We have just heard that the Executive Board has approved a significant pension giveback in exchange for doing away with the early return before Labor Day. The pension giveback ensures that new hires will be placed in a new tier with significantly less benefits; reductions in TDA interest rates, mandatory lifetime contributions, reduced retiree health benefits and a significant reduction in vesting for retirement benefits.
What did we get for selling out our young? It appears we got back two days of non-instruction...generally used as two days of preparing for classes or nonsensical professional development. There are, however, hints of the settlement of our contract.
What has become abundantly clear over the last few days is that our fearless leader and super-negotiator has already agreed in principle to much of the financial provisions of our next contract in anticipation of her departure to Washington leaving the heir apparent to claim victory over a wonderful contract.
Was it that important that the upcoming two days be erased to give away all of these benefits to future colleagues? It is clear that had she waited until "negotiations" after contract expiration we would have had to start the 2009-10 year on September 3rd. Now we can start on September 8th with no time to set up our classrooms or prepare for classes on DOE time.
And remember we are scheduled to end next year on an non-instrutional Monday, June 28th!
Shame on you. Are our future colleagues that worthless that they can be sold for these two days?
I hear the 2 days are for this year only and must be renegotiated in the future.
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