Greedy teachers in Minneapolis? The Strib reports that hundreds of Mpls. teachers, many carrying placards, paraded in a union-organized protest yesterday at District headquarters, to demand increased wages. The wage demands are based on a contract clause (from the current contract which expired 6/30) that provides increased wages for increased years of service and for getting more education. The District is currently in negotiations with the union for a new two-year contract.
After literally hundreds of their brethren (in the Mpls. District) have lost their jobs (just this year alone), and untold thousands of metro-area workers (blue collar, white collar- across the board) have become unemployed in recent years due to stagnant economic conditions, these folks might rightly be questioned as to the moral and ethical legitimacy of their claims. Those other workers lucky enough to still have a job in these hard times have experienced little-to-no wage increases in recent years, and virtually all- in both public and private sector, have seen increased payroll deductions to cover the rising cost of healthcare insurance, and have experienced increased co-pay requirements. Many small businesses have dropped health insurance for their workers altogether. And yes, the ranks of those without health insurance continue to grow in our city. Many work fewer hours. Many have taken early retirement so that others could continue working. Yet, these good folks, represented by the Mpls. teacher's union, think they deserve more just because they have been on the job another year or maybe they got some educational credits or a new degree recently. Talk about an entitlement mentality! In what other occupation can a worker expect- no demand, more money just because they have completed more education? Or, just because they've been on the job another year. This is foolishness, and explains to a large degree why educational budgets continue to come up short at the District level. My recommendation to District negotiators-- completely eliminate these contract provisions. If the teachers don't like it they can take their increased education credentials and see what else is available in the job market. Let them look around the job market and see what else is available and comparable, and then make their decision. Likewise with the provision providing increased pay just for hanging around another year. Let's get real. And, to balance against threats to walk off the job, negotiators might add a new contract provision that requires teacher competency testing every couple of years; and then allow non-teachers to test-into the job; such that current teachers and non-teachers alike would have to pass the same subject-based competency tests in order to stay in the game (teachers with five or more years experience could get a few points added to their score to compensate for that classroom expertise). Not interested-- what ever happened to the proposed no-strike clause? Let's not forget, there are thousands of well-educated folks currently out of work and without health insurance who would love to get into teaching without a lot of red-tape prerequisites. If we can test the students, why not the teachers and the teacher wanabes? Let's add a bit of competition to this segment of the workforce; make the teaching profession a little more like most other professions, many of which include ongoing competency testing requirements, etc. Good teachers are valuable members of society and I'm the first to recognize the fact. But, so are good doctors, lawyers, nurses, medical technicians, financial planners, computer professionals, insurance actuaries, engineers, and many others on the line and in management in all sectors of the economy. Millions have college degrees; many have advanced degrees and doctorates; and many have years of relevant experience. Let's level the playing field, as they say. [See 'Minneapolis teachers protest in contract dispute' by Allie Shah at: http://www.startribune.com/stories/1592/4088852.html ] Michael Hohmann Linden Hills REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
