Economic Riots Reach the Socialist States of America

Thousands of Public Workers Protest Anti-Union Bill in Wisconsin

Having public pensions being so superior and far better than private retirement savings — and the inevitable backlash this would produce — is one of the unavoidable adjustments similar to falling house prices. This huge gap of public employees being so much better compensated than private employees became visible about a year ago even in just ordinary news reports in the papers, for those that read widely. Just like falling house prices, this will be adjusted, sometimes by drastic action (similar to a foreclosure being drastic). The bottom line is that taxpayers cannot be expected to make public employees far more comfortable than themselves. - Hal Horvath, Pension Envy, Pension Crisis, On Point Radio, July 28, 2010

Only 9% of all private sector workers are now represented by a union, less than half the percentage of two decades ago. Meanwhile, the proportion of state and local workers with union representation has held steady over the same time, at about 43%... Government pensions are generally much richer than those offered by corporations. The average public sector employee now collects an annual pension benefit of 60% after 30 years on the job or 75% if he is one of the one-fifth or so of workers who are not eligible to collect Social Security benefits. Of the corporate employers that still offer traditional pensions, the average benefit is equal to 45% of salary after 30 years... Just as important, about 80% of government retirees receive pensions that are increased each year to keep pace with the cost of living, a feature which protects pensions against the effects of inflation and that can increase the value of a typical pension by hundreds of thousands of dollars over a person's retirement. But such inflation protection is nonexistent in corporate plans. - Bankrupt Public Pensions: A Time Bomb That Will Explode, AnchorRising.com, May 16, 2005

Misguided public sector incentives are particularly obvious when reviewing the status of public sector pensions across America, where public sector unions make outrageous demands and spineless politicians and bureaucrats cave into those demands, leaving working family and retiree taxpayers holding the bag. - Bankrupt Public Pensions: A Time Bomb That Will Explode, AnchorRising.com, May 16, 2005

A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship. - Justice Litle, Is America’s Economic Recovery on the Whole Based on a Rotten Sham?, Daily Markets, April 20, 2010



February 17, 2011

FOXBusiness – Thousands of teachers, union members and students packed the Wisconsin state house on Wednesday, vowing to remain for the rest of the week, in a heightening face-off with the new Republican governor over collective bargaining rights and pensions.

In a day-long rally that extended into the evening, as the state's Joint Finance Committee met to consider the legislation designed to greatly curb public employees from union-led contract negotiating, protesters chanted slogans such as, “Union busting is disgusting,” and “Kill the bill.”

Filling several floors of the ornate, domed building, the protesters also toted signs showing their personal ire for Gov. Scott Walker himself, including “Suck it Walker” and “Show your face, coward!”

Mike Graff, a biology teacher, was holding the latter, and joined plumbing, electrical and garbage collection union members in calls for preserving union rights and upholding pension agreements.

“We've played by the rules for the last 20 years,” Graff told FOX Business. “Now the concern is the rules will suddenly change.”

Beneath the capitol dome, the patchwork of interest groups provided a varied feel to the event – making it part rally, part concert, and part anti-globalization protest, replete with signs exclaiming “Tax the rich and corporations. Fix the deficit.”

Outside, however, a lone bill supporter faced the crowd with a sign of his own, proclaiming,

“The rest of Wisconsin supports Gov. Walker.”

As union members pleaded their case with him, Bryan Riesing, an electrical engineer, told FOX Business,

“I'm not a fan of unions. That's just the way it is. I'm not. If people disagree with me, they disagree with me.”

Some lawmakers are calling for amendments to the bill, but Republicans, who control the legislature, are trying to get the bill passed unchanged by the end of the week.

"With Wisconsin facing a $3.6 billion deficit in the next budget, bold steps must be taken," Republican State Rep. Tyler August said to FOX Business. “This bill aligns the contributions state employees make to their benefit packages closer to that of those in the private sector.”

Among other provisions, the bill would prohibit union-negotiated raises for teachers beyond the consumer price index. Teacher unions are encouraging their members, and other unions, to take part in “sit-ins” at the capitol for the next two days in anticipation of a final vote on the measure. This week, many state teachers have protested the legislation by taking sick days in massive numbers, shutting down schools across the state.

Chris Wilharm, a social studies teacher and chief negotiator for Wisconsin's Neenah Joint School District, says members have already offered $100 million in concessions, but have so far been ignored.

“He wants to strip us of any power,” she said. “This is poisoning everything – everything.”

Meanwhile, Riesing, the bill supporter, made attempts to change the minds of some teachers, with little success.

“The way I get more pay is I work harder at work,” he said. “My boss sees that, and I get a raise. And the guy next to me might not get a raise.”They yelled back, “Many years we lost money, or didn't get any!”

In Washington, President Barack Obama said on Wednesday fiscal restraint is needed, and cited recent federal salary freezes, but called the legislation during a radio interview, “an assault on unions.”

Teachers Union Has Stranglehold on Wisconsin Schools


Teachers fighting new union regulations and Teachers Debating Gov. Walker's Bill


Teachers March on Wisconsin Capital; Teachers Striking

State Spending on Public Education in Wisconsin

TeacherSalaryInfo.com - State Spending on Teachers:

• Salary expenditure on all teachers (including home schoolers, special education, non-certified teachers): $3,571,389,694
• Benefits expenditures for teachers: $1,719,827,769
• Instructional expenditures for teaching supplies: $196,466,650
• Total current instructional expenditures per student (teacher salary and curriculum): $6,730
• Total current expenditures per student: $11,418

Revenue Per Student From Various Sources:

• State revenue per student: $6,043
• Federal revenue per student: $772

State Sources of Revenue for Schools:

• Revenue by state property tax: $4,068,141,705
• Revenue by local government property tax: $21,309,250
• Federal grants direct to local districts: $46,575,346
• Federal grants through state: $572,547,127

Wisconsin Teaching Salaries and Benefits

Teacher-World.com - People often believe that teachers don't make a lot of money. Those in the know, though, are aware that compensation in the education industry can be quite generous, especially when you factor in the great vacation schedule and the comprehensive benefits packages that usually go along with teaching. In Wisconsin, teaching salaries averaged $52,644 in 2009-10, according to the National Education Association, with most school districts offering benefits that range from health insurance to retirement plans.

The average Wisconsin teacher salary does vary, however. One major source of salary variation is what grade level you teach. In May 2009, preschool teachers in Wisconsin earned an average salary of $23,460, elementary school teachers earned $51,240, and secondary school teachers earned $49,400. Education and experience level also make a difference in teacher salaries: secondary school teachers in the 90th wage percentile earned $69,550, while the entry-level teacher salary is generally in the $30,000s.

Geographic location is another significant reason for variation in Wisconsin teaching salaries. Areas that have a higher cost of living often pay correspondingly higher salaries. Below are average annual earnings for secondary school teachers in five of the largest metropolitan areas in the state: ⁽⁴⁾

• Green Bay: $55,110
• Kenosha: $68,400
• Madison: $50,770
• Milwaukee: $54,620
• Racine: $49,710

However, the greatest benefit to becoming an educator has nothing to do with Wisconsin teaching salaries. At the end of the day, the intrinsic rewards of helping children learn and shaping their knowledge for the future are arguably far more satisfying.

What is the average teacher salary in each state?

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