The Pay Raise - $2000 per year +, not enough?

There have been comments made to the extent of "talk to a teacher" to really understand why we have gone eleven months and can't have a contract agreed upon between the NASD and NAEA.

For the past several months all the people have heard is that the healthcare is the worst in the valley, the pay is not sufficient, planning time is deficient, and many other negatives toward the NASD offer.

Finally, with the fact finders report we receive some information related to the NAEA's requests. What we find is that they want every demand met, or no contract. Further, what we find is the system works in their favor. If they strike they receive no long-term penalty. They will get their entire salary because they are obligated to work a full year. Pushing the envelope, they will probably get more than the NASD offer and less than they want if it goes to binding arbitration, but at least they get more that way then settling.

When you get down to it, this is no different than any other issue - it is about the money.

So what kind of money are we talking about?

I went to the NAEA web site and recorded the salaries per step in the 2005-2006 Master Level, then to the recommended salary schedule from the fact finder report. Steps represent increases based on years served. There is no additional time, workload, or responsibilities. These are raises based on time served. Additionally, the more credits and degree you have the higher your pay. These credits are reimbursed by the district and paid by the taxpayer.

Here is what we are looking at:

• 2005-2006 Step 1 with a Masters Degree: $39,500
• 2006-2007 Step 2 with a Masters Degree: $42,200 (+ $2700, + $2700)
  
• 2007-2008 Step 3 with a Masters Degree: $ 44,730 (+ $2530, + $5230)
  
• 2008-2009 Step 4 with a Masters Degree: $46,740 (+ $2010, + $7240)
  
• 2009-2010 Step 5 with a Masters Degree: $ 49,500 (+ $2760, + $10,000)
• 2010-2011 Step 6 with a Masters Degree: $ 51,630 (+ $2130, + $12,130)
  

How many people could be guaranteed employment and raises totaling $12,130 over six years with no consideration for performance, no increase in work day, responsibilities, and duties and say it is not enough?

So let's start at the 5th Step:

• 2005-2006 Step 5 with a Masters Degree: $42,133
• 2006-2007 Step 3 with a Masters Degree: $ 43,500 (+ $1367, + $ 1367)
  
• 2007-2008 Step 4 with a Masters Degree: $ 46,125 (+ $2625, + $ 3992)
  
• 2008-2009 Step 5 with a Masters Degree: $ 48,600 (+ $2475, + $ 6447)
  
• 2009-2010 Step 6 with a Masters Degree: $ 51,390 (+ $2790, + $ 9237)
  
• 2010-2011 Step 7 with a Masters Degree: $ 53,755 (+ $2365, + $ 11,602)
  

Again, how many people could be guaranteed employment and raises totaling $11,602 over six years (this reflects compacting - still a considerable increase) with no consideration for performance, no increase in work day, responsibilities, and duties and say it is not enough?

There is a grievance over the healthcare issue, and the contribution to the benefits is minuscule (I pay 20% of the cost of the plan I chose, so $50 a month would be nothing). The prep time and other issues are clearly insignificant compared to salary. If they weren't the salary would have been conceded to and it hasn't moved.

The NASD and Fact Finder have offered significant increases to the NAEA and they have resoundingly turned it down. The questions left to ask is how much more do they want, what are they willing to do to get it, and how much damage to their reputation are they willing to suffer to get it.

It is really a sad state of affairs right now and I can wholly sympathize with the people who started Stop Teachers Strikes in PA. The process given to us is in place to ruin communities and needs to be changed. The PSEA has legislated this process to ensure their own well-being, now it is time for another community to realize how damaging this process has become, unfortunately, it is our own.