Sauk Prairie Union Contract Could Cost Taxpayers

The school board of Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin, has ignored stipulations of Act 10 and taken up a potentially illegal monopoly bargaining union contract.  If enforced, the contract could once again force teachers into compulsory unionism, and cost taxpayers who would have to pay for any ensuing litigation.  Tim McCumber, Wisconsin News, has the story.

Last fall, the Sauk Prairie School board became the second, and last, school board to adopt a potentially illegal contract with their teacher’s union and made it retroactive. This agreement expires July 31, and the union will push to renew this agreement despite Act 10’s restrictions.

Act 10, among other things, prevents public employee unions from negotiating fringe benefit packages, such as demanding high-priced insurance coverage and then requiring the districts to purchase the coverage from a specific carrier – specifically the Wisconsin Education Association Council, the statewide teacher’s union. At the time, not only did the profits go back to union, WEAC had the highest cost coverage in nearly every school district. Baraboo Schools immediately switched carriers, basically keeping the same coverage, and saved $600,000.