MTEA Members Rally for Fair Bargaining
Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association President Bob Lehmann presents
petitions signed by 6,500 people to the Milwaukee School Board.
More than 2,000 Milwaukee teachers, education support
professionals and supporters rallied at the school administration building
Monday (April 26, 2004) to demand that the administration and school
board engage in intensive bargaining to reach a fair settlement.
The huge crowd gathered at the Milwaukee Teachers'
Education Association building, marched across the street, rallied outside
the school administration building, and then packed into the board meeting
room to present petitions signed by approximately 6,500 people.
"Up until now, we've been silent," said
MTEA President Bob Lehmann. "We will be silent no more."
School
board members refused to come out and start their meeting while the
room was filled with teachers and education support professionals chanting
and carrying signs that read, "Attract and Retain."
One by one, representatives from each of the district's
160 schools placed before the empty board seats petitions demanding
that the board begin bargaining a contract that attracts and retains
quality educators.
After the crowd left, board members came out and conducted
a meeting at which Superintendent William Andrekopoulos presented a
2004-05 budget proposal that eliminates 394 full-time jobs, including
about 300 teaching positions.
At the outside rally preceding the board meeting,
WEAC President Stan Johnson told MTEA members that they are not alone
in their battle for respect.
"Do not let them say there is not enough money
to fund your schools," Johnson said. "You are in for the fight,
and we are in for the fight. Keep it going. We're behind you 100%."
The petitions presented to the board state:
Whereas, contacts talks between the MTEA's teacher team and
the school board's team began over a year ago, and little progress
has been made, and
Whereas, the teacher team has made every effort to discuss
a broad range of issues that will support quality teaching and learning
in MPS, and
Whereas, the turnover crisis in MPS is thwarting district
efforts to improve student achievement - and must be resolved through
long-term, creative solutions, and
Whereas, the bargaining proposals presented by the board's
team - especially those shifting health care costs to employees -
would harm MPS efforts to attract and retain highly qualified educators,
and
Whereas, the teacher contract expired on June 30, 2003,
Therefore, we, the undersigned, demand that the school board
direct Superintendent Andrekopoulos and the board's team to immediately
engage in intensive bargaining to reach a fair contract settlement.
Posted April 27, 2004