Whitefish Bay Teachers Get Small Salary Increase

Since Act 10 was passed into law, Whitefish Bay teachers' salaries have remained frozen while their benefits have been cut.

So it was good news for the teachers union when the School Board approved a small salary increase that would retroactively apply to the current school year. The salary increase results in a $480 pay bump for most teachers, and a $1,000 increase for teachers at the very bottom of the pay scale.

The modest salary increases were made possible through attrition: experienced teachers leaving or retiring from the district and being replaced by new teachers at a lower salary.

Through attrition and retirements, the district was left with a $130,000 pot of money to redistribute to teachers. In agreement with the teachers union, the district awarded a 1.35 percent salary increase to teachers, based off an artificially-lowered salary at the beginning of the steps and lanes schedule.

The district was able to provide a slightly lower salary increase – somewhere between $200 and $700 – to teachers last year. Salaries were completely frozen in 2010-2011, the first year of Act 10, the controversial state law that eliminate most bargaining rights for public workers.

The salary increase approved by the board last week does not apply to administrators, support staff or custodians.