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Ray Heideman and Mary Bell, co-chairs of the Bargaining Goals Committee, honored Marie Knutson of the Amery ESP bargaining team and the Kenosha Education ESP bargaining team during the WEAC Fall Conference on October 5, 2002.
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Marie Knutson and Ray Heideman
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At the start of contentious negotiations for the Amery ESP local, Knutson encouraged her team to walk out when the administration's team refused to discuss a fair offer, Heideman said. Skyrocketing insurance costs put a damper on the administration's willingness to offer a salary increase. Instead, the administration wanted Amery ESP members to pay a higher portion of their insurance premiums, or lose part of their coverage.
"She told the superintendent that she would keep walking out" until the tone of the discussion changed, Heideman said. After several negotiation sessions, the Amery ESP members ratified a contract that included an 8% salary increase and insurance premiums paid by the employer.
The contract also included a week of paid vacation and the addition of a Tax-Sheltered Annuity plan for retirement savings.
After the Amery contract was settled, Knutson helped negotiate a contract for members in a neighboring local.
After receiving the award, Knutson thanked the leadership of her UniServ, Northwest United Educators. Through tears, she also thanked her husband for his support.
Members of the Kenosha Education Support Professional bargain team display
their 2002 Paul Bierbrauer Awards.
Members of the Kenosha ESP bargaining team also entered a contentious bargain for the 2002-03 year. Team members Kathleen Anderson, Dawn Antrim, Kathleen Basler, Judith Clark, Rodger Dunn, Ray Heideman, Wilma Johnson, Carol Lesnik, Kathleen Lusiak, Marsha Richter and Helen Thomas negotiated a contract that includes tuition reimbursement and paid leave for student teaching. "We wanted the administration to solve teacher shortages by encouraging ESP members to get teacher certification," Heideman said.
Former UniServ Director Bob Baxter helped advise the team during the bargaining process. "We were very disciplined," he said. "We set lofty goals and did everything we could to achieve them."
Bargaining
team members of the Denmark Association of Support Personnel also received
a special recognition certificate for their excellence in contract negotiations.
Members of the team are Kay Hansen, Rick Fischer, Nancy Schlies, Karen
Kane, Kathy Paquet, and Bev Skalestski.