When debate over public unions flared up in Wisconsin last year,
educators claimed Gov. Scott Walker’s austere reforms would require
thousands of teachers to be laid off.
They were wrong.
With small changes in pension and healthcare contributions
while allowing school districts to buy health insurance plans on
the open market, Walker’s reforms have resulted in what could be
considered a statewide teacher-retention program. School districts
such as Wauwatosa, hometown of Governor Walker and the Weekly
Standard’s Fox News star Stephen Hayes, faced a $6.5 million
deficit and planned to lay off dozens of teachers. But Walker’s
reforms allowed all those teachers to remain employed.
At other large school districts such as LaCrosse, Racine,
Wausau, and Beloit, if there were any layoffs at all, they were
limited to two or fewer. And in addition to retaining teachers, the
reforms have instituted merit-based pay systems that allow
excellent teachers to be rewarded.
However, not all school districts adopted Walker’s reforms
so readily. Milwaukee’s school district, which is immediately east
of Wauwatosa, rammed through a union contact in December, just in
time to avoid being subject to the reforms.
Now it appears the Milwaukee district is reconsidering its
hasty action.
After the City of Milwaukee announced last week that
Milwaukee Public Schools would have to contribute almost 10 million
additional dollars to the city’s pension plan (which covers
non-teaching employees, such as engineers and educational
assistants), the Milwaukee teachers union made the unusual move
to write a joint letter with the non-union school board and
administration, requesting an additional 30 days to negotiate
compensation and benefits.
This request comes on the heels of a 90-day window between
November and February to adjust teacher contracts. As the
legislation signed by Walker, known as Act 10 and Act 65, makes it
impossible to alter existing agreements without nullifying them, a
decision to extend this window will have to be made very soon, as
the Wisconsin legislature’s general session completes its work
today.
However, no matter how badly reforms are necessary, other
union leaders are not happy with the Milwaukee teachers union for
essentially admitting that Gov. Walker was right, especially before
the recall election.
On Tuesday, teacher union leaders who are heavily involved
in the recall fired off a letter to Milwaukee teacher union (MTEA)
leaders Bob Peterson and Sid Hatch. It made their political
concerns crystal clear:
Dear Brothers:
We write to express our grave concern that MTEA has asked
their legislators to introduce and work to pass legislation which
would enable MTEA and the Milwaukee Public Schools to enter into an
agreement in which MTEA would make economic concessions such as
those enacted by Governor Walker’s WI Act 10.
The undersigned believe that such legislation would be
detrimental to our members’ best interests: i.e. our Districts
would likely push for similar legislation, given the precedent
established by MTEA. Further, we believe such legislation will have
an adverse impact on all Wisconsin public employees. Such
legislation will enable Governor Walker to claim victory of his
policy to reign [sic] in public employee wages and benefits.
Because he did not adequately fund education, we are all currently
suffering. Allowing Governor Walker to make such a claim just
before the recall election will prove detrimental to recalling him
and, therefore, will only enhance his ability to further harm all
Wisconsin public employees.
We ask that you immediately withdraw your request for this
legislation.
The letter was signed by union
representatives:
Peggy Coyne, Madison Teachers, Inc. President
John Matthews, MTI Executive Director
Mary B. Modder, Kenosha Education Association President
Joe Kiriski, KEA Executive Director
Toni Lardinois, Green Bay Education Association President
Keith Patt, GBEA Executive Director
Pete Knotek, Racine Education Association President
Jack Bernfeld, REA Executive Director
Asked for a reaction, Brian Fraley, communications
director at the MacIver Institute, a Wisconsin-based conservative
organization that uncovered the letter, did not mince words: “This
letter is physical proof of what many in Wisconsin have long
speculated: That big labor is incredibly worried about citizens
here finding out that the reforms are working.”
Gov. Walker’s spokesman Cullen Werwier added, “The latest
letter from public sector union bosses shows clearly that Democrats
and their allies put their politics before everything else, even
their own members’ jobs. The letter clearly shows how they will put
politics before people.”
Wisconsin Democratic Party spokesman Graeme Zielinski
declined to comment to TAS on the story, noting he had
limited information about the letter as of Wednesday
afternoon.
