TEACHERS UNION COMPLAINS ABOUT BOARD, DISTRICT, SUPERINTENDENT
FEELS UNAPPRECIATED BECAUSE CONTRACT DEMANDS HAVE NOT BEEN ACCEPTED
Northwestern Lehigh Education association members showed up in mass at the March 16 board meeting. Incorporating the usual union play book, they brought along supporters who read from prepared speeches how great they are with the children and how they are not appreciated enough by the board and superintendent because their demands for more pay and keeping their Cadillac health care plans have not yet been accepted. The board offered them a very generous increase of 3.4% per year for 3 years, they claim they deserve more. This is far more than what has been accepted by most teachers unions in the area. Has anyone asked their neighbors if they have received comparable raises in the last 8 years? Seniors have averaged less than 2% increases in the last 7 years and have not had any increase in 3 of those years. It seems that the whole basis of their demands is ENVY of what some other districts pay their teachers. While this is relevant to some extent, keep in mind that many districts have an industrial base, that this rural district does not have. Also look at the statistics of assaults against teachers in some other districts, many of those teachers are earning hazardous duty pay.
The board has asked them to accept health care plans that mirror what has become the standard in most of the private sector, but they either don't want to compromise to save the district any money or want the money saved by the school district reimbursed to the teachers. Looks like a one way street.
The board has asked them to accept health care plans that mirror what has become the standard in most of the private sector, but they either don't want to compromise to save the district any money or want the money saved by the school district reimbursed to the teachers. Looks like a one way street.
Some of the specific complaints were that they remember the old days when the board was very affable and there was that warm feeling. This translates to 4% increases every year and raise taxes every year to support the increases. That the board has now hired a lawyer to negotiate for them, but failed to mention that the union has hired a lawyer to negotiate for them for decades. We all long for the years when incomes were increasing, but the teachers neighbors income have been down or flat for the last 8 years. This is very provable by the earned income receipts by the school district, maybe a good idea is to tie the income increase to the increases in the earned income tax receipts. This would be a fair representation of the economic health of the district. Does anyone in the union ever take into consideration that the district contribution to the teachers pension fund has risen 528% in the last 8 years and is now at 30.03% of salaries? Is this irrelevant to their employment package?
When was the last evaluation done on the fact that enrollment has decreased by near 200 students in the last 8 years, but has there been a comparable decrease in staff? I believe Northwestern has the largest staff per student population in the Lehigh Valley. While many districts have cut staff in these difficult economic times, Northwestern has not.
While teachers lament that they are underpaid and overworked, the fact is that compared to the taxpayers who pay their wages and benefits, they are compensated much better than most of the people in the district and work far fewer hours. While no one would argue that they don't do a good job with the care and education of the children there are economic realities that no one is immune to.
While teachers lament that they are underpaid and overworked, the fact is that compared to the taxpayers who pay their wages and benefits, they are compensated much better than most of the people in the district and work far fewer hours. While no one would argue that they don't do a good job with the care and education of the children there are economic realities that no one is immune to.
I wish someone would offer me a 3.4% increase every year at my job, then not even require me to work a 8 hour day. As well as to give me some of the best benefits in the Lehigh Valley and a golden handshake when I retire.
ReplyDeleteThat is just so I can bitch about it in public, bully the board members into giving me more, and then use young children as a tool to wear down the system that has enabled me in the first place.
I wish some of the people that are having to make the hard decision on whether to pay their school taxes, mortgage, food, or even medical costs would come out to a NWLSD Board Meeting and shake their canes in the faces of these teachers. This is a sad world that we live in!!!
"Proud NWLSD Taxpayer"
Looks like they want to take food out of the mouths of people who are hurting already. They only care about three people, "ME, MYSELF, AND I. What a shame. Hope the new board can handle it.
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ReplyDeleteI am a NWL Alumni, who moved away after graduation. My kids attended an area high school with one of the top teacher salaries and standards in the area. We have never objected to our teachers salaries or raises, neither has our school board. One of my children is a teacher at Northwestern. I am ashamed and embarrassed by the district to have sunk to the bottom where they are the lowest compensated school district in the area, while still maintaining the top scores. I don't know another profession that requires a 4 year college degree, plus insists on a masters, that believes a starting salary of $42,000 is appropriate. Only someone who is not a teacher, or a teacher's family, would believe that a teacher puts in even a minimum of 40 hours a week. The prep, the grading, the emailing, the responding to parents requests, to students requests at all hours could amount to nothing short of 50-60 hours a week. The amount of money spent out of teacher's pockets to supply rewards, stickers, classroom supplies, parties, lunches or snacks for when your child has forgotten theirs is tremendous. I could go on forever. Wake up taxpayers, you eventually will get what you paid for and I do not believe that is why you live in Northwestern.
ReplyDeleteEveryone thinks that they are worth more than they are paid, there are other school districts that pay more, people are free to go wherever they think they are comfortable. There are also other jobs that pay more. Remember one thing, I don't know of any professionals that have a union. Professionals, like the administrators, can negotiate their pay in the free market on an individual basis. When the union goes to far in the private sector, the company goes out of business, in the public sector there is only the politicians to keep the unions in check. You see where that system has got us.
ReplyDeleteI hear that there are quite a few senior teachers, particularly at the high school, with light schedules hanging on to run up there pensions, while the younger teachers are carrying their load.
ReplyDeleteIt was a show of true colors that the radical teacher union attacked Dr. Wright. But they have a record of lying. They have attacked board members and administrators as being greedy. I will say this our contracted administrators have the same health care the UNION WAS offered. The "Radical Union leadership doesn't even live in the District. I feel sorry for Dr. Wright, she has always been in teachers corner. Is it time for Kids and tax payers FIRST. Why did they play the WORK RULE card this week? The fact that a PSEA UNION BOSS who was fired by the Saucon teacher's Union may be the reason . He and the new Union president hurt the teachers. We have good and community driven teachers , the bad apples can spoil the whole barrel.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting that a newly hired teacher for the math position at NWL High School stated at the March 16th board meeting that she couldn't wait to start her new job and that she was thankful for the opportunity to work at a school in this great district. She stated this in the face of teachers complaining that they are the lowest paid in the Lehigh Valley. None of these teachers acknowledged at the meeting that when you calculate in their current exceptional health care coverage, they are NOT the lowest paid. Not to mention that they retire with a pension package based on their last three years of pay - who gets that in the private sector? They completely disregard their costly health care package and pension benefits when they complain about their low pay. You cannot separate these issues. If the teachers feel unhappy, then perhaps they should start interviewing with other districts to see how good they have it here. The district could then hire new graduates who are thankful to have a job with good health insurance coverage and who do not use children and parents as tools to increase the money in their pockets. Oh, and the extra money that the district has in surplus? This should not be used to fund teachers' salaries - it should be used to repay our $60 million in debt. It is not entirely the teachers' fault, however, for making the request that the surplus be used to fund their salaries. It was shameful that the administration recently put out a video to the teachers stating that the surplus is enough to cover their requested rate of pay. This caused an uproar with the teachers and added to the current dissension. Shame on you, Administrators! Maybe your salaries should be reduced to fund the teachers' salaries...
ReplyDeleteOne last comment: It would be beneficial to the district to start a "merit based" rate of pay. There are a handful of teachers that I would happily give a HUGE pay increase to, and quite a few whom I would let go. Unfortunately for the truly talented and gifted teachers, they are in a union that brings down their rate of pay. I truly wish it was different.
I am very disappointed in my fellow members criticizing Dr. Wright, she has always been very nice and professional, I believe she has to balance the needs of everyone and is doing as good as can be expected. I do not have a lot of seniority and am concerned that the younger teachers are going to pay the price for the intransigence of the senior union members. I love this school district and am very happy here. I cannot voice this opinion in school but I feel I need to speak up.
ReplyDeleteAgain we the Tax payers are expected to pay, pay and pay again. What is the community going to do when the tax payers just cant afford to pay anymore?
ReplyDeleteSpeaking as a former teacher that voluntarily left the academic world to test myself in the private sector, I can see both sides of the issue here. There's no doubt that most teachers work hard and that they often go above and beyond for their students...BUT, I do the same in my position...50 weeks per year and every day that it snows. Additionally, NWL is fortunate in that students tend not to have the same issues as those in Allentown or other urban schools and the community at large is very pro-education. The taxpayer base in NWL comprises Heidelberg, Lowhill, Lynn, and Weisenberg Townships...a look at their demographic profiles highlights the fact that the taxpayers are really the only place to turn for revenue. Many of those same taxpayers are feeling the weight of the current (poor) economic climate, the increased cost of mandated health insurance, and a rising cost of living - without commensurate income increases. Taxpayers are not infinite wells and they are reaching a breaking point. This situation has nothing to do with not appreciating a job well done by the NWL teachers. The current situation is being driven by the reality of household economics in the NWL school district, the fact that taxpayers are funding (and sacrificing to pay for) what they cannot afford themselves, and a perception that teachers seem blind to the plight of their neighbors.
ReplyDeleteAs a current educational staff member of the Northwestern Lehigh School District I am ashamed by my fellow teachers. Currently I and many others earn over $80,000 per year with minimal copays on benefits, small class sizes, summers off, holidays off, sick days, personal days and a wonderful retirement. There is no way I would ever get the chance in the private sector to attain what I have earned over my lifetime without the job security of being a teacher within our great community.
ReplyDeleteCurrently several individuals have been making derogatory statements about Dr. Wright and members of our school board. These feelings do not represent the majority of the membership of the teachers union for the NWLSD. The current contract offer that the board has placed before our union leadership should be brought forward for a vote without any contention. Believe me in saying that there are many of my fellow staff members that BULLY others into following jack step in line their personal beliefs no matter the cost.
Teachers, we KNOW you work hard, we KNOW you face challenges, we KNOW that you often go above-and-beyond for your students...BUT you need to know that many of us are tapped out!
ReplyDeleteIt's scary to think that the school board is the only thing standing between some of us taxpayers and bankruptcy.
ReplyDeleteMy question is: Have the union members had a chance to vote on this contract? Also, do they vote in a secret ballot or are they intimidated to vote as directed?
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this. These teachers unions are out of control. It would be nice if my 401K was guaranteed 30% a year! I lost money and now I have to pay their retirement on top of that. Thugs!
ReplyDeleteMary Ann is the wall between the board and teachers everything is filter. Why have a board she runs the show.
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