Lessons From the 1969 Strike: How Public Employees Built Union Power
This powerful op-ed from the Wisconsin Examiner revisits the 1969 strike by faculty at Milwaukee Area Technical College, offering timely lessons for today. Written by retired MATC instructors and longtime Local 212 leaders Michael Rosen and Charlie Dee, the piece reminds us that even in hostile political and legal climates, organized workers can win lasting change.
At a time when public employees had no legal right to strike, no dues checkoff, and faced openly hostile media and administrators, members of AFT Local 212 took an enormous risk: a 40-day winter strike. Their fight was not only for fair pay, but for dignity, professional respect, and a real voice in how the college was run.
The article details how faculty were treated as “hired hands”—forced to punch time clocks, monitor hallways and cafeterias, and excluded from curriculum decisions. In response, Local 212 organized strategically: surveying faculty, exposing administrative abuses, building internal committees, mobilizing students and the broader labor community, and preparing carefully for collective action.
The strike succeeded. Faculty won meaningful gains including salary increases, grievance procedures, paid professional development, pension contributions, and—most importantly—shared governance. The victory transformed MATC into a stronger institution and set a precedent for collective bargaining across Wisconsin’s technical colleges.
The authors place the strike in a broader historical arc, drawing parallels between the challenges of 1969 and the damage inflicted decades later by Wisconsin Act 10 under Scott Walker. Their message is clear: unions cannot rely on politicians alone. Power is built through systematic organizing, solidarity, creativity, and the willingness to act collectively.
The story of the 1969 MATC strike is not just history—it is a roadmap for rebuilding worker power today.
This article includes an accompanying video that visually documents the 1969 MATC strike, featuring historic images, artwork, and firsthand perspectives from those who organized and participated in the strike. The video helps bring the story to life—showing the picket lines, the solidarity of students and workers, and the courage it took to stand up in the face of intimidation and uncertainty.
We strongly encourage members to watch the video alongside the article. It’s a powerful reminder of what collective action looks like—and what is possible when we organize, stand together, and refuse to accept second-class treatment for educators or students.
