Germantown Teachers Demonstrate Solidarity
Germantown School Board negotiators arriving for a mediation session
at the school administration building are met by a show of solidarity
from members of the Germantown Education Association. Large
detailed photo.
Germantown teachers united behind their negotiating
team Tuesday (May 11, 2004) as their long-delayed bargaining with the
school board headed to mediation.
The teachers gathered in front of the school administration
building at the start of a mediation session to demonstrate their solidarity
with the team and to send a message to school board negotiators they
they want to make progress in contract talks.
After more than a year of frustrations in trying to
get the board to seriously bargain, "We decided we had to get the
message out loud and clear," said Germantown Education Association
chief negotiator Dave Berns. "We need a more serious offer from
the school board."
The teachers gathered quietly outside the building,
mostly letting the messages on their signs do the talking: Want the
Best? Don't Pay Less ... 20th out of 20 in Pay (referring to the top
teacher pay compared to area districts) ... Our Pay's So Low, Teachers
Are Gonna Go ... QEO = Lack of Respect ... Will the QEO provide Germantown
with the Best Education in Wisconsin? Get Real! ... Teachers Have Kids
Too!
Berns said Germantown teachers have fallen "significantly
behind" area school districts in teacher pay, and are last among
20 comparable area districts in terms of top teacher salaries.
"As a result, this district is losing a lot of
teachers," he said.
He said the district rushed toward mediation without
giving bargaining a fair chance to succeed. The teachers, he said, want
to bargain and do not want the district to impose a Qualified Economic
Offer. However, the district's bargaining position reflects the QEO
standard for low pay raises that will not bring the district's teacher
salaries back up toward a competitive level.
"I have real concerns about the future of education
in Germantown," Berns said, "not just as a teacher but as
a parent too."
GEA President Tom Wilcox said he was impressed by
the "groundswell of support" that teachers are showing for
their negotiations team.
Wilcox said it takes 16 to 19 years for a teacher
to move through the Germantown salary schedule and reach the top salary,
which is an exceptionally long time. He said Germantown teachers are
seeking a "basic settlement" that will bring salaries back
in line with others in the area.
"We are not asking to be the highest-paid in
the area, but we don't want to be the lowest, which we are now (at the
top of the salary schedule)," he said. The GEA is focused on obtaining:
- A compressed salary schedule.
- More money for salaries.
- Improved retirement language.
- Maintenance of health insurance (the district wants to switch from
the current policy with WEA Insurance Trust).
Following the mediation session, Cedar Lake United Educators Executive
Director Sam Froiland said the board appeared to be more open to the
teachers' salary proposal but did not make a specific counterproposal.
Another negotiation session was scheduled for June 15, and another mediation
session for August 12.
"One of our goals was to keep discussions alive and to continue
in the direction of a voluntary agreement. That much was achieved,"
Froiland said.
Wilcox said that if negotiations don't progress, the GEA is considering
the possibility of implementing job actions.
Posted May 12, 2004