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Waunakee HR committee outlines 2025-26 wage timeline; teachers’ negotiations expected in April
Summary
District staff presented a timeline for 2025-26 wage increases that ties a 2.95% CPI adjustment to July implementation, flags a $1 million, two‑year referendum allocation for hourly staff, and anticipates teacher negotiations in April with board action planned in May.
The Waunakee Community School District Human Resources Committee reviewed the district’s planned schedule for 2025‑26 wage increases and asked committee members for feedback on timing and next steps.
Brian, staff member, told the committee the consumer price index figure for the contract year is 2.95% and said, “It’s 2.95% for contracts beginning on July 1.” He said the district expects to present wage recommendations for its five nonunion employee groups (administration, admin support and hourly employees) and to coordinate with the committee on teacher negotiations once a request to open talks arrives.
The administration reminded the committee that a recent operational referendum “specifically allocated a million dollars over 2 years for our hourly employees to be moved…closer to the peer average in Dane County.” That referendum funding will be presented alongside any across‑the‑board CPI-based adjustments to show the separate investments proposed for hourly staff.
The timeline discussed calls for: staff and committee review in March–April, likely formal board action in May, and new wages taking effect July 1. Committee members asked whether nonunion group approvals could occur earlier (April) with teacher contract approval in May; Brian said the district can be flexible depending on how fast peer‑comparison data are available.
The committee was also told informal conversations with the Waunakee Teachers Association (WTA) indicate a request to open negotiations is likely in April; when that request is received, staff will coordinate dates with the committee so the district can proceed to board action in May.
Why this matters: timing affects payroll communications, summer staffing decisions and open enrollment planning. The committee emphasized staff preference for earlier clarity and the administration said it is balancing that preference with the need to verify peer‑comparison data and finalize costs before seeking board approval.
Votes at the meeting: the committee approved the meeting agenda at the start of the session (motion made; seconded by Hollen Baker; vote recorded as “Aye”); the meeting ended on a motion to adjourn (second; voice vote “Aye”).
Next steps: staff will pull peer‑comparison compensation data and return to the committee with cost estimates for the nonunion groups; once teacher negotiations are formally opened, staff will set the negotiation schedule and present any negotiated terms to the board in May for action.
