Trust Leads to Fair Settlement

By Terry Lawler

Marlene Ott

Marlene Ott, an English teacher at South Milwaukee High School and chief negotiator for the South Milwaukee Education Association, is very pleased with the new South Milwaukee contract for 2003-05.

“The contract is very good in the current economic climate: 3.2% per cell in the first year and 3.0% per cell in the second year,” she said.

Ott attributed successful negotiations in South Milwaukee for over a decade to the “mutual respect that has been built between the union, central office personnel, and the school board.” However, she remembers when negotiations in the district were considerably more “rancorous.”

“I think my worst memory is of teachers picketing parents’ night at a high school football game. It’s tough to do that and face students and parents the next day.”

All of this occurred just before the QEO was put into effect. Both the board at that time and the teachers realized that there had to be a better way to settle a contract.

“Both sides decided to practice consensus bargaining, and negotiations have gone more smoothly ever since.”

Ott acknowledged that consensus bargaining calls for a great deal of trust on both sides of the table.

“We look at issues, and bring forth concerns rather than solutions,” she said. “We agree on the order in which items will be dealt with. This requires trust between the board and SMEA, but it also requires that the teachers trust the bargaining team. Everyone on the bargaining team must go through consensus bargaining training.”

Tom Coonan

So, even though the current contract was not ratified until December 2003, “no one was worried that it would not be settled satisfactorily.”

Things were a little tense, though. Tom Coonan, a 5th-grade teacher and member of the negotiation team, recalled, “The school board didn’t just agree to everything. The contract fell in place at the last moment. We gave a little, they gave a little, and we got a contract that was mutually agreeable.”

Eric Van Ert, the librarian at South Milwaukee High School and president of SMEA added, “We have a good understanding of individuals on the board. We practice full disclosure in negotiations, and it’s obvious to us that staff in this district are valued and appreciated.”

That appreciation is demonstrated by the fact that full health coverage for retirees is maintained in the contract. Retirees may also choose a cash-out option. The contract provides a $100 single/$200 family deductible plan, but the cost is more than covered by an extra 1% on the salary schedule. For drug coverage, teachers will have a $5/$10/$25 drug card. Teachers who enjoy health coverage through a spouse’s employer can opt to receive $500 per month in a TSA. This will increase to $550 per month on July 1, 2004.

Eric Van Ert

The per-cell salary increases are particularly important, Van Ert said. “In the past, the SMEA was allowed to distribute increases where it chose on the salary schedule. In that process, the bulk of the money often goes to either the bottom of the schedule or the top,” and this can cause discord among the teachers.

What makes the settlement even more remarkable is that South Milwaukee is building a new high school and renovating the old one to house junior high students as a result of a $42 million referendum.

Coonan explained, “The district is going through declining enrollment. It hasn’t quite reached the high school yet, but elementary and junior high numbers are going down. Part of the reason is that the current junior high is an old facility. Many parents have sent their children to parochial or other private schools. We hope that the new junior high facility will draw those students back and the new senior high will bring us students under open enrollment.”

The new high school facility will feature a state-of-the-art theater that will be marketed to groups outside the district, and a fitness center that will be run by the city’s recreation department and offer memberships to community members.

Still, there are painful decisions to be made in South Milwaukee. Due to lost enrollment, the board has had to cut $1.4 million from this year’s budget and will have to cut an additional $800,000 to $900,000 next year. Ott, Van Ert and Coonan acknowledged that there will be staff cuts.

Ott believes that South Milwaukee can maintain its positive working atmosphere.

“It may be a cliché that good teaching conditions equal good learning conditions, but I sincerely believe that, and I think my fellow negotiators agree. The board and the teachers have a mutual interest in assuring a financially healthy district and a staff that feels valued and respected.”

Posted February 27, 2004