Monday, November 12, 2012
New report says the Racine Unified School District has seen a big reduction in pension and health care costs because of changes in state's collective bargaining law.
The controversial state law that eliminated most collective bargaining rights for school employees reduced benefit costs for the Racine Unified School District by $18.4 million last school year, according to a report released Monday. The bulk of the savings came from reductions in the district's share of employee retirement costs, the report by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance said. In the 2010-11 school year, Racine Unified paid $7.99 million toward pension costs for workers; in 2011-12, that dropped to about $25,378, the report said. The district also saved more than $10.4 million in health insurance costs, according to the report, which was based on data that public school districts provide to the state Department of Public Instruction…
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Brian Dey, who is running for a seat on the Racine Unified School Board, said he's disappointed that teachers passed out postcards endorsing three incumbents on school property while school was in session.
UPDATE: Jack Bernfeld, executive director for the REA-REAA, said palm cards were distributed to their union members prior to the work day starting on Monday. Students weren't in school on Monday because it was a staff development day. The cards reminded people to vote and listed the three incumbents names, which the REA Political Action Committee endorses. "We weren’t doing this during work time and we communicate with our members in a variety of ways," he said. "I’m not aware of anything happening on Friday. I’m not sure if individuals were doing it, or if there was something else going on, but we were not as an organizations in the schools on Friday." Bernfeld said they did the same thing in 2005 when they endorsed Dey. ORIGINAL STORY: …
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Members of pro-labor groups and area citizens attended the meeting to discuss their job challenges with state Democratic Legislators: Sen. Bob Wirch, of Kenosha, Rep. Peter Barca, of Kenosha, Rep. Corey Mason, of Racine, and Rep. Rob Turner.
Want to read more about this topic? "Like" this article by pressing the "like" button above this story. If we get 10 or more "likes," we'll know to write a follow-up story. Ron Thomas, Secretary of Racine County AFL/CIO Labor Council, rattled off a series of percentages that perplexed a room full of people attending a "jobs hearing" held at the Roma Lodge Monday night. The numbers, he said, are the percentage of children in poverty in 17 Racine Unified Schools. A few people in the room let out a gasp. "We need to stand up and say, 'Enough is enough,'" Thomas said. Members of pro-labor groups and area citizens attended the meeting to discuss their concerns with state Democratic Legislators: Sen. Bob Wirch, of Kenosha, Rep. Peter Barca, of …
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Union and administrators hammer out a deal to save the district nearly $500,000.
The Racine Unified School District Board of Education on Wednesday quickly agreed to a plan that will make Friday, June 10 the last day of classes and avoid an estimated $478,000 in additional employee pay. The School Board unanimously approved a resolution which states that “a threat to the health and safety of pupils” was behind the Feb. 17 cancellation of classes. That allows the state Department of Public Instruction to count the day as one of the 180 days that RUSD must be in session. Kids were originally scheduled to end the school year on June 8 but because of snow days, the end of the year was pushed to June 10. Because of the Feb. 17 cancellation, the school year was then slated to end on Mon., June 13 with a potential cost to the…
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
With all of RUSDs Unions, concessions would save $19.2 million for the district.
An audience of teachers and supporters burst into applause after the Racine Unified School District Board of Education Wednesday evening approved a two-year contract with the teachers union. The labor agreement, which runs from July 1 through June 30, 2013, was reached after just one week of negotiations and spurred by the Wisconsin Legislature’s intent to remove most collective bargaining rights for nearly all public sector workers. Members of the Racine Education Association (REA), which represents about 1,600 teachers, will see a two-year salary freeze, significantly higher health insurance deductibles, be required to contribute 5.8 percent of salary to the state pension program and pay more for an optional dental insurance policy. The …
Key vote to be held tonight.
Significantly higher deductibles on employee health insurance, combined with a two-year wage freeze, are expected to help the Racine Unified School District overcome anticipated cuts in state education aid. The RUSD School Board will vote this evening on a tentative contract agreement with its teachers union that includes the new insurance provisions and pay change. The special board meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at the District’s Administrative Services Center, 2220 Northwestern Ave. The Racine Education Association (REA), the district’s largest bargaining unit representing about 1,600 teachers, agreed Tuesday evening to a new contract that would replace the labor agreement that expires June 30. The new contract calls for: The health …
Thursday, February 24, 2011
The teacher's union vows to keep protesting, Gov. Scott Walker and Assembly Republicans say they aren't backing down.
Republicans and union workers squared off today over Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill. Public employee unions have conceded to Walker's financial demands, but a provision that would strip away collective bargaining rights has become a central point of conflict. Hundreds of union workers from the Racine and Kenosha teacher's unions and area fire departments, joined in solidarity in a rally held in Racine this afternoon. They called for members to attend a rally on Saturday in Madison. A group of firefighters from Caledonia have also gone to Madison every day this week on their time off to rally. Meanwhile, Walker got duped by a man posing as one of the Koch brothers. However, Walker defused his comments. The New York Times reported …
Monday, February 14, 2011
RUSD officials also announce several key issues in the District's budget
About 200 Racine Unified School District teachers and educational assistants picketed outside district headquarters Monday afternoon in protest of Gov. Scott Walker’s plan to strip away collective bargaining rights as part of legislation to fix a $137 million state deficit. Chanting and waving multi-colored signs, picketers rallied “in support of local control,” said Pete Knotek, president of the Racine Education Association (REA). The union represents about 1,600 teachers. Other participants included members of the Racine Educational Assistants Association (REAA) with about 400 members. “This (proposed legislation) is a big power grab of a basic American right,” he said. The governor has proposed eliminating the ability for most public …
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Ed Holladay
2:21 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
They "saved" 18 million, but how much did they cut to begin with from state aid? That is the question. The district claimed to have saved some ridiculous amount through the negotiated contract via health care costs. There are so many numbers floating around it is hard to know what to think. I do know that my daughter's class is up to 28 students. There were apparently some aids fired from the … more ›