Well I guess we can all be grateful that we finally have healthcare reform underway.
:-k


So we do need laws to protect us from these vile teachers screwing over the tax payers – wow. I am surprised at the vilification of the educators. I never thought of them as getting ‘rich’ off of us. And I gather that you all don’t think there compensation is fair market value.

Any chance we could admire their financial success in the education business? No, they are unfair and shameless.

They should follow the example of Halliburton – they would never screw the tax payer.

Brewha wrote:

I've endured paycuts, and a suspension of any 401k contributions by my employer - just to keep my job. Our company actually had to stop offering insurance because the rates have gone up so much. Yet these unions think that raising our taxes to pay for their 100% funded pension plans and their premium health care is the only option. If the teachers had selected a different insurance program, they would have saved $$$. But that is the union run insurance they have, so I guess that was not an option.

Mrs.Tank wrote:

A little melodramatic today I see.

I don't think you're taking the opposing opinions (that's the people who don't agree with you) in the right light. This is typical for the pro union argument with public employees, how can you dislike a teacher or policeman or firefighter? The problem is the unions and the way the bargaining is done.

ZRX1200 wrote:

I have worked in the field of education, both primary and secondary. Support staff, not a teacher. My mother has been a teacher, and I have an aunt and a cousin who are both currently teachers. So I have a little bit of knowledge of "the system".

Truth: the wage for a starting teacher is terrible
Truth: there are, in fact, some great teachers out there. People who earnestly endeavor to teach and enrich the lives of children.

Here's some other truths: around here, teachers are under contract to work 185 days a year. There are 365 days on the calendar that means they work almost exactly one day out of every two. That's a part time job.

Teachers get a mandated student-free "planning period" every day. Do you get an hour a day, every day, that doesn't involve your primary job duty? I don't. When I worked for the local school district-- and I know this is not the same everywhere-- it made 8% contributions into the retirement system. It also paid 100% of health insurance costs on the emoloyee. That did change while I was working there and they were asked to pay something like $18 dollars a month. There was an uproar like you wouldn't believe. Also, if you were insuring your family, you had to contribute as well. I say this to be fair, because some people (myself included) did contribute but at a pretty favorable rate. Retirement (which you can start collecting at 55 until you die) and the employee insurance was paid for by the tax payer.

There were guaranteed raises every year based on nothing but how long you have been there. I personally know a middle school gym teacher that makes $90k a year. Yes, she's been teaching there since 1973 but think about that: $90k a year for a part time job that involves blowing a whistle and throwing a ball out except for the six weeks a year you are required to teach health. Plus she gets extra money for coaching sports teams. Do you think she's home at night grading papers on her own time? Buying school supplies out of pocket? Nope!

Observation and opinion: many *many* (though by no means all) of the teachers I had direct contact with we're lazy, marginally competent at best, and didn't give a hoot about the kids. They were all constantly lobbying to get more for themselves for less effort. Want to see an elementary teacher have a melt down? Tell her due to lack of staff that Agee needs to watch kids get on te bus in the afternoon before she goes home. I watched an absolute temper tantrum happen over that. Her exact words: "I won't get home until four o'clock if I have to do that!". Class starts at eight thirty five so it wasn't like she had been there since five am.

I could go on and on about the entitlement, aggregious and outrageous behavior I have personally seen, but I know that it's not going to change anybody's minds. I will say this: I have a whole hell of a lot less respect for "educators" after having spent a few years around them.

Mathen wrote:

Why is there criticism of self-insured union health insurance. when employer self-insured health insurance very common

rfenst wrote:

Why is there criticism of self-insured union health insurance. when employer self-insured health insurance very common

rfenst wrote:

Because many people here believe the very concept of a union is evil, therefore facts and logic don't apply.

pdxstogieman wrote:

That's the part that always get's me. I have never met a teacher that only puts in their 185 days. I know you're just telling what you have seen and are not attacking. My wife and most of my friends teach. They must be a rarity in this profession. 1 hour time off spent with students or doesn't exist, teaching summer school, always prepping for the next year, paying for continuing education(which is required unlike most professions), and paying for school supplies out of pocket. 5 day work week is a myth. Most spend Sunday at school getting ready for the upcoming week. All said and done they work just as hard and long as any other job. I realize this was a thread about unions, sorry for getting off topic.

JKilburn wrote: