Posts tagged Salaries
The NEA Faces an Unexpected Labor Adversary—Its Own Staff Union
June 24, 2024 // Outside of the National Education Association’s building on the city’s busy 16th Street thoroughfare, staff members marched with signs reading “Uphold union values” and “NEA: practice what you preach.” Other staffers made runs supplying snacks and water in the sweltering heat; staffers had organized shifts to keep the strike on pace until 5 p.m. The one-day work stoppage comes ahead of the NEA’s upcoming Representative Assembly, which will draw thousands of union members to Philadelphia over the Fourth of July weekend to vote on the union’s budget and priorities for 2024-25.
Latinas, the lowest-paid group in the U.S., turn to unions for better wages, report says
May 28, 2024 // Latinas are the lowest paid demographic in the United States, one of the reasons union membership among them is increasing, bucking the national downward trend of at least four decades, according to a report released this week by the National Women's Law Center (NWLC). The document, a fact sheet on union membership analyzing relevant trends among workers from all demographics in the United States, highlights that through 2023 women made up almost half of union members (45.6%).
Opinion: School Choice Is the Solution to Teacher Strikes
February 10, 2024 // Last year 17 states expanded or enacted initiatives that make money available directly to parents to spend on alternative schools or educational paths for their children. Such programs work to break education monopolies by opening opportunities to all that are ordinarily reserved for the wealthy. Had parents in Newton had this option, they would have been able to avoid the disruption the strike caused. And the unions would have a weaker incentive to behave disruptively in the first place. A private-sector employer feels the pain of an employee strike because customers can find another place to shop for goods or services. Employees have skin in the game, too, because they risk loss of their paycheck and possibly getting fired. In the public sector, however, the customers—in this case families and children—are the only ones who feel the pain. The teachers get what they want, every time. The result is a vicious circle. Teachers unions periodically hold children’s education hostage in exchange for ransom payments from taxpayers. The unions are never fully held accountable for these disruptions. Nor do they ever allow meaningful change to the system. The Newton Public Schools spend almost $30,000 annually on each student. Families should be able to spend that money any way and anywhere they choose. Public schools would then have an incentive to cater to the needs of the people who pay teachers’ salaries.
Dartmouth Basketball Players can now Unionize
February 8, 2024 // The players were ruled to be employees of the school, meaning they can unionize. Not only will the players be able to negotiate their salaries, but also their practice hours and when they will travel to and from games. However, this would go against the NCAA’s amateurism rule, which states that athletes can not be compensated for competing in college athletics unless the money they receive is from scholarships and expenses. The problem is that Ivy League schools do not award scholarships for athletics meaning the Dartmouth men’s basketball team are essentially playing for free. Another problem is that these athletes are being overworked. According to the players, they testified that they were spending over 40 hours a week playing basketball. The NCAA only allows teams to practice 20 hours a week.
As Portland strike ends, Kotek announces next steps to avoid similar strikes elsewhere
December 2, 2023 // With one of every three school districts in Oregon scheduled to be in labor negotiations this school year, the Portland strike reflects some of the statewide concerns and systemic challenges that districts face, she said. Task Force on Statewide Educator Salaries,
Schools in Portland, Oregon, reach tentative deal with teachers union after nearly month-long strike
November 27, 2023 // Students last attended school on Halloween. The deal would provide educators with a 13.8% cumulative cost-of-living increase over the next three years and about half of all educators would earn an extra 10.6% from yearly step increases, PPS said. The agreement would also add classroom time for elementary and middle grades starting next year and increase teacher planning time by 90 minutes each week for elementary and middle-aged classrooms.
Maryland Teachers Union employees earn $181,000 on average
November 19, 2023 // According to MSEA’s federal filing, at least 11 employees earned more than $200,000 in total compensation last year. Kristy Anderson, the general counsel, earned $285,962. Executive Director Sean Johnson earned $276,892. Assistant Executive Director Cathy Perry earned $259,210. Project Baltimore found that MSEA collected $26.5 million in revenue last year, the highest amount on record. Of that $26.5 million, $16.9 million went towards “salaries, other compensation, employee benefits” for the unions 93 employees. If $16.9 million went to 93 employees, that means on average, union employees earned $181,720 in total compensation. Keep in mind, MSEA is a tax-exempt nonprofit with a specific mission to elevate public education.
Andover teachers sign new contract, ending strike after 5 days of negotiations
November 16, 2023 // While the School Committee expressed its excitement about the end of the strike, it also noted that with the increased teacher salaries provided under the new contract terms that were agreed upon, it must consider cuts to programs, services and school department staff beginning with the next academic year. "We heard clearly from the teachers and many in the community that teacher and instructional assistant pay was the priority in this agreement and we responded accordingly," Spruce said in her statement. "At the same time, the final agreement is inconsistent with the principles of the town’s long-range financial plan so, to live within our means, we will need to make meaningful program, service, and staff reductions." The School Committee stated that Andover's long-range financial plan includes 3.75% annual increases to the school department's budget allocation and that without budget reductions, the tentative agreement with the Andover Education Association will push the town past that figure.
EdWeek Employees Vote to Form a Union
November 5, 2023 // The union will represent 55 employees in the bargaining unit, which includes nonmanagerial reporters, visual artists, digital and engagement specialists, the EdWeek Research Center, marketing and advertising professionals, accounting, and other staff, according to Sarah Schwartz, a reporter at Education Week and a member of the EdWeek Union organizing committee. “We’re thrilled to see that EdWeek employees have voted to unionize. This is the first step in making sure that all of our colleagues have the protections they deserve,” Schwartz said. “We’re really excited to work with all of our colleagues in the unit as we determine priorities for bargaining going forward and we’re also looking forward to working collaboratively with management.”
Opinion James Gray: Public sector unions have hijacked our governments in California and beyond
September 13, 2023 // “About ten percent of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention are members of the teachers unions making them the single largest organizational bloc of Democratic activists.” Furthermore, if you oppose those unions they can — and will — spend huge amounts of money either to fund your opponent in the next election or even to sponsor a recall election. Just ask former Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Hewitt, Santa Ana City Councilperson Cecilia Iglesias or state Sen. John Moorlach, who all lost their positions because they stood up to the public employees unions.