AFSCME Wisconsin Statement on Governor Evers’s Veto of SB 38

AFSCME Wisconsin applauds Governor Tony Evers’s veto of Senate Bill 38, requiring that the Governor submit to the legislature a uniform timeline for state employees to return to their physical places of employment.

AFSCME Wisconsin Executive Director Patrick Wycoff stated, “we frequently hear from frontline essential state workers about their desire to resume working from their offices. However, we also know that to do so prematurely would endanger the communities we serve and jeopardize the progress we’ve made to defeat COVID-19.”

Wycoff continued, “the needs of state workers are diverse, as are our workplaces and the communities we serve. We cannot institute a one-size-fits-all approach. Department of Corrections employees might face different hurdles than Department of Children and Families employees. Even within state departments, where one institution faces a challenge, another might face a drastically different scenario. One thing remains constant: we need targeted reopening plans that prioritize worker and community safety. Those plans must be specific to worksites, departments, and agencies.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.