Susan J. Bauman

Susan J.M. Bauman has had a long and diverse career.  She taught 8^th grade mathematics for 8 years before attending law school.  While in the private practice of law for 16 years, with an emphasis on employment and labor law, she also served as a member of the City of Madison Common Council. While on the Council, she served on numerous commissions, boards and commissions, including the Affirmative Action Commission, the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Board of Estimates, the Board of Public Health, the Community Action Coalition, and the Human Resources Committee, among others. She authored the City’s rent abatement ordinance.   In 1997, she was elected Mayor of Madison, a position she held for six years. 

Subsequently, Ms. Bauman was appointed by the governor of Wisconsin to serve as a Commissioner on the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission (WERC) where she served as a mediator, arbitrator, and as part of a three member appellate review board from 2003 -2011.  Since leaving the WERC, she has served as a mediator and an arbitrator in numerous disputes in both the public and private sectors.   

Degrees:                         

BS, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 1965
BA, Univ. of Chicago, 196
Teaching Certificate, Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison, 1970
MS, JD, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 1981

EXPERIENCE


Employment History:  Teacher, Madison, WI 1970-1978; Private law practice (emphasis on employment and labor) 1985-1997; Alderperson, City of Madison, 1985-1997; Mayor, City of Madison, 1997-2003; Commissioner, WI Employment Relations Commission (WERC), 2003-2011; Mediator/Arbitrator, 2011-present.

Memberships/Associations:      Board of Directors, Labor and Employment Section, WI Bar (2011– present); WI Bar Assn. (1981-present); Executive Board, Assn. of Labor Relations Agency (2005-2011); Advisory Board, US Conference of Mayors (1999-2003); Executive Committee, Alliance of Cities (1998- 2003)

Neutral Listings:

American Arbitration Association, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, Iowa PERB, MN Bureau of Mediation Services, National Mediation Board, Office of Collective Bargaining, NYC, Oregon PERB, Washington Employment Relations Comm., WI Employment Relations Commission.  Expedited Arbitration Panel for AFSCME Council 31 and State of Illinois.

Neutral Experience:     At WERC, appellate review of hearing examiner decisions, prohibited practices, unit clarifications, mediations and grievance arbitrations; successfully mediated almost 300 collective bargaining agreements and more than 60 grievances in both private and public sectors; issued grievance arbitration awards in both public and private sectors. Since 2011, served as ad hoc arbitrator for numerous public and private employers on a variety of issues