Oak Creek Schools 2017-18 Teacher Contract Ratified

OAK CREEK, WI — The Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District board unanimously ratified the district's 2017-18 collective bargaining agreement with the Oak Creek Education Association Monday night.

The district reached a tentative agreement with educators earlier in August, providing them with the largest base wage increase allowed by law without going to a referendum, which was 1.26 percent.

Wisconsin's Act 10, passed in 2011, stipulated that collective bargaining between districts and employees is limited to base wages. Negotiated wage increases could not exceed a cap based on that year's consumer price index - unless approved by a referendum.

For the 2017-18 school year, that meant a pay increase of 1.26 percent for educators.

"We're very happy to continue to work with the OCEA to seek positive outcomes for all our teachers," Superintendent Tim Culver told Oak Creek Patch. "We have a long history of working collaboratively with the OCEA and we are pleased to continue that tradition."

Jim Buss, President of the Oak Creek Education Association, said discussions between the district were "honest and candid" during a process that led to an agreement with which both sides could be happy.

Buss told Patch that his ongoing hope is to see more resources allocated to early and mid-career teachers in order to help keep them in the district.

"We achieved a cost of living increase to retain the value of our salaries. This is always the primary goal," Buss said. "Outside of negotiations, we would like the district to consider improvements to the salary system so that early and mid-career educators know what kind of career they can have in the district and have every incentive to remain part of our education community."

Photo Credit: Scott Anderson/Patch.com