QEO Law is Unfair
The Qualified Economic Offer law is unfair, harms the quality of education
in Wisconsin, and destroys collective bargaining, WEAC President Terry
Craney told the Senate Education Committee Wednesday (November 12, 1997).
"The problem with the QEO is that it singles out one profession
-- teachers -- to bear the burden of tax relief efforts. ...
"The QEO is prohibiting teachers from receiving fair salaries.
In fact, they are not keeping up with inflation. ...
"Teachers throughout the state are frustrated by the QEO. That
frustration is growing daily."
Craney submitted written testimony to the committee on a bill that
would repeal the QEO law.
The QEO law was passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor
in 1993. It replaced the mediation-arbitration law for settling teacher
contract disputes. The QEO law removes the ability of teachers to take
their contract disputes to arbitration unless the school board agrees.
The law has led to considerable labor unrest throughout the state.
Between 1993 and 1995, Craney said, Wisconsin's median household income
grew 22.24%. In that same period, teacher salaries rose only 6.1%. The
inflation rate has been around 3% the last few years, while teacher
salaries have increased less than 2%.
Although the QEO is billed as a law that provides 3.8% increases to
teachers, that is a "cooked" number, Craney said, and teachers
receive far less than that.
Craney also said the QEO is harming the quality of education by removing
quality-of-education issues -- such as class size and teacher preparation
-- from discussion at the bargaining table.
"Children are the ultimate losers," he said.
As a result of the QEO, Craney said, 20 years of labor peace in Wisconsin
schools has come to an end. Job actions and talk of teacher strikes
are now common.
"No teacher wants to engage in job actions," he said. "They
are a last resort. Teachers have no recourse. Teachers would much rather
be in their classrooms helping students prepare for jobs or higher education.
The QEO is preventing that. The QEO is hurting our schools, our children,
and the lives of the professionals who work in our schools.
"If Wisconsin is to continue to be number one in public education,
teachers must have a non-confrontational process to settle contracts.
SB 318 would re-establish a fair process that worked for 20 years."
Posted November 12, 1997