This Is What Democracy Looks Like–
Wisconsin’s Secretary of State Doug La Follette said a bill taking away public workers’ collective-bargaining rights will take effect on March 26 so that schools and local governments have time to pass contract extensions between now and then. The liberal democrat will not sign the bill immediately in order for unions to take advantage of the extra time to ram through contracts.
FOX 11 reported on the maneuvering:
Unions aim to beat deadline for contracts: fox11online.com
The Superior Telegram reported:
Some school districts in Wisconsin are rushing to extend teacher and other workers contracts, before Governor Walker’s new law taking away most collective bargaining rights for public workers officially takes effect.
Barry Forbes, a staff attorney for Wisconsin School Boards Association, says that many schools are tempted right now to extend contracts, because teachers and other employees are willing to make financial concessions and schools want the labor stability that contracts afford.
However, Forbes says WASB’s warning is that the world is changing so much and so quickly, as good as that particular deal sounds, educators may have to ask for more than that. He says he’s advising schools not to sign contracts through the next few years because of unknowns– like enrollment numbers and what the final budget will ultimately contain. Districts without contracts could seek deeper concessions from workers to deal with cuts…
…Meanwhile, the City of Madison reached an agreement this weekend to extend contracts with its employees through mid-2013.
