In a letter to Walker at the time, Katen-Bahensky said eliminating the hospital unions would have “no fiscal effect” on the state budget because the hospital gets no general purpose revenue.

Union leaders said Katen-Bahensky and other administrators have been open to discussions about working conditions after the contracts end but unwilling to codify any union-like protections — or seek legislative changes, as they routinely do for other matters.

“They have a very strong lobbying ability,” said Tetreault, treasurer of SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin. “They go up there and lobby heavily for what they want.”

The Madison City Council and Dane County Board passed resolutions last year asking UW Hospital to try to maintain the unions.

Like other workers affected by Act 10, hospital employees now have to start paying half of the contribution for retirement benefits — workers must kick in 7 percent of their earnings this year — and at least 12 percent of the tab for health insurance premiums.

Administrators are permanently increasing wages by 4 percent to 13 percent for workers who make $20 an hour or less and giving supplemental pay for two years for those who make more. The supplement amount starts at 4 percent, tapering a percentage point every six months to