Teachers Could Face Cuts in Longevity Pay
The WEAC Collective Bargaining-Research Campus has identified 43 districts
in which teachers would experience a reduction or freeze in their step
increases should the districts impose a Qualified Economic Offer (QEO).
Many more districts may still be added to the list.
Step, or longevity, increases are an integral component of teacher salary
schedules that help build up teacher pay based on years of experience.
Step increases vary by amount (from $200 to 3%) and number (from 12 to14
steps).
In effect, salary schedules function as a "promissory note."
Teachers, who receive the lowest starting pay of any profession requiring
a four-year college degree, are promised enhancements in pay as they gain
experience and remain with a district.
However, recent high increases in health insurance rates are sometimes
consuming all of the 3.8% total increase prescribed by the QEO law and
are forcing many districts to reduce salary increases promised to teachers.
If benefit costs rise too much, salaries might come down to keep the total
contract at 3.8%.
In a few districts this year, money will actually be taken off the salary
schedule, reducing take-home pay for teachers. This happens when a district
cannot "save" enough money by freezing all step increases promised
to teachers.
Districts with step reductions, freezes or
salary rollbacks if a QEO were imposed
– November 14, 2001 – | Alma Center | step increase reduced to 86% | | Altoona | step increase reduced to 86% | | Blair Taylor | step increase reduced to 28% | | Crivitz | step increase reduced | | D.C. Everest | step increase reduced to 4% | | Denmark | step increase reduced | | Elmwood | step increase reduced to 67% | | Frederic | step increase reduced | | Gillett | step increase reduced | | Glenwood City | step increase reduced to 83% | | Hurley | step increase reduced | | Kewaunee | step increase reduced | | Lena | step increase reduced | | Luxemburg-Casco | step increase reduced | | Maple Dale Indian
Hill | step increase reduced | | Marion | step increase frozen | | Mayville | step increase reduced | | Menominee Indian | step increase reduced | | Mercer | step increase reduced | | Mount Horeb | step increase reduced | | New Richmond | step increse reduced to 56% | | Oconomowoc | step increase frozen | | Oconto-- | step increase reduced | | Oconto Falls | step increase reduced | | Pardeeville | step increase reduced (year 2) | | Park Falls | step increase reduced | | Pepin | step increase reduced to 86% | | River Ridge | step increase frozen | | River Valley | step increase reduced | | Sevastopol | step increase reduced | | Somerset | step increase reduced to 77% | | Southern Door | step increase reduced | | Sturgeon Bay | step increase reduced | | Suring | step increase reduced | | Wauwatosa | step increase reduced | | Bristol | salary rollback | | Germantown | salary rollback | | Lake Geneva | salary rollback | | Menomonee Falls | salary rollback | | Salem J2 | salary rollback | | St. Francis | salary rollback | | Trevor | salary rollback | | Washington-Caldwell | salary rollback (year 2) | | | |
Posted December 4, 2001