Politics & Government

Waukesha Water Utility Employees Decertify AFSCME Union

Twenty-one employees affected by change that should save water utility time and money.

employee bargaining unit has disbanded as its members recently voted to decertify in light of the state’s controversial legislation that limited public unions’ collective bargaining actions to wages.

As a result, the water utility is likely to see savings in staff time and attorney fees in dealing with employee negotiations, according to Waukesha Water Utilty Manager Dan Duchniak.

“It just means that there is not a union anymore,” he said. “We are not going through the negotiation process like we did before.”

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Now the Waukesha Water Commission will determine wage adjustments and employee reviews. Duchniak was notified that the 21 employees had chosen to leave the union at the end of January.

The move was “a pretty strong statement from the employees” about the water utilities management and water commission, Duchniak said. The water commission already had adopted a new employee handbook that explain work rules.

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“I think our commission will be fair with the employees as we move forward,” he said.


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