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and the building trades--did not work well together, let alone communicate. But through this crisis, walls came down and coalitions were built.

Two AFT-W councils, of graduate employees at state universities and of professional employees such as scientists and accountants, hosted joint meetings to plan member activities. In buildings where members of multiple bargaining units worked, cross-union “brown bag” meetings were held and all union members were encouraged to attend. Members would wear buttons in solidarity and share information not only from their locals but other state employee groups as well.

With each two-week cycle of meetings, the number of building meetings grew as more and more members became involved. Flyers at the meetings gave updates on the status of the campaign and laid out what was coming up next, and were easily distributed to members who had not attended. The AFT-W prepared a recording on an 800 number for an “update of the day” that helped disseminate information and strategies. This kind of fluid communication kept members motivated.

In addition, at the local Labor Temple in Madison, the state capital, ad hoc meetings were called about every four to six weeks where anyone with an interest in the state contracts issues could talk about what was and was not being done.

The unions held rallies and vigils at the Capitol building over lunch hours, organized through e-mails and the 800 number. AFSCME held rallies at a few of the prisons outside of Madison as well.

UNION BUCKS
The unions created “union bucks” for members to pass out when they shopped or to enclose when they paid their bills. These were slips of paper about the size of a dollar bill, with a message on the front about the value state employees provided to the community and to the overall Wisconsin economy. The reverse was blank, and members were encouraged to write personal notes about their particular jobs. Members passed out the union bucks by the thousands. One member wrote to each of the car dealers in his area detailing the age and model of his car. He said that he had planned to replace his old car with the raise he would have received if the legislature had approved his contract. His creativity spurred others to send similar letters to resorts and recreation centers in the districts where some of the legislative leaders lived.

“A Deal’s a Deal” posters went up in work sites, and more than one were seen facing the State Capitol.

It was a challenge to educate the newly elected Senate and Assembly members on the valuable contributions of state employees. Members sent letters and e-mails and made calls to their representatives, but got tired of hearing “have you contacted your legislator lately?” More effective were face-to-face meetings with the legislators, both back at their district offices and at the Capitol.

EDUCATING NEW LEADERS
New leaders had to be educated on how the collective bargaining process works and why the contracts could not be changed once the members ratified them. The Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCoER--pronounced joker) had refused to allow the contracts to be voted by the full legislature, which was in violation of the law.

The campaign also bought radio ads on the “A Deal’s a Deal” theme, and members wrote letters to the editor. Members articulated how unfair their contracts were when compared to the raises politicians were receiving. If the politicians were allowed to bargain with state employee unions in bad faith, they argued, the credibility of the government would be called into question. These letters led to meetings with editorial boards from major papers around the state and drew significant attention to the campaign.

On May 5, the original 16 contracts plus four new ones from other locals were sent back to JCoER, unmodified. JCoER passed them, they went through the Assembly and the Senate, and were finally signed by the governor.

The lasting effect of the “A Deal’s A Deal” campaign was the coalition built among the unions. Currently, various members of several unions attend and participate in meetings, creating a new and more thorough dialogue on health care and bargaining issues.

[Doug Swanson has spent over 25 years working for state government or for unions representing state employees, including AFSCME and the Teamsters. Currently he is a staff representative for AFT-Wisconsin.]