Veteran MMSD staff say salary compression has cost careers and pensions; union urges board action

Multiple current and retired MMSD educators described how the district’s elimination of early salary schedule steps compressed veteran pay and reduced pension calculations, urging the board to extend the corrections already applied to some student‑services staff across all affected employees.

Alexandra Fyen said a late correction changed one year of her pay and improved her pension by an estimated $100–$200 per month, but that years of lost pay across a career had cost her much more. Becky Christie and other classroom educators argued that years of institutional knowledge, mentoring, and retention hinge on compensation tied to experience and that a delay in correcting compression further erodes morale and retirement security.

Andrea Miserelli, president of Madison Teachers, Inc., told the board the district has repeatedly promised a fix but has yet to take a board vote to implement it for all staff. Several speakers said the district has budgetary room—unused funds from vacancies and allocated compensation dollars—to make corrections now rather than waiting for future budgets.

Board members acknowledged the testimony and said they were aware of both the technical payroll work done for student services corrections and the need to consider pension impacts. No immediate corrective motion was made at the April 27 meeting; speakers asked the board to bring the item back for a vote rather than limit the issue to study and analysis.

Public commenters pressed for a firm timetable and an explicit plan for applying corrections districtwide rather than piecemeal fixes.