The first meeting in what could be a long process of creating a new pay structure for teachers and other employees in the Kenosha Unified School District was held last night with a discussion on creating a definition for "base pay". Under Act 10, public unions can only bargain for wage increases based on the rate of inflation as applied to base pay. Unlike many other school districts in the state, Kenosha Unified has yet to define base pay, which can range from the minimum hiring salary to what each teacher and staff member is currently paid. Once the definition of base pay is determined, it cannot be changed.
In her opening statement, Superintendent Sue Savaglio-Jarvis said the goal is to create a sustainable salary structure that makes the district competitive. Tarik Hamdan, the school district's Chief Financial Officer, warned that a poorly designed salary structure could work against the district's achievement goals, cause a loss of competent staff, and be unsustainable.
Board member Gary Kunich urged the board to carefully deliberate the base wage definition. Board member Dan Wade said Kenosha Unified is unique, and should not rely on how other districts have structured their pay schedules:
Acting Executive Director of the Kenosha Education Association, Chris Perillo, urged the district to reach out to the union for assistance. It was reiterated several times that no one in the district would see a pay reduction no matter what the board decides. Another meeting to discuss and possibly vote on a definition of base pay is scheduled for Monday.