Act 10. It matters.
In February of 2011, then Governor Scott Walker introduced Act 10. The jist? To undercut, to weaken public schools by targeting unions. When passed, Act 10 significantly restricted collective bargaining rights of most public employees. By most? Public school teachers.
Pre Act 10, every school district had the right to collectively bargain over working conditions and compensation. Every public school teacher served under a contract. A contract negotiated on their behalf by union leaders. Contracts were set for periods of 2 years. Compensation models were laid out in a fashion that allowed teachers to advance, allowed teachers to plan, and allowed for wealth stability.
Working conditions were clearly defined. Language was intentional and clearly defined. Due process was clearly defined. Contracts were legally binding documentation that could not be altered, dismissed, or applied unfairly. There were no gray areas. They applied equally to all certified staff and they helped to lift working conditions for non-certified staff.
Contract days were defined. Including work days, in-service days, parent-teacher conferences and paid holidays.
Calendar years were negotiated.
Seniority mattered. Seniority came with benefits.
Duty free periods were clearly defined. Compensation for voluntarily giving up a duty free period was negotiated.
Student contact time was defined.
Preparation time was protected and clearly defined as within the instructional day.
Caps on sections were assigned as maximums for specials staff and for required number of evaluations for special ed staff.
Travel time for staff housed in more than one building was clearly defined.
A clearly defined process for filling vacancies gave staff a choice in teaching assignments.
Clear expectations for Parent teacher conferences were outlined.
Compensation for work outside of the contract day was defined and applied fairly across disciplines, most notably IEP meeting requirements.
Personal leave, Sick Leave etc were clearly defined.
Mandatory classroom moving resulted in compensation for said move.
A process for non-renewal, staff reduction, and or layoffs was clearly laid out.
For many districts, once ACT 10 was signed into law, contracts as we knew them, were void.
Union membership decreased.
Early retirements increased.
Staff morale decreased.
Handbooks were hastily created, often without input from staff. Compensation models changed drastically. Salaries were frozen. Most importantly? Due process was more loosely defined. Expectations were not clear and were often inconsistent and unfair practices related to hard to fill positions, work load, and non-renewal left many to leave the profession.
This matters. Not only because collective bargaining was crucial to the profession, but because it was the beginning of the rapid dissent into the education crisis we are now facing. Teacher and related staff shortages, fewer young adults pursuing the profession, lower standards for teacher certification, and other practices and policies intended to further dismantle the public education system
It matters because we are professionals. It matters because we deserve the same collective bargaining rights other similar public sector employees benefit from. It matters because we value public schools. It matters because we should want better, not less for ourselves and for our colleagues. It matters because it is our job to matter.
