Wisconsin Senate Set to Vote on Anti-Union Bill

"Kaukauna School District was struggling and facing a deficit of $400,000, but a day after Walker’s law was signed the school officials began putting new policies into effect that are projected to turn the district’s budget deficit into a $1.5 million surplus. Teachers and staff are now required to pay 12.6% of their health coverage (compared to 10% before), and contribute 5.8% of their salary to pensions (compared to 0% before). These changes alone will save the school district an estimated $1.2 million a year.

In addition,the district can now negotiate with any health insurance coverage group instead of just a group called WEA Trust (a company created by the teacher’s union). This year, WEA Trust told the school district that they were going to have to increase their premiums significantly, so the district decided it was time to shop around for better prices. Because of the district’s threat of dropping their coverage, WEA Trust immediately changed their position so that they’d match the lowest bid. These new terms will save the district substantial amounts of money on health coaverage."

http://santabarbaragop.org/Blog/?p=402


This obviously comes from the right . What is the left saying about the debacle in Wis.

Photo fish, what do you hear from your family?

:pop

My family is not in that District. But let's see where Kaukauna School District is in a year from now when these "projections" don't pan out.

The new rules also cut sick days from 10 to five, eliminate teacher pay for emergency school closings, such as snow days

I know that many teachers have no formal responsibilities during the summer, but the district doesn't expect them to only get sick in June, July and August, do they? That's about one sick day per two months. And teachers will not get paid when they are told not to come in to work for reasons beyond their control: even if a teacher wants to work on a snow day, she will not be paid. Estimating savings from not paying teachers for five extra sick days, and not paying them for snow days, is a lie. The district doesn't know how many of its 252 teachers would have used all 10 sick days; it's simply saying "now they can only use five, so we'll save money." The district doesn't know how many snow days it will have in the next budget period. They're just guessing.

These impacts will allow the district to hire additional teachers (and) reduce projected class sizes," School Board President Todd Arnoldussen wrote in a statement Monday. "In addition, time will be available for staff to identify and support students needing individual assistance through individual and small group experiences

So they're going to save money by spending more money? And how will more time be available? Are they assuming that on those extra five days the teachers might have called in sick, they'll bring their runny noses to school and "identify and support students?"

The school board eliminated 14.49 full-time equivalent positions last month to help close a projected $3 million budget gap. At the time, Arnoldussen said several staff members could be called back if Act 10 took effect

So how, exactly, did the collective bargaining bill help save money... before it was in effect?

The district anticipates elementary class size projections for next year will shrink from 26 students to 23 students.

How in the hell did Gov. Walker manage to legislate that?



Interesting link: Kaukauna School Board and Scott Walker have something in common…budgeting is not about the money – it’s about union busting
http://bdgrdemocracy.wordpress.com/2011/07/08/kaukauna-school-board-and-scott-walker-have-something-in-common-budgeting-is-not-about-the-money-its-about-union-busting/

:pop