Teacher contract would save $1.5 million

-Patty.png height=212 width=154 />Patty RuthIn terms of wages and benefits, the two-year contract calls for union concessions greater than those required by the state’s budget-repair law.

Labor negotiations expert Cheryl Maranto, chairman and associate professor of business management at Marquette University in Milwaukee, described the tentative agreement as ground-breaking.

“This is a huge deal,” she said. “You’re talking about very, very significant union concessions. It sounds like an extremely good deal for the school district, one that will give it the flexibility to deal with budget issues, retain teacher jobs and, ultimately, maintain the quality of education for children.

“Everybody wins with a deal like this.”

Port Washington-Saukville Education Association members voted unanimously Monday to approve the contract. Union President Mark Bichler said 135 of the group’s 183 teachers voted.

But amid confusion over whether the budget-repair law has been enacted and growing public pressure, the School Board cancelled a Monday meeting at which it was to review the proposed contract and possibly vote on it. It is now uncertain when, or if, the board will consider the contract, School Board President Patty Ruth said.

The current teacher contract expires June 30.

Board members have come under fire recently from constituents as well as groups  outside the district who accuse them of rushing negotiations to give teachers a favorable deal before the budget-repair bill can be enacted. Ruth said she hopes disclosure of the proposed contract proves those are baseless accusations.

“There have been a lot of misconceptions,” she said. “Some people assume that the tentative agreement was just going to rollover the provisions of the existing contract. That was never the intent of the board or