Association of Career Employees

About Us

WHO WE ARE...

ACE is a professional association, not a union. Membership is open to anyone who shares our goals and vision. Our members include both represented and non-represented staff, and ACE membership lists are confidential.

Shall I Join Ace or Renew My Membership?

Each year hundreds of active state employees and retirees make a decision about whether to join ACE or to renew membership. The following facts are presented in order to assist in making that decision about ACE. No one individual can be effective in working with state government in regard to pay, fringe benefits and civil service regulations. ACE works with a number of other groups but only ACE represents the point of view and needs of non-represented classified state employees. Over the years, ACE has established a relationship based on trust, respect and credibility with professional staff from Office of State Employment Relations (OSER), Employee Trust Funds (ETF), the Investment Board, and other groups.

Non-Represented Employee Pay Plan

• ACE analyzes published data on salary levels and raises granted to comparable level positions in the public and private sectors.
• ACE analyzes the salary and fringe benefit changes in new state union contracts and has worked with OSER staff to ensure comparable increases at the same time or retroactively for non-represented employees.
• ACE meets and confers with OSER staff to present its positions on the biennial pay plan.
• ACE has met with the Governor and high level DOA staff to discuss the non-rep pay plans and related issues.
• ACE testifies before the Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JOCER) on non-rep pay plans.

Monitor Civil Service

• ACE filed and won two lawsuits against the Governor’s Office charging illegal appointments. A stipulation was signed in favor and agreement with ACE’s position.
• ACE monitors and has opposed the on-going efforts to move classified civil service positions into unclassified political appointments.
• ACE assists the drafting of bills strengthening civil service and supports constructive reforms in civil service.
• ACE officers testified before the Governor’s Human Services Reform Commission during 1996.
• ACE assists its members with a variety of problems concerning civil service regulations.
• ACE worked with OSER on Senior Manager Pay proposals.

ACE Newsletter

• Publishes four newsletters a year to inform members and other interested parties about pay, fringe benefits and civil service improvements and problems.

Brown Bag Meetings

• ACE sponsors brown bag lunch sessions on such topics as pay/fringe benefits, retirement, group insurance and new pay plan proposals.
• ACE is planning several new sessions for active employees and separate sessions for retirees.

Retirement

Retirement Consortium:

• ACE is a charter member of this group which was formed over 20 years ago to function as a watchdog over retirement legislation and the operation of the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS).
• This group was very influential in several retirement improvement programs adopted by the legislature in the 1980’s.
• An ACE representative attends each consortium meeting.
• Most Consortium members were opposed to bill AB 627 (Fall 1995) which would have placed a heavy financial burden on active employees with minimal benefit. Member positions on the bill were reached at meetings held by the Consortium.

Wisconsin Coalition of Annuitants:

• Formed in 1990 with ACE as one of the charter members.
• Represents most of the 90,000 annuitants in the WRS.
• Its purpose is to monitor proposed legislation and the operation of the WRS and the Investment Board. The Coalition does not press for improved benefits for retirees but does pay particular attention to the dividend process and to the integrity of the operation of the WRS.
• ACE members have chaired the group since 1990.
• Six current ACE members are in leadership positions in the Coalition, a group which meets monthly.

Annuitant Roundtable:

• Established several years ago by ETF.
• Meets quarterly with an ACE representative in attendance.
• This group affords ETF an opportunity to inform annuitants on issues about WRS and for staff to listen to concerns and suggestions from its customers such as annuitants.

Wisconsin Investment Board:

• The Board invests the $47 billion of the retirement trust fund. Investments affect the employee contribution rate and the post retirement dividend process for annuitants.
• ACE is able to monitor the Board’s activities through public meetings of the Board and through meetings of the groups mentioned above.
• In 1995, the ACE Board met with a staff member of the Audit Bureau and the Investment Board’s executive assistant to review the $95,000,000 loss due to derivatives.
• ACE was a party to the lawsuit brought against the current administration for the 1987 distribution of TAA funds only to annuitants retired prior to 1974.
• Favorable rulings in behalf of ACE and the other parties were issued by the Circuit, Appeals, and Supreme Court (1997) and resulted in a $2 million distribution to annuitants retired before 1988.

Group Insurance

• Group insurance benefits have become a significant economic factor for active and retired employees.
• The Group Insurance Board, which meets five times each year, provides policy direction and oversight for the ETF staff who administer such programs as group health, income continuation, group life and long term care insurance.

Deferred Compensation

• ACE initiated efforts to create a deferred compensation program and lobbied for its passage in 1981.
• As of 12-31-96 there were 18,590 state employees with assets of $456 million in the program.

Good Friday

• A Federal court rules that the Good Friday holiday for non-represented state employees was illegal.
• ACE persuaded legislators to introduce a bill granting a half floating holiday to replace Good Friday.
• Governor signed the bill just before Good Friday.

Without ACE, few of the above Activities would occur. Non-represented employees and Retirees would have no voice in the many matters which directly affect them. ACE needs your support and you need the continued concern, expertise, strength and voice of ACE.