Thorp, Central High Achieve Bargaining Standards
Two more local associations have settled teacher contracts
that meet the WEAC Statewide Bargaining Standards. They are the Thorp
Education Association and Kenosha County unit representing teachers at
Central High School of Westosha.
As of early March, 2002, four locals have met the standards.
The other two are the Marathon County Special Educators Association and
the Hudson unit of the West Central Education Association. More than 300
districts are still without settled contracts for 2001-03.
Rick Moore, director at Southern Lakes United Educators,
said the Central High School contract provides increases of just over
3.4% per cell in each year of the contract and no take-backs. The union
did discuss long-term care during bargaining.
Moore credited the local association for going to great
lengths to involve all members and the community and to bring pressure
on the school board. The association formed a crisis committee very early
in the process, and members engaged in a variety of activities, including
wearing buttons, working to the clock, dropping voluntary committees,
writing letters to the school board and passing out information to the
community, Moore said.
He said the district is in a much more favorable economic
position than many districts, and teacher salaries were low compared to
other districts in the area. Central High is a unit within the School
Professional Employees Association of Kenosha County (SPEAK).
Judith Smriga, negotiator for the Thorp Education Association,
said its new contract concentrates the salary money in the first year
but averages more than 3.4% per cell per year, with no take-backs. The
salary schedule was completely restructured. Long-term care was discussed
at the table.
Smriga said Thorp teacher salaries were among the lowest
in the state, and the district had trouble keeping attracting teachers.
Negotiations got “sticky” at times, but job actions were not
necessary, she said.
Resource page
on the Qualified Economic Offer law
Posted March 5, 2002