Dozens of Teachers Express Support for Repeal of QEO Law
Dozens of teachers journeyed to Madison from throughout
the state Wednesday (November 12, 1997) to testify in favor of a bill
that would repeal the Qualified Economic Offer law.
 A panel of teachers from north of Milwaukee
testify before the Senate Education Committee. |
Several legislators themselves joined the teachers in
attacking the QEO law as unfair to teachers and destructive to education.
"I think it makes a mockery of our collective bargaining process,"
said Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Madison.
"It hurts the quality of education we are able to provide the
children of Wisconsin," said Sen. Kevin Shibilski, who is the chief
author of the repeal bill.
Shibilski said he supports property tax relief, "but not at the
expense of our children's education."
"Can somebody explain to me," added Sen. Joseph Wineke of
Verona, "why we're taking our education system and throwing it
in the Dumpster for $120 (in average property tax savings) on a one-time
basis?"
But most of the testimony came from teachers who said they, their families,
their students and their schools are experiencing firsthand the impact
of the QEO and school district revenue controls.
Teacher after teacher disputed claims that the QEO provides salary
increases of 3.8%, with many testifying that their salaries have been
increasing at rates of 0.5% up to 1.9%.
"Since the advent
of the QEO, collective bargaining in Hayward has been reduced
to collective begging." |
"Since the advent of the QEO, collective bargaining in Hayward
has been reduced to collective begging," said Hayward teacher Tom
Kuziej.
Milwaukee teacher Bob Lehmann said the starting salary for a Milwaukee
teacher was $23,600 in 1992 and $24,700 in 1997. That is an increase
of 4.5% over five years, he said.
"If teachers truly were receiving, not even the phantom 3.8% increase,
but merely the 2.1% minimum QEO, this figure should be $25,200, or $500
more than reality," he said.
"The simple fact is that this law has created a public belief
that teachers are receiving annual increases of 3.8% when the fact of
the matter is that, under the mandated cast-forward costing method,
teachers have been receiving increases of less than 1% per year and
have lost ground that they can never hope to recover," Lehmann
said.
Bob West, WEAC's director of collective bargaining, blasted the Wisconsin
Association of School Boards, which he said has been distributing false
data to make it appear that teacher salaries are increasing much faster
than they really are.
Referring to those figures as "The Big Lie," West said, "This
(QEO) law was built on this kind of data."
In fact, West said, today's teacher salaries are lower than they were
in 1970, when adjusted for inflation.
"Let's stop cooking the books," West said. "These people
here today know what these lies are all about."
Many teachers appeared before the committee in panels representing
the senate districts of committee members. Teachers filled the floor
seating in the large meeting room and packed a gallery overlooking the
room. They began testifying about 2:30 p.m. and continued until nearly
10:00 p.m..
Some of the other points made by teachers and other supporters of repealing
the QEO:
- The law is unfair because it applies only to teachers. The state's
property tax relief program is being funded primarily at the expense
of teachers.
- The law is discriminatory because it applies only to a profession
made up 70% of women. Administrators, the large majority of whom are
male, are not subject to QEO restrictions.
- The property tax relief program -- composed of increased state aid,
school district revenue controls and restrictions on teacher salaries
-- has failed. After a one-time reduction in property taxes, bills
are expected to start increasing again this year.
- The program is having a devastating impact on schools and children.
Part of the reason for that is that the increased school aid is not
going to schools but is passing through schools to provide property
tax relief -- and much of that relief is going to businesses rather
than homeowners.
- Experienced teachers are especially hurt by the QEO because most
are no longer eligible for education or experience credits and because
the QEO results in a lifelong reduction in retirement benefits.
- The QEO is pitting young teachers against experienced teachers,
who are battling over the few dollars available for salary increases.
- As teacher salaries fall to inflation, fewer of the best and brightest
young people are going to be attracted to the teaching profession,
and the quality of education will be severely affected over time.
- Private sector wages are increasing at twice to triple the rate
of teacher salary increases.
- Teachers should have the same collective bargaining rights as other
employees.
- Teachers are being forced to resort to job actions because the QEO
robs teachers of collective bargaining rights and provides no non-confrontational
options for resolving disputes.
Committee member Sen. Robert Jauch, whose wife is a teacher, strongly
challenged Lt. Gov. Scott McCallum and business lobbyist James Buchen,
both of whom expressed support for continuation of the QEO.
Jauch credited Wisconsin teachers for creating the best education system
in the nation. Now it is up to legislators, he said, to determine whether
to reward them with "a pat on the back or a slap in the face."
Posted November 12, 1997