WEAC, which is Wisconsin’s largest teachers union, on Thursday released a celebratory statement after the Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to Act 10.
The Wisconsin Education Association Council is leaving something out of its celebration of the possible end of Act 10: Any mention of costs.
WEAC, which is Wisconsin’s largest teachers union, on Thursday released a celebratory statement after the Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to Act 10.
“We welcome the Supreme Court’s decision to hear our case. We remain confident in its merits and look forward to making our arguments before the Justices. We believe the Circuit Court’s ruling in our favor will be upheld,” the union said. “Wisconsin is better when all public service workers have a say in our workplaces, whether about class sizes in our schools, safety on the job, hours or any other number of areas.”
But WEAC said nothing about the potential $2 billion in tax increases that an end of Act 10 would almost certainly trigger.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty said that $2 billion would mostly come to pay higher salaries and more generous benefits for teachers. That tally includes:
• $113 million in new health insurance costs
• $360 million in new retirement benefit costs
• $12.7 million in new salary costs
WEAC, instead, framed the end of Act 10 as “regaining” something.
“Today’s announcement brings public service workers across the state one step closer to regaining free, fair and full collective bargaining rights to negotiate with our employers. We won’t stop until we get there,” the union added.
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Notes and links on Act 10.
Milwaukee County pension scandal trial primer.
