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West Bend Teachers Union Continues Negotiations

Heh.

The teachers’ association is proposing a salary increase of 1 percent the first year, and 3 percent and 4 percent in contract years two and three, respectively.

   In both scenarios, eligible teachers would still see the pay increases associated with years of experience and educational development as determined by a professional salary schedule.

Huh.  I seem to remember being criticized for suggesting that the union representatives’ assertions that they would “work with” the district during the levy debate was crap.  Seems I was right. 

I found this interesting too:

“The teachers in West Bend are highly educated,” Wickland said. “More than a third have master’s degrees. Put that level of education out there in any other profession and you will find they are more highly paid than teachers.

It continues to baffle me that we base compensation for teachers on an arbitrary level of education.  Seriously… is it really necessary for most 2nd grade teachers to have a masters degree?  What is the tangible benefit of them having such a degree?  I work in a technical field where degrees, certifications, etc. are plentiful.  Nobody in our industry pays more for a particular certification or degree unless it is directly related to the job role and is a tangible requirement to doing the job.  Personally, I am considering another degree, but it won’t impact my compensation by one dollar.  I want to do it to position myself in my career.  The notion that I should automatically get paid more just for obtaining another degree is asinine. 

As for the district’s negotiating position… it’s OK, but weak.  They want a two year contract to line up with the state budget.  The union wants a three year contact.  The district’s position makes a heckuva lot more sense.  The district is proposing “no increase to teacher salaries in the first year, and a 2 percent increase the second year.”  Overall that would be a good outcome, but as a negotiating position it’s weak.  Since the union is asking for larger increases, the district should start with cuts and work to the middle. 

The one thing I have been disappointed with is that the district has not come out forcefully on these contracts.  Yes, the funding formula is causing issues and the district is ultimately subject to the parameters of binding arbitration, but the district has leverage that it isn’t using.  The district can fire staff.  I would love to see the district come out in public and tell the teachers that if they insist on large compensation increases, then some of them will be fired.  Period.  Does it mean that the remaining teachers will have to work harder?  Yes.  Welcome to the real world where employees all over town have been asked to do more for the same compensation.  And realistically, there are roughly 1,000 district employees for 7,200 kids.  That’s a 1 to 7 ratio (roughly).  Most of the private schools in town operate at about a 1 to 14 or 15 ratio - including administration - and provide an equal quality of education.  If the district can’t operate its staff more efficiently, then there’s a management issue that needs attention. 

I expect the teachers’ union to negotiate hard for compensation increases (despite comments to the contrary), but the district isn’t taking an equally hard stance.  Personally, I think that many of the teachers are more reasonable and are not being accurately represented by their negotiators.  The district should speak publicly to those teachers and not rely on the negotiators to accurately inform the union members of the district’s position.  Of course, all of this assumes that the district has a firm position.

Posted by Owen at 0757 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

1. The Oshkosh school district is taking that approach – the Northwestern’s report says anything above 2% increase in compensation, “teachers must decide between their pay or jobs.” I took an approach similar to what you suggest in advocating against Appleton’s (ultimately defeated) referendum last February.

   One way to look at it: If you believe taxes should be increased so next year’s contract can be settled at 4% or more and 30 new teachers hired, vote yes on the referendum; if you believe union members could voluntarily come to the table with a no-increase position, so 30 new teachers can be hired, vote No on the referendum.

   The challenge is voters, taxpayers and parents – and the unions know it. How could my child possibly survive in a classroom of 30 unruly kids?

   Posted by Jo Egelhoff on February 04, 2010 at 1042 hrs
   
   
   

2. “Teachers are not in it for the money, but they are not embarrassed about the money they make. They earn it.”

   The teachers’ association is proposing a salary increase of 1 percent the first year, and 3 percent and 4 percent in contract years two and three, respectively.

   Our community is getting hammered by unemployment, lost homes, dwindling savings, and 201K’s. And our unsympathetic/ruthless Teachers come up with this??

   There must be a Board Member or Teacher that can tell us “It’s for the Kids”

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on February 04, 2010 at 1136 hrs
   
   
   

3. Initial claims for jobless benefits rose by 8,000 to 480,000 in the week ended Jan. 30, the department said in its weekly report. The previous week’s level was revised upward to 472,000 from 470,000. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires expected initial claims to decrease by 10,000.

   “The latest figures are clearly concerning, as they raise the possibility that claims are stabilizing at a high level,” said Abiel Reinhart, economist at J.P. Morgan Chase.

   Companies appear to be reluctant to hire even as the recovery takes hold, preferring to keep labor costs contained as they wait for further signs of the economy’s strength. This means they are able to get more from existing work forces.

   And you want Raises….......................................
   Heartless…..............

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on February 04, 2010 at 1234 hrs
   
   
   

4. Where are all of those outspoken teachers from the TAX TO THE MAX debate?

   Liars…

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on February 04, 2010 at 1552 hrs
   
   
   

5. owen- you’re a bright guy. Why do you want folks to take the numbers you give at face value? the 1 to 7 ratio? Surely your not saying those are the numbers represented within the bargain.

   Most of the private schools in town operate at about a 1 to 14 or 15 ratio - including administration

   can you assure me those are “apples to apples” numbers? I am suspicious.

   Posted by Mike on February 04, 2010 at 1837 hrs
   
   
   

6. I have to admit I was astounded when I saw the position of the union. 

   I will strongly disagree that the districts position is weak.  We have looked to get a 0% increase in the first year and concessions on health care.  Understand the binding arbitration laws have changed.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on February 04, 2010 at 2041 hrs
   
   
   

7. 1,000 district employees for 7,200 kids.  That’s a 1 to 7 ratio (roughly).  Most ...private schools ... operate at about a 1 to 14 or 15 ratio - including administration”

   Apples to oranges, Deceiver.  Owen, what is the percentage of special needs children in the private schools v. the public schools?  How many 18-21 year old special-needs students do the private schools serve?  The public schools get the bulk: students with (adult) diapers, blind, deaf, wheelchairs, children who will never be able to be independent, homeless, scarred, uber-poor, etc.  The special needs numbers affect performance scores too.  ... just details of course. 

   On teacher being accurately represented by their negotiators:
   The negotiations team interacts with teachers in all buildings after hours through informative sessions followed by Q&A, the results of which are analyzed by the negotiations team and directed towards acquiring a sell-able contract. Then after they believe they have acquired a marketable contract, the proposed contract is put to a vote. A no vote means the old contract stays.

   The district’s position has been stated in black and white.  While admin. public info sessions would be appropriate in a private setting, in this setting such approaches would be inefficient.

   Jo’s point is a bit unclear.

   I completely agree that you getting paid more just for obtaining another degree is absolutely asinine.

   Cheerleaders: taxtothemax, smeety (Tom Schmitt?), ...awaiting crusher.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on February 04, 2010 at 2041 hrs
   
   
   

8. JPenterman,

   I don;t know the % or number of special needs student in the district, but I did a little math. Assuming the goal is to get the staff to student ratio of non-special needs students to 1:14, then if the special needs population would need to be about 300 or about 4% if the staff to special needs student ratio is 1:1. If the staff to special needs ratio is 1:2, then there would need to be about 1130 special needs students or 15.7% of the student population.

   Assuming the special needs population is somewhere in the middle, then in order to have a staff to non-special needs students in line with the private schools, then you need to justify that special need students need a staff to student ratio of between 1:1 and 1:2.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on February 04, 2010 at 2106 hrs
   
   
   

9. Elovrich,
   “special needs students staff/student ratio of between 1:1 and 1:2.”  A blind or severely cognitively disabled student would require 1 to 1 aide or teacher ratios.

   A detailed answer to the special needs population, services, and staff to student ratio would be better served from the central office.
   The answer(s) to your question is complex and way out of my league.  If you are able to acquire permission to observe spec. ed. aides and teachers in action, the experience will be eye-opening.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on February 05, 2010 at 0021 hrs
   
   
   

10. The staff to student ratio is closer to 10:1 when you use full time FTE rather than just staff numbers. Staff includes everything from teachers to janitors to office staff to admin to special ed aides. Many of those employees on the list are part time, or teacher substitutes listed as employees. Student teacher ratio is 16 or 17 to 1.
    Special ed students are something like 12% of the student population

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on February 05, 2010 at 0859 hrs
    
    
    

11. JP;

    I know that some students will require 1:1 attention, guides/readers for the blind, ASL translators for the deaf, but the STAFF ratio is higher, there are teachers, support personell, etc.

    The point I was getting across is that the argument that to get the staff:student ratio for the “normal” student population anywhere near the that of the private schools (assuming Owen;s figures are correct) would either require 1:1 or 1:2 ratio for the special needs students (obviously not something that is happening unless that guide/reader or ASL translator is also teaching every subject, handling all admin work, cleaning halls) OR the special need population is well in excess of 50%.  I just don’t see it as a valid argument.  How about we get some numbers?  How many special need students?  How many total FTE?  How many FTE for the special needs?  That way we can exclude those and see how the two stack up together, apples to apples.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on February 05, 2010 at 1001 hrs
    
    
    

12. Elo…
    Contact for info request
    Office of the Superintendent - Admin Assistant 262-335-5435

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on February 05, 2010 at 1253 hrs
    
    
    

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