Teachers Get A Raise

From the Journal...

District, teachers union OK new three-year contract
Teachers get 1 percent pay raise in each of first two years of the deal
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By Rick McCrabb
Staff Writer
MIDDLETOWN — Middletown City Schools and its teachers union have agreed on a new contract that will give educators in the 6,450-student district their first pay increase in more than three years.
The three-year contract, which takes effect this year and expires on July 30, 2017, gives the teachers a 1 percent pay increase in the first year; 1 percent in the second year; and brings back step increases that are awarded for years of service and education in the third year, said Dom Williams, president of the Middletown Teachers’ Association.
The association ratified the agreement last week, and it was approved at Monday’s school board meeting.
Middletown teachers “took one on the chin” with the last contract signed three years ago, Williams said.
“We have gone backward with take-home pay,” he said of the previous contract. “We think it’s time the pendulum swings the other direction.”
The 400 teachers the union represents have worked the last three years with a contract that reduced their wages by 1 percent the first year; 1 percent the second year; froze their steps and increased their health premiums from 10 percent to 20 percent.
So a teacher making $50,000 a year lost $500 the first year and $495 the second year, and if they were on a family health plan, their yearly premiums went from $1,630.80 to $3,489.60 during the contract, according to the district financial records analyzed by the Journal-News.
Superintendent Sam Ison said he hopes the new contract allows the district to retain its teachers and compete with surrounding districts in the recruitment of teachers. Ison said the district appreciated the cutbacks the teachers and staff made over these last three years during some of the district’s “most challenging economic times.”
Williams said union members approved the contract because there’s “an understanding” the steps will return in the third year. He said the members understood the district’s tight finances, and while negotiations “started off pretty far apart,” eventually the teachers “accepted what was reality.”

"The 400 teachers the union represents have worked the last three years with a contract that reduced their wages by 1 percent the first year; 1 percent the second year; froze their steps and increased their health premiums from 10 percent to 20 percent."

NOPE! The teachers receive a YEARLY salary, yet they only work 9 months out of the year. Any cut in pay and any increase in premiums taken out of their paycheck is just leveling the playing field for the amount of time actually in the classroom working. The summers are, for the most part, paid time off. I have two teachers in the neighborhood and see them coming and going at their leisure during the summers while the rest of us are getting in the old car and heading to work throughout the year. No real loss in pay when comparing actual time on the job here.

"if they were on a family health plan, their yearly premiums went from $1,630.80 to $3,489.60 during the contract"

EVERYBODY'S pay is being hit by employers asking employees to pay more out of their checks for premiums for health care, dental and eye care. Nothing new. Been happening for over a decade.

"Superintendent Sam Ison said he hopes the new contract allows the district to retain its teachers and compete with surrounding districts in the recruitment of teachers. Ison said the district appreciated the cutbacks the teachers and staff made over these last three years during some of the district’s “most challenging economic times.”"

So, now that Ison brought up the cutbacks the teachers took over the last three years, what was the "cutbacks" the admin. part of the school district took during the "most challenging economic times"? Did the admin give up a percentage of their salary along with the teachers? If not, why not? Aren't they a part of the educational community too?

"and brings back step increases that are awarded for years of service and education in the third year"

Never understood this concept of rewarding an employee within their level for service time or classes taken. Then, rewarding them again as the yearly raise is announced. That's in essence, a double yearly raise. Unheard of within the private sector employee ranks. Eliminate step raises and replace them with achievement/merit/performance raises. A "gotta produce and earn it to get it" type of program rather than a "you showed up for work and now have some time in and you took some extra classes so you get a raise" program. Having years of service and some additional classes under your belt doesn't necessarily equate to making contributions that will justify a raise. Many people have alot of years under their belt in different vocations. Few, except for union environments, are rewarded for that. Should that be a criteria for a raise?

How about the evaluation process include graduation rates to the next level directly attributed to a teacher's performance? How about improvements in the test scores? How about contributions toward meeting more indicator numbers? How about the old time proven merit system, rather than this rather anemic rating/raise system?

Vet,
The admin took the same pay reductions and benefit cost increases as the teachers and the board took a 10% pay reduction.

I agree with your comments regarding step increases. Never made sense to me.