Wisconsin teachers can have their cake and eat it too, under the budget passed on to the legislature this week. Despite massive cuts elsewhere, WEAC, the powerful teachers union, largely got what it wanted. While the qualified economic offer (QEO) will be in place for one more year, it will expire in July 2010. In the meantime, local unions will be able to take advantage of new, teacher-friendly arbitration rules
Dale Knapp of Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance says there's also a clause requiring both sides to agree to go to arbitration. Knapp says, while the education funding portion of the budget may make teachers happy, the numbers won't add up for local districts.
The budget proposal still must pass the full legislature and be signed into law by Governor Jim Doyle.