Wisconsin Teachers

[Rob Iola]

Some anecdotal feedback re the Conk attack on their collective bargaining rights:

"This is a disaster," said Mark Miller, the Wisconsin Senate Democratic leader, in February after Republican Gov. Scott Walker proposed a budget bill that would curtail the collective bargaining powers of some public employees. Miller predicted catastrophe if the bill were to become law -- a charge repeated thousands of times by his fellow Democrats, union officials, and protesters in the streets.

Now the bill is law, and we have some very early evidence of how it is working. And for one beleaguered Wisconsin school district, it's a godsend, not a disaster.

The Kaukauna School District, in the Fox River Valley of Wisconsin near Appleton, has about 4,200 students and about 400 employees. It has struggled in recent times and this year faced a deficit of $400,000. But after the law went into effect, at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, school officials put in place new policies they estimate will turn that $400,000 deficit into a $1.5 million surplus. And it's all because of the very provisions that union leaders predicted would be disastrous.

In the past, teachers and other staff at Kaukauna were required to pay 10 percent of the cost of their health insurance coverage and none of their pension costs. Now, they'll pay 12.6 percent of the cost of their coverage (still well below rates in much of the private sector) and also contribute 5.8 percent of salary to their pensions. The changes will save the school board an estimated $1.2 million this year, according to board President Todd Arnoldussen.

Of course, Wisconsin unions had offered to make benefit concessions during the budget fight. Wouldn't Kaukauna's money problems have been solved if Walker had just accepted those concessions and not demanded cutbacks in collective bargaining powers?

"The monetary part of it is not the entire issue," says Arnoldussen, a political independent who won a spot on the board in a nonpartisan election. Indeed, some of the most important improvements in Kaukauna's outlook are because of the new limits on collective bargaining.

In the past, Kaukauna's agreement with the teachers union required the school district to purchase health insurance coverage from something called WEA Trust -- a company created by the Wisconsin teachers union. "It was in the collective bargaining agreement that we could only negotiate with them," says Arnoldussen. "Well, you know what happens when you can only negotiate with one vendor." This year, WEA Trust told Kaukauna that it would face a significant increase in premiums.

Now, the collective bargaining agreement is gone, and the school district is free to shop around for coverage. And all of a sudden, WEA Trust has changed its position. "With these changes, the schools could go out for bids, and lo and behold, WEA Trust said, 'We can match the lowest bid,'" says Republican state Rep. Jim Steineke, who represents the area and supports the Walker changes. At least for the moment, Kaukauna is staying with WEA Trust, but saving substantial amounts of money.

Then there are work rules. "In the collective bargaining agreement, high school teachers only had to teach five periods a day, out of seven," says Arnoldussen. "Now, they're going to teach six." In addition, the collective bargaining agreement specified that teachers had to be in the school 37 1/2 hours a week. Now, it will be 40 hours.

The changes mean Kaukauna can reduce the size of its classes -- from 31 students to 26 students in high school and from 26 students to 23 students in elementary school. In addition, there will be more teacher time for one-on-one sessions with troubled students. Those changes would not have been possible without the much-maligned changes in collective bargaining.

Teachers' salaries will stay "relatively the same," Arnoldussen says, except for higher pension and health care payments. (The top salary is around $80,000 per year, with about $35,000 in additional benefits, for 184 days of work per year -- summers off.) Finally, the money saved will be used to hire a few more teachers and institute merit pay.
...

http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/ ... l-district" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[YoUDeeMan]

The union forced the state to do business only with a union owned health care company. WTF?

Teachers unions do NOTHING for the children...and nothing for education. Never have. They should be illegal.

[GannonFan]

The union forced the state to do business only with a union owned health care company. WTF?

Teachers unions do NOTHING for the children...and nothing for education. Never have. They should be illegal.

It's actually common for teacher unions to force states to only bargain with one specific, same-union-related entity like that. Wisconsin wasn't any different than most places in that regard.

There are plenty of positives of teacher unions - just the fact that one irate and politically connected parent can't decide she/he wants a teacher fired and can do so for giving little johnny some constructive feedback (and a poor grade) is a pretty good one.

With that said, teacher unions have no one to blame but themselves for their current predicament. They have resisted for years any kind of notion that teachers could be evaluated and rather than lead from the front and help come up with a system that is both fair and reflective of how good a teacher is, we're stuck going down the road of how students perform on tests as being a huge arbiter of who is and who isn't teaching well. And just like other unions, teacher unions have operated under the idea of getting as much as they can get in contracts (in pay, in pensions, in benefits) regardless of whether those gains are sustainable long term. The whole "tough luck, they shouldn't have signed the contract" mentality works if you don't care if the company or state you work for goes under eventually. And there's been way too much of a push to hire teachers in the past decade - reduced class size is great, but not at the price it came with - but more teachers pay more in dues so it was hard to resist..

Like most unions, there are some positives that come from having that union, even to those not in the union. But unions have typically focused too intently on the needs and wants of their members while turning a blind eye to the bigger picture and how their members interact with the company/school/state they work for.

[Pwns]

It's actually common for teacher unions to force states to only bargain with one specific, same-union-related entity like that. Wisconsin wasn't any different than most places in that regard.

If that's true, then it's yet another example of how these teachers unions have gotten way out of control and how they are taking taxpayers to the cleaners. I've tried to see both sides of this, I really have. But I can't really come to any conclusion other than teachers unions have formed a symbiotic relationship with politicians to perpetuate a broken and unsustainable system. Kudos to Scott Walker for putting a stop to this nonsense, even if the bill does have its problems.

[kalm]

It's actually common for teacher unions to force states to only bargain with one specific, same-union-related entity like that. Wisconsin wasn't any different than most places in that regard.

If that's true, then it's yet another example of how these teachers unions have gotten way out of control and how they are taking taxpayers to the cleaners. I've tried to see both sides of this, I really have. But I can't really come to any conclusion other than teachers unions have formed a symbiotic relationship with politicians to perpetuate a broken and unsustainable system. Kudos to Scott Walker for putting a stop to this nonsense, even if the bill does have its problems.

What you're missing is that private interests have done exactly the same thing. It's how the game is played.

[Grizalltheway]

If that's true, then it's yet another example of how these teachers unions have gotten way out of control and how they are taking taxpayers to the cleaners. I've tried to see both sides of this, I really have. But I can't really come to any conclusion other than teachers unions have formed a symbiotic relationship with politicians to perpetuate a broken and unsustainable system. Kudos to Scott Walker for putting a stop to this nonsense, even if the bill does have its problems.

What you're missing is that private interests have done exactly the same thing. It's how the game is played.

Yeah, but the private interests are CAPITALIST HEROES, kalm. Teachers don't do anything for society.

[AZGrizFan]

What you're missing is that private interests have done exactly the same thing. It's how the game is played.

Yeah, but the private interests are CAPITALIST HEROES, kalm. Teachers don't do anything for society.

And there's about 300 threads on cs.com about that very fact....quit trying to hijack this thread with it.

[SDHornet]

Good article. Whose got the odds that the teachers union won't give a fuck about the improved fiscal performance and still stress the broken old system as the way to go?

[YoUDeeMan]

There are plenty of positives of teacher unions - just the fact that one irate and politically connected parent can't decide she/he wants a teacher fired and can do so for giving little johnny some constructive feedback (and a poor grade) is a pretty good one.

Pissing off the wrong person and potentially losing a job is a part of any occupation. As in the private world, one would have to hope for a good manager/admin to handle that situation properly.

[89Hen]

What you're missing is that private interests have done exactly the same thing. It's how the game is played.

Yeah, but the private interests are CAPITALIST HEROES, kalm. Teachers don't do anything for society.

Take off your blinders and admit this article is spot on.

[BigSkyBears]

What you're missing is that private interests have done exactly the same thing. It's how the game is played.

Yeah, but the private interests are CAPITALIST HEROES, kalm. Teachers don't do anything for society.

I don't???

[citdog]

Yeah, but the private interests are CAPITALIST HEROES, kalm. Teachers don't do anything for society.

I don't???

No you don't. You indoctrinate our youth into the globalist, bankster, and One World Government programs of the elite. At least that's what expandospanos told me.

[CID1990]

There are plenty of positives of teacher unions - just the fact that one irate and politically connected parent can't decide she/he wants a teacher fired and can do so for giving little johnny some constructive feedback (and a poor grade) is a pretty good one.

Pissing off the wrong person and potentially losing a job is a part of any occupation. As in the private world, one would have to hope for a good manager/admin to handle that situation properly.

Yeah, I was going to say, "Welcome to the real world of public service.... where have you been?"

If you don't like being beholden to an unwashed public or political issues, then get out. I know that's just a variation on the old "you don't have to work here" thing, but public servants DO enjoy a lot perks that the average Joe just does not, even without union protections. I have been in public service all my life and it is pretty much true everywhere.

Plus, there are ample protections against the scenario you listed even where there are no unions.

[Bronco]

"When school children start paying union dues, that's when I'll start representing the interests of school children."
- Albert Shanker

President, United Federation Of Teachers, (1964-1984)

[Bronco]

-
Shocking news

Teachers union endorses Obama
chicagobreakingnews.com ^ | July 4, 2011 | Tara Malone


The nation's largest teachers union voted Monday to support President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election bid, marking one of the earliest union endorsements for the administration.

About 72 percent of the National Education Association's representative assembly voted to recommend the president's candidacy to its 3.2 million members, despite past disagreements between the Obama administration and many rank-and-file teachers who dislike parts of the president's reform agenda.

An estimated 5,414 members cast their support for the president while 2,102 members said no during the summer convention held in Chicago.

The NEA becomes one of the first labor unions to formally support the president in 2012.

"We have the same shared vision of America. (The president) has always talked about the importance of education from preschool to the graduate level," said NEA President Dennis Van Roekel. " I don't mind fighting on how to get to that shared vision. I believe out of that discussion may come ideas that neither one of us thought about and may be better."

It is the earliest endorsement ever made by the union, according to Van Roekel. Indeed, the Republican field of candidates has not winnowed to a single candidate to oppose the president.


(Excerpt) Read more at chicagobreakingnews.com ...


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[BigSkyBears]

I don't???

No you don't. You indoctrinate our youth into the globalist, bankster, and One World Government programs of the elite. At least that's what expandospanos told me.

I must admit you wouldn't like my history class Cit. I'm not a neo-confederate such as yourself, but I know my content.

[citdog]

No you don't. You indoctrinate our youth into the globalist, bankster, and One World Government programs of the elite. At least that's what expandospanos told me.

I must admit you wouldn't like my history class Cit. I'm not a neo-confederate such as yourself, but I know my content.

There ain't NOTHING neo about me.

[youtube][/youtube]



You say I wouldn't like your class? Do you not teach your children the FACTS of our Second War for Independence?

[kalm]

Yeah, but the private interests are CAPITALIST HEROES, kalm. Teachers don't do anything for society.

I don't???

You see, BSB, there are producers in society and there are takers. Not only are you a taker, you're of the worst sort. You're a worker bee for a government monopoly that coerces hard working taxpayers into paying you far more than you are worth - sometimes even in excess of the national median income. In essence, you steal other people's money by manipulating elections through your union. It's really quite unheard of.

[Rob Iola]

I must admit you wouldn't like my history class Cit. I'm not a neo-confederate such as yourself, but I know my content.

There ain't NOTHING neo about me.

Agreed - you're more morpheus than neo...
[youtube][/youtube]

[BigSkyBears]

I don't???

You see, BSB, there are producers in society and there are takers. Not only are you a taker, you're of the worst sort. You're a worker bee for a government monopoly that coerces hard working taxpayers into paying you far more than you are worth - sometimes even in excess of the national median income. In essence, you steal other people's money by manipulating elections through your union. It's really quite unheard of.

Thanks for your thoughts. I love you too.

[BigSkyBears]

I must admit you wouldn't like my history class Cit. I'm not a neo-confederate such as yourself, but I know my content.

There ain't NOTHING neo about me.

[youtube][/youtube]



You say I wouldn't like your class? Do you not teach your children the FACTS of our Second War for Independence?

When you say "facts" you're getting into something deeper that I wont touch here on a message board. E-mail more and we can converse about historical "facts." Not on a silly message board.

[Grizalltheway]

You see, BSB, there are producers in society and there are takers. Not only are you a taker, you're of the worst sort. You're a worker bee for a government monopoly that coerces hard working taxpayers into paying you far more than you are worth - sometimes even in excess of the national median income. In essence, you steal other people's money by manipulating elections through your union. It's really quite unheard of.

Thanks for your thoughts. I love you too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BigSkyBears]

Thanks for your thoughts. I love you too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I realize that.