Did you know?

Did you know that one of the issues on the state budget barganing table is to give the right to UW professors to unionize?

In today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-

The state budget conference committee is considering a proposal that would extend this right to University of Wisconsin faculty and academic staff.

The committee should approve this as the fair thing to do. It's a vote for workers' right to organize, not for unions. There's a big difference. These workers, as a group, can also choose not to be unionized.

So what excuse is the MJS editorial board making, so they do not have to call it a union?

Choice - employed as an iconic concept elsewhere in education - is the key here. And, of course, one objection might be that those who don't want a union might be outvoted by those who do. Their choice then would be eliminated.

No, their argument will have lost, and they needn't partake of any subsequent bounties if they don't want them, according to officials with the American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin who spoke to the Editorial Board last week.

Huh? It does not matter if membership is mandatory, it is still a union.

What about taxpayers?

You know, those silly folks that are shelling out billions in tax dollars and still paying billions more in tuition fees, book fees, room and board fees, etc.

Taxpayers might discern little advantage in a UW union. The vision of tenured professors with a wealth of protections already - and adding more - isn't one relished by anyone.

I was very excited to see that the MJS editorial staff was actually thinking about taxpayers since they are wholeheartedly supporting a UW union.

According the the MJS, taxpayers should not be worried about their colleges being hijacked because 29 other states have college unions.

Seriously, folks, that is their reason.

Read the editorial.