Arbitrator Rules in Favor of MTI

An independent arbitrator has ruled in favor of Madison Teachers Incorporated in its contract dispute with the Madison Metropolitan School District.

The arbitrator on June 27 chose MTI's last offer over the school district's offer. It's the first arbitration decision involving economic issues to go to arbitration since the 1993 imposition of revenue controls and the QEO.

MTI Executive Director John Matthews said the ruling provides Madison's teachers with an additional $4.9 million in salary and benefits over the district's final two-year offer. He said the decision helps ensure that teacher salaries will not be further eroded by inflation, and helps preserve Madison's highly qualified teaching staff and excellent education programs in the school district.

The arbitrator's ruling found the district exaggerated the value of fringe benefit increases. Arbitrator Harvey Nathan's ruling said, "In effect it used this element to justify what is virtually a wage freeze for a majority of the senior teachers while at the same time maintaining a surplus in its general fund, which was neither planned nor necessary."

The ruling also found the district can pay what the union was seeking without threatening its financial stability; and the district's proposed raises were lower than what other public employees in the Madison area received.

Matthews said the award should have no impact on property taxes: the additional costs can be paid out of existing district funds.

Under the arbitrator's award, the base wage will increase .04% retroactively to August 22, 1995. Each teacher will receive a $1,000 one-time payment. Base wages will increase an additional 3% beginning with the 1996-97 school year.

MTI's news release

Posted June 27, 1996