Category Archives: Press Releases

TAA Members Reject Governor Walker's Recertification Vote, Vow to Continue Fight to Restore Collective Bargaining Rights in State

Graduate assistants at the University of Wisconsin-Madison voted Thursday to not seek recertification for their labor union, the Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA), given the effective curtailment of collective bargaining rights under Gov. Scott Walker’s union-busting legislation that went into effect in June. “No law, including one that grants an organization to the right to collectively…

Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA) Statement on Chancellor Martin Leaving UW-Madison

The Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA) has had a productive relationship with Chancellor Biddy Martin during her tenure at the University of Wisconsin-Madison though we disagreed with her vision for public education and the structure of the University. “Chancellor Martin has shown great leadership on this campus although her proposal for public authority status would have…

Extraordinary Session Silences Debate on Budget and Collective Bargaining Rights

The people of Wisconsin are back in the streets today, rallying against the Walker agenda to kill collective bargaining in Wisconsin by sneaking a provision to do so into an already devastating budget proposal. “Walker is giving fat tax breaks to corporations and big businesses while attacking social services, accessible healthcare, affordable public education, including nearly…

Graduate Students Renewing TAA Membership in Face of Uncertain Outcome of Budget Repair Bill

Graduate students will gather at the Knapp House (130 E. Gilman St.) on Thursday, April 14, 2011 for a “Dues Collecting Party” from 5 to 8 p.m. to renew their membership in the Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA). Gov. Walker’s budget repair bill mandates changes in the dues collection system for all public sector unions and…

Labor Rights are Civil Rights: Campus Unions and Students to Rally at Bascom Hall

At 4:00pm on Monday, April 4, 2011, students and members of three campus unions – Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA), AFSCME 171, and AFSCME 2412 – will be rallying in front of Bascom Hall. The rally will include speakers from the Student Labor Action Coalition (SLAC), members of the award-winning spoken word performance group First Wave,…

TAA PAC Endorses Parisi

Madison, WI — On Thursday, the Teaching Assistants’ Association Political Action Committee (TAA PAC) announced an endorsement of Representative Joe Parisi in his campaign to serve as the next Dane County Executive. Citing his proven track record of progressive advocacy standing up for working families, TAA PAC proudly called upon its members to cast a…

TAA PAC Endorses Kloppenburg

Madison, WI — On Thursday, the Teaching Assistants’ Association Political Action Committee (TAA PAC) announced an endorsement of JoAnne Kloppenburg in her campaign to serve on the State Supreme Court. Citing her merits as a principled, independent candidate to balance the Court, TAA PAC proudly called upon its members to cast a ballot on April…

TAA Opposes New Badger Partnership and the Formation of UW-Madison as a Public Authority

At a meeting Sunday, March 20, 2011, the general membership of the Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA) approved a motion to oppose the New Badger Partnership. The TAA opposes the separation of UW-Madison from the UW System and the formation of the public authority model. The motion reads: The TAA opposes the New Badger Partnership, especially…

Open the Capitol Doors Now: Move to Keep Capitol Closed is Another Republican Attack on Democracy

March 10, 2011 After the legislature’s surprise move yesterday to ram through the union-busting measures of the budget-repair bill, the TAA encouraged its members and others to stay in the Capitol building to continue having their voices heard. About 200 people remained in the building overnight to express their indignation at the Republicans’ move to…

Judge orders Walker to let the people in

March 3, 2011 For more than two weeks, protestors opposed to Governor Scott Walker’s budget repair bill have congregated peacefully and democratically in and around the Capitol. A judge’s decision today on a labor-led challenge that ordered the Department of Administration to let protesters into the building starting early next week is a victory for…