Teachers’ Union Gives Finger to Taxpayers

This reaction was expected.

West Bend School Board members crossed a line when they sent a letter to teachers about labor negotiations Friday, according to the representative of the West Bend Education Association.

   Contract negotiations for teachers in the West Bend School District started last fall, and moved into mediation in February. If a voluntary settlement cannot be reached through mediation, which can take place over a series of meetings, the terms of the contract will be settled through binding arbitration.

   “The approach taken by the board was disrespectful to the membership,” said Jeff Wickland, who is representing the West Bend Education Association and is executive director of Cedar Lake United Educators Council.

   The two-page letter, which was signed by each School Board member, stated that the “current collective bargaining process is going to directly impact the amount that has to be reduced for next year’s budget.”

   Superintendent Pat Herdrich recently recommended $2 million in cuts for 2010-2011 school year budget. The cuts are necessary to bring the budget under the revenue caps, and as a result of reduced state funding for schools, she said.

   “To target our members, their wages and benefits is unfair,” Wickland said. “We are not the problem. The school funding formula is the problem.”

In other words, “FU, give us more money.”  Personnel costs constitute roughly 85% of the district’s budget.  You CAN NOT seriously address the district’s finances without addressing those costs.  The reason that the union doesn’t like the school funding system is that it prevents the board from jacking up taxes to pay higher personnel costs. 

Look, here’s the reality.  Even if the school district taxes to the max again, which will draw even more fire from the public, they will come up short.  The school board does not have the power to change the school funding formula.  It has to play the hand it’s dealt.  And if the union insists on increases in this economy, that money has to come from somewhere.  It will come from programming, teacher jobs, or the other 15% of the budget. 

The school board is doing the right thing here.  There will be consequences if the teachers’ union insists on an increase.  We don’t live in a fantasy land of endless resources here. 

If you are a teacher in West Bend and disagree with your union, it is your responsibility to tell them AND the school board that they don’t speak for you.  Silence is acceptance.