Taxpayers Can't Afford Teacher Salaries and Benefits Anymore

The world is watching the debate over the Emergency Budget Repair bill before the Wisconsin legislature and with good cause.  Governors, state legislatures, municipalities and school districts are facing mounting deficits and budget shortfalls.  In Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Constitution, the Governor is required by statute to balance the biennial budget. 

That is what this bill is all about.

After reviewing the Racine Education Associations 2009 – 2011 contract, it is easy to see why the union wants to protect their bargaining rights, and taxpayers are not so sympathetic towards the union’s plight. In our district, the disparity in pensions is unheard of for the average Wisconsinite, with teachers contributing zero to their pension.  This is a pension plan that provides a post retirement income based on the highest two year average of salary and a retirement age of 55 with 30 years of service.  Most private sector unions gave some or all of these provisions up nearly a decade ago.

On the health care front, according to the 2009-2011 REA/RUSD Labor Agreement, the members contribute to health care premiums a whopping $19.75 per month for an individual plan and $39.50 per month on a family plan.  Annually, that equates to $237 individual and $474 family.  And yes, there are co-pays of $15.00 per visit if they go anywhere other than the new Wellness Clinic where there is no co-pay.

The union’s argument is that they have given up salary to hold on to these benefits, but again, according to their labor agreement, they collected a 1.4% increase in the 2009/2010 school year, and 1.5% in the 2010/2011 school year.  And this doesn’t include the $900 bonus that the highest tiered teacher received in the first year and $400 in the second.  There is an argument to be made that in today’s economy, those increases could be considered lavish by many in the private sector.

Yes, for its members, the loss of collective bargaining rights is worth fighting for.  With a starting salary of nearly $40,000 per year to the highest salary of nearly $70,000 and an average benefit package of $37,800. Let’s also remember that these salary and benefits are for a 7.5 hour day, a 37.5 hour work week, 36 weeks per year.  They have also bargained for such things as 3 hours per week of prep time giving them 34.5 hours per week actually teaching our children.

This is simply not sustainable any more, at least not in our district.  We love our teachers, the ones that show up every day, and we have been more than reasonable in compensating them, but its time they face the reality that the rest of us have.  In the end, when the next budget comes out in a few months, this will be perfectly clear why this has to be done; it is for our children.