MADISON, Wis. -- A spokesman said the University of Wisconsin System will ask an agency to dismiss a union's request to move 130 academic staff members into collective bargaining units.

Three unions affiliated with AFT-Wisconsin asked the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission last week to declare the employees members of their unions. They contend the UW System has improperly classified them as academic staff when they should be covered be union members.

UW System spokesman David Giroux disputed the claim and said the system will vigorously oppose the petitions. Unions are expected to file similar requests seeking to unionize thousands more academic staff members across the UW System.

Giroux said the requests would change the employees' conditions of employment without their input.