Representative Assembly Delegates Take Aim at Revenue Controls, Bargaining Law

Delegates to the 1996 WEAC Representative Assembly strongly urged the repeal of a state law that financially handcuffs Wisconsin public schools.

"The revenue cap is destructive to quality education," according to a motion adopted by the nearly 900 delegates. "Some school districts are already feeling the pinch of fewer dollars to spend on programs and staff. Lay-offs and cuts in programs are becoming a reality. Due to the importance of this issue for all school districts, it is imperative that WEAC work to introduce this legislation and work for its passage."

The 1993 revenue cap law severly restricts the amount of money school districts are allowed to raise through a combination of state aids and the local property tax.

The motion — referred to as a New Business Item — also called for repeal of the 1993 law that gutted Wisconsin's public employee collective bargaining law. Under the new law, a school district can avoid arbitration simply by making a "Qualified Economic Offer," which provides as little as 2.1% in teacher salary increases.

Delegates — meeting in La Crosse April 26-28 — approved several other New Business Items, including one supporting the AFT's Bill of Rights and Responsibilities for Learning.

But much of the discussion was over WEAC's ongoing campaign to mobilize membership, strengthen the union, repress anti-education efforts, promote pro-education legislation, and improve the public image of public education and school employees.

"Member involvement is absolutely crucial for all our activities, from the classroom to the courtroom," said WEAC President Terry Craney.

"There are three kinds of organizations in this world: those that make things happen, those that let things happen, and those that ask 'What happened?' " Craney said. "I, for one, am determined to see that we are an organization that makes things happen. And that means all of us — ESP members, teachers, WTCS, students, retired members, and state employees."

Craney told delegates that member support has made WEAC an organization that made things happen over the past year. Craney listed some of WEAC's accomplishments, including:

• Development of a pro-active legislative agenda.
• The Strong Locals Project in the Affiliated Relations Division.
• A review of the bargaining goals process and technological innovations in the Collective Bargaining/Research Division.
• The Communications Division's projects designed to improve WEAC's public image.
• Legal victories such as the Supreme Court ruling preserving the Department of Public Instruction.

"We stand together in all our fights," Craney said. "Our next battles are right around the corner and our unity is just as important as ever if we want to make things happen."

Craney personally called on the governor and the Legislature to repeal the QEO law, terming it a "bizarre experiment with our public schools and our public school educators."

Craney said the upcoming elections are "the most important in recent history. If we are going to start punching holes in the revenue caps and start advancing our pro-active legislative agenda, we need to elect pro-public education candidates."

WEAC will support any candidates, no matter their political party, as long as they "stand for the rights of children, the right of equity in funding of education, and for the right of employee dignity through collective bargaining," Craney said.

Craney told delegates the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court overturning of the dismantling of the Department of Public Education and creation of a new Department of Education with an appointed secretary was a major victory, but there are still challenges ahead.

"We must continue our fight to oppose private school vouchers," Craney said. "With revenue caps in place, public school systems don't have the necessary funds to maintain quality educational programs. It is, therefore, unthinkable that the state Legislature is diverting public dollars to private and religious schools.

"Finally, we must increase support for and confidence in quality public education in Wisconsin," Craney said. "WEAC is at the beginning stages of an exciting new program, the Vanguard Project, to do just that." The Vanguard program is one part of a strategic action plan designed to aggressively promote public education and pro-education legislation.

"We can be standing here a year from now or two years from now asking what happened, but that will only occur if we let things happen to us," Craney concluded. "If, on the other hand, we use the power of our 80,000 members, if we are unified and act collectively to advance our cause, we will be an organization that makes things happen."

Posted May 1, 1996