MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WRN) — Still no raises for UW System employees.
The legislature’s bipartisan Joint Committee on Employee Relations this week approved a 6% pay increase over two years for many state workers.
Senator Melissa Agard said that some 36,000 UW employees were left out.
“This is a sad moment for our state, when the majority party is actively holding our workers hostage because they cannot fathom the ability to focus on equity and diversity,” said Agard.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is standing firm, until the UW agrees to cut positions related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
“All this mumbo jumbo saying somehow we’re against the university system, we’re trying to actually have some kind of control for the taxpayers,” said Vos. “Because when I talk to people, they do not want an ideological agenda.”
Vos said the UW is the only state agency that can add staff without legislative oversight, and that almost 1400 positions have been added since 2017, even as enrollment has held steady or declined.
