Teachers to Bring Message to Madison: QEO Must Go
Scores of teachers will converge on Madison November 12 to support
a bill repealing the Qualified Economic Offer law. November 12 is the
day the Senate Education Committee will hear testimony on SB 318, which
would restore arbitration to the negotiations process for teachers.
“The QEO is an inequitable and discriminatory law that singles
out one profession for punishment,” WEAC President Terry Craney
said. “This law is a complete failure and must be repealed.”
Teachers and other supporters of public education plan to pack the
Senate hearing and tell senators why the law is so damaging.
“The QEO applies only to teachers, the majority of whom are women,”
Craney said. “Teacher salaries are falling behind the cost of living
as districts find the QEO is not a one-size-fits-all law: different
communities have different needs. The QEO imposes rigid rules that just
don’t work.”
Craney said the QEO is damaging the quality of education in Wisconsin.
“The QEO is reducing collaboration between school employees and
school districts,” Craney said. “It has prevented discussions
of educational issues like class size and has created frustration for
teachers who have no voice at the bargaining table.”
Craney said the QEO has destroyed collective bargaining for teachers.
“The law allows districts to unilaterally impose QEOs, taking
away the ability to negotiate,” he said.
The law has resulted in the disruption of labor peace in many school
districts in Wisconsin.
“Without arbitration, teachers have lost recourse to an objective
third party who can make independent decisions in disputes,” Craney
said. “As teacher frustation increases, they take the only actions
they can to publicize their dilemmas, such as working to contract and
walk-ins. We can expect to see more teacher unrest until the QEO is
repealed.”
The hearing begins at 1 p.m. in the Senate Chamber of 119 Martin Luther
King Jr. Blvd in Madison. Testimony on the QEO bill is not expected
until 2:30 or so.
“I encourage all educators and friends of public education to
come to the hearing, either to testify or to show support,” Craney
said. “If the state can destroy the collective bargaining process
for teachers, it can do the same for other workers.”
Lead sponsors of the bill are senators Kevin Shibilski and Joe Wineke;
and representatives Tammy Baldwin and Wayne Wood. Co-sponsors are senators
Brian Burke, Gary George, Roger Breske, Fred Risser and Alice Clausing;
and representatives Barbara Linton, John Ryba, Joe Plouff, John Lehman,
Frank Boyle, Antonio Riley, Peter Bock Doris Hanson, Rebecca Young and
Spencer Black.
Posted November 7, 1997