onebloodonelife
Blue Crack Addict
- Joined
- May 20, 2005
- Messages
- 15,106
My mother is an elementary school teacher in Wisconsin. Her school district was one that closed due to teacher absences, and yes, she was in Madison on Thursday.
The facts that are lost within the piles of rhetoric are that these teachers' benefits were bargained, and they were bargained for a reason. What was that reason? During the Tommy Thompson years, pay freezes were enacted, and in order to compromise, the unions agreed to the pension and benefits packages that Wisconsin teachers have today, rather than continue to receive pay increases (which still would have been less than private sector growth at the time, by the way).
In addition, WEAC has already agreed to the increases in pay into pensions and in benefits packages. And, contrary to the 6% figure cited in the media, many teachers pay a much higher percentage for their health benefits. For example, my mother's contract has them paying 20% of a $24,000 health insurance package. Regardless, these figures were negotiated and bargained over. They didn't just appear out of nowhere or without compromise on both sides.
Then, add in the fact that Wisconsin had a surplus when Walker took office and he blew it by donating to special interests and giving out tax cuts, and the "budget" argument gets blown out of the water. This isn't about money. This is about union busting and taking away workers' rights.
The facts that are lost within the piles of rhetoric are that these teachers' benefits were bargained, and they were bargained for a reason. What was that reason? During the Tommy Thompson years, pay freezes were enacted, and in order to compromise, the unions agreed to the pension and benefits packages that Wisconsin teachers have today, rather than continue to receive pay increases (which still would have been less than private sector growth at the time, by the way).
In addition, WEAC has already agreed to the increases in pay into pensions and in benefits packages. And, contrary to the 6% figure cited in the media, many teachers pay a much higher percentage for their health benefits. For example, my mother's contract has them paying 20% of a $24,000 health insurance package. Regardless, these figures were negotiated and bargained over. They didn't just appear out of nowhere or without compromise on both sides.
Then, add in the fact that Wisconsin had a surplus when Walker took office and he blew it by donating to special interests and giving out tax cuts, and the "budget" argument gets blown out of the water. This isn't about money. This is about union busting and taking away workers' rights.