It is very difficult to make that argument when the starting salary for teachers in NYC in 2021 will be $61,070 and top salary will increase to $128,657 after 22 years on the job and a Masters + 30 credits. That is nothing to sneeze at even in high cost NYC. In addition, it will only take ten years with an MA+30 to get to $100,000 per year in 2021.
On the other hand, the situation is far from ideal for teachers and others in NYC schools. We are paying for these higher salaries with a reduced rate on the fixed TDA coupled with a vastly inferior Tier VI pension system that started in 2012 where someone fresh out of college would need to work 41 years to obtain a full pension that will be smaller than a Tier IV pension and way less than our Tier I and Tier II colleagues have. There are also healthcare givebacks on top of the last round of healthcare givebacks that now include new city employees being forced into managed care for their first year on the job. If this doesn't result in enough recurring savings for the city, we will likely be asked for further healthcare concessions. We also know the city has the ability to pay us more.
Just as important, many teachers are treated horribly in the schools. Numerous probationers have to practically stand on their heads to get tenure. In addition, principals are still able to hire new teachers to save money rather than hiring absent teacher reserves. UFT claimed victory because an ATR who is hired won't be averaged in when computing a school's average salary through the end of the contract but the school still has to pay an average salary for the ATR. Hiring a new teacher will still lower the average salary while hiring an ATR will not reduce it. Threatening to close schools or reorganize them to make more UFTers ATRs is still a major weapon that will be used against us. The blame the teachers culture has not altered. Overall teaching and learning conditiions depend almost entirely today on the quality of the principal in a school. Many teachers that I come into contact with have never felt less empowered than they feel now.
All of that said, can anybody make a reasonable case that we would get anywhere near the salary and benefits we have without a union? I don't think so.
So what comes next?
We all have to support our nurses-occupational therapist-physical therapist colleagues who had the courage to vote no on their contract as they are nowhere near pay parity with teachers. The negative email sent to them by President Michael Mulgrew saying they would have to navigate the "difficult road ahead" was a bit strange since the Triborough Amendment to the Taylor Law keeps their current contract going and there isn't a salary increase until the middle of February. Surely, something can be done between now and then if the UFT leadership wanted to. The argument that they should have pay parity with other professionals in the UFT is very strong. The city has the ability to pay but pattern bargaining works against the therapists as does the approval of the contract by the other UFT titles. We need to put the pressure on the UFT leadership not to abandon the nurses/therapists.
For the rest of the UFT members working in the schools, chapters have to organize to win respect. The new contract gives chapter leaders and chapter committees the ability to file complaints on excessive paperwork, curriculum, professional development, and adequate instructional supplies. However, these provisions mean nothing if chapter leaders aren't willing to file complaints. Individual teachers and individuals in other UFT titles are left almost powerless here. Well organized chapters can make a difference and are now essential if UFT members are going to improve what are now atrocious teaching and learning conditions in way too many schools. The UFT members working with decent administrators are not worried but those who work for abusive administrators are hurting now as much as ever. That can only change at the grassroots level.
It won't be easy but I cannot be totally pessimistic because even higher paid tech workers at Google walked off the job last week. Who inspired them? From the statement of the organizers:
WHY ARE PRIVILEGED GOOGLE WORKERS WALKING OUT?
This is part of a growing movement, not just in tech, but across the country, including teachers, fast food workers, and others who are using their strength in numbers to make real change. We know that it can be more difficult for other workers to stand up which is why we stand in solidarity with the temporary and contract workers here at Google, but we encourage everyone who feels this injustice to take collective action.
We can all learn a little from this statement.
PS We are still waiting for the final numbers from the contract ratification count broken down by bargaining unit including teachers. I can't help but wonder why it is taking so long.
12 comments:
What you should also mention is that we are still waiting for money earned frpm 9 years ago without interest and with strings attached. This has been a disservice to the hard working members of the UFT.
I would like the UFT to look into:
(1) teachers being abused and bullied by students: teachers are disrespected, humiliated, and threatened by students on a daily basis. The schools would be so much better and safer if we worked for students who were interested in an education.
(2) teachers being abused and bullied by administrators: teachers are disrespected, humiliated, and threatened by administrators on a daily basis. Administrators reward the most misbehaved students hoping to win them over. Of course, this causes greater friction in the classroom. The students do what they want and then go to the administrators for some candy.
(3) Teachers are highly encouraged to pass students who have earned a failing grade. Teachers must justify all failing grades. If a student is failing a class, teachers must fill out a student improvement plan, which could be pages long. The teacher must present the parent communication log, which must include at least three phone conversations along with emails and any other form of communication. The teacher also must produce a list of interventions along the way. This is all for each student failing a course.
(4) There are repercussions when a teacher questions or shows concern for any of the above. I have suffered repercussions so now I just keep quiet. The CL encourages us to stay quiet because it is "worse in other schools."
I would gladly skip any pay raise to do away with what was mentioned above. I do not have faith in the UFT. I have been let down too many times.
Investigate us being forced to give grades no lower than 45. A zero on a test=45. No HW=45. No project=45. This inflates an average where they can do almost nothing and get to a 65.
Google walked out over a classic social justice not bread and butter. Maybe MORE is right.
On tda - even I taking 7% and loving it consider even that number obscene in the face of a decade of almost zero rates but viewing as a tax payer thank heavens we even have this. Last year the const conv was a major threat because they might have taken it to those levels. The cops are our biggest protection on this and that keeps politicians from going after us.
The city investments made over 7% so how is it obscene to get 7% Norm?
To Anonymous: When the administrators can divide teachers from students and parents, the DOE administration wins and teachers, students and parents all lose. Yes, many students are frustrated with the "education" they receive in the NYC DOE. And, yes, the frustration and anger sometimes result in more problems for teachers.
Next I must add that, yes, I am a retired teacher, no longer working. Howeer, this division-building by the DOE is not new. It also builds and depends upon building racism. The DOE, local and national politicians and those who run the major corporations are not really concerned about educating most students. They do want to train enough youth to fill technology jobs in industry and the military. But they are not willing to spend the money necessary to truly educate the entire working class. They work hard to convince teachers that the "real" problem in the schools is the students and that " The schools would be so much better and safer if we worked for students who were interested in an education." But who would define the "students who were interested in an education?" I think we all know that in reality this decision would be and already is based primarily on racism and class!
The UFT is useless and corrupt.
Carolyn and Anonymous 5:40. I agree about the politicians and major corporations not being concerned about educating the students. I disagree about the money issue. I think the NYC public school system wastes plenty of money. Twenty five billion dollars a year is a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a system that has, at best, mediocre success. I do believe NYC is willing to spend the money, it is just clearly in the wrong hands.
I do believe the Mayor and the suits at the Department of Education are, for the most part, responsible for the state of the NYC public schools. They are corrupt, liars, have an agenda of their own, and quite negligent about what is really going on in the schools or perhaps they just really don't care.
The students are definitely part of the problem. Any student who comes to school primarily to socialize, sell and/or by drugs, "chill" with the administration, threaten or bully other students, threaten or bully teachers, without a book bag, a notebook or a pen in hand, completes no classwork or homework, etc. is clearly not in school for an education.
I don't believe that racism or class has anything to do with the problems in NYC schools. There are minority students of low to middle socio-economic status in my school who are successful regardless of the nonsense of their peers. Could this be because their families instill a sense and appreciation for education?
I am a teacher of color, first generation American, working in a predominately minority high school. The administration, including the principal, includes people of color. I don't believe the racism or class excuse for the problems in the schools.
It pains me to see certain children bypass an opportunity that is so desired by so many people around the world. It pains me even more when certain students disrupt/hinder the education of the students who are at school for an education.
Very thoughtful 6:31. Do comment again.
Occupational therapists were sent a “fear email” from Mulgrew & Co stating the union tried hard for them and now because they voted down the contract, they would not benefit from pay raises. What really happened is that the UFT underestimated their resolve as a chapter to demand pay equity and pedagogue status. The UFT forgot that therapists are dues paying members as they entered the bargaining table. The latest threat from the UFT is that therapists will not be able to take the 6 week childcare leave because they were bad boys and girls. I thought the childcare leave was negotiated by the city with the municipal unions, not just the UFT. The threats continue
What happened to Anonymous 5:40 referenced above?
Was comment off topic? Lol.
It's the same comment you make all the time and it is not acceptable and you know why.
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