My bet is, of course, that they've set their target at $40,000 per year and that will be the new base on which union dues are calculated. The dems are despirate for cash and increasing the dues is the best way to get it, less, of course, the cut that the union officers usually take.
" 'The issue is where the money is going to come from," Weaver said. "And to respond to that, my answer is I don't care.'"
Wow - says it all.
AFT gets 1% of each teacher's pay check. So they are NOT an impartial observer where salary increases are at issue.
$40K is just a drop in the bucket. These poor people need $66,666,66 just to break even. After all, it's for the children, isn't it?
Very simple, just drop the pension programs and let them pay into their own 401Ks. The pension programs are what drive costs up, and they commit taxpayers decades later.
I am waiting for the NEA to run a comparison of pay in private schools -- all private schools, not just the silver spoon ones.
That's funny.
The Hawaii State Teachers' Association (NEA) keeps claiming that all the other states pay their teachers an average of $100,000 -- we need to pay ours twice that just to keep up -- because of the highest cost of living in the world!
The AP writer must be wrong.
Good idea, in and in an exchange for dumping tenure protection, and a merit pay scale.
Kids can read, write,and do arithmetic by the third grade.
Why not $100,000? Why not $1,000,000?
All government pay, including the teachers and other unions should have the limit of their pay and benefits NOT EXCEED the average pay and benefits of the same work found in the private sector.
In other words, major reductions in salaries all around.
Pretty good for 180 days of work. And of course, the 40 grand doesn't include the cost for their bennies.
Starting salaries are low because senior teachers involved in bargaining want it that way. They distribute most of the money allocated to salaries into the high end of the pay scale, where they are.
Talk about a joke... I make less than that($38,000) a year at my job and I have a business degree. If I'm making less than the NEA's "typical" teacher and I'm in it basically for the money (there's no way in hell people want to do spreadsheets every day for the pure joy of it), then the typical teacher, who should be in their profession because they love it, should be willing to start for much less than that.
These guys are not too bright. With higher wages, all they become is a bigger target for voucher supporters. Maybe we can get rid of govt. schools a little quicker.
oh, that's NOTHING .. the head of the teachers union in D.C. is not on trial for having embezzled MILLIONS during her tenure.
Pretty strong words coming from a "tar pit". ; )
Here in central Florida area, I read in the Orlando Slantinel that there is a BIG shortage of teachers to start the new year in August. They mentioned that teachers typically spend 25 hours a week in the class room.
Lets see ... 25 hour per week job, every weekend and holiday off, along with days leading to/from major holidays, plus 3 consecutive months off each year (185 days off/180 days working)... hmmmmmmmmmmmm :)
I know what some are thinking: "That 5 hours a days doesn't include 'prep work and grading of test' time."
I remember vividly back to the 50's & 60's when I went to school, an in-class assignment was given so the teacher could sit at his/her desk and prep or grade for other classes that day. So there p~~~~ LOL
If their pay was based on their production they should have to pay $40,000/year to teach not receive $40,000!
I agree that teachers should have a starting salary of $40k.
Teaching is not an easy job.