Posted by whatusay on March 10, 2011, 5:50 pm, in reply to "Re: Great news!!"
so today - many of us still support the dying Unions because we know their power in getting fair working conditions that contribute to a productive society
Teacher's union contracts today rarely include anything that would contribute to FAIR and WORKING CONDITIONS.
Examples, locally:
A contract negotiated that includes our district paying for FULL HEALTH COVERAGE FOR SPOUSES AND FAMLIES EVEN IF THAT SPOUSE AND FAMILY IS COVERED UNDER ANOTHER PLAN. At one point it was with ZERO contribution from the employed teacher, not only for their own coverage but for their spouses coverage. THIS WAS ACTUALLY A CONDITION THEY STRUCK OVER, now I think there is some token amount they have to pay for family coverage.
What other profession offers FULL HEALTH BENEFITS FOR THE EMPLOYEE AND THEIR FAMILY WITH NOT A PENNY CONTRIBUTION FROM THAT EMPLOYEE?
Can you imagine totally free medical expenses, medications, etc., because your district pays for everyone in the family, and that secondary coverage picks up what is left over from the primary coverage WITHOUT PAYING A PENNY?
Really! Why do teachers think they should be entitled to this, to the point of striking over it?
This is 2011, YOU NEVER SEE THIS AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT ANYWHERE!
I'm sure there are many other examples just like this contained in our teacher's contracts.
If I'm not mistaken, there is something to the effect that our teachers can ware blue jeans or some other type of negotiated dress code.
Then there is the "we want to get paid for the days we are out of the classroom striking" crap. And how much vacation and holidays they want.
All in all, the teacher's union is no longer negotiating protection of "working conditions", it's ALL ABOUT MONEY AND BENEFITS FOR THE TEACHERS.
And obviously there is a clause that those pesky continuing educational classes and workshops may be attended to during the regular school year NOT DURING THEIR OFF TIME IN THE SUMMER, per the post from Gary Busey. So, heaven forbid they be forced to interrupt that three months with a week or so of continuing education without the taxpayers paying for a substitute to cover their class.
So personally, to me the definition of bargaining power or teacher's contracts is equal to the rape of the taxpayer, and the union is just negotiating to what degree it's going to hurt. And I really, really, really do not understand why they feel that they and their profession is entitled to much more than the average, college educated and employed person is entitled to.
All the above with absolutely NO ACCOUNTABILITY, but instead given a working condition called "tenure" (after a VERY, VERY BRIEF TIME OF ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE) that literally locks in all the above with no recourse for a district to terminate anyone who does a chitty job.
NO WONDER THEY ARE SO PISSED AT THE THOUGHT OF LOSING THEIR BARGAINING RIGHTS!