UFT Contract Agreement – First Thoughts
I have not yet seen the agreement, and will have more to say once I have read the details. However, at first blush it seems to be quite mediocre, and I am inclined to support it.
(I was on the Negotiating Committee, but not its Executive Committee. I had school obligations that kept me from yesterday’s briefing.)
The money is one point above DC37, nothing spectacular, but not awful.
I was hoping we could undo a piece, even a small piece, of the last contract. I am disappointed that we have not.
I am nervous, very nervous, about the supposed ‘voluntary’ severance packages for teachers in excess. I want to ask more questions.
I wanted a September 1 expiration. A little disappointed.
All in all, given how weak we are, this may not be all that far from the best we were going to do. Remember, last year when many of us were very angry, Bloomberg did not fear a strike. We need to buy time to get stronger. This contract can serve that purpose, if we really work to strengthen our institutions (primarily chapters, outreach to/recruitment of new teachers) etc.
I will be writing much more after tomorrow’s Delegate Assembly.
This doesn’t look too bad to me:
Wages
• Total cash increase = at least 8% for all members
• Top salary exceeds $100,000 milestone
• 7.1% salary raise for every member next school year
– 2% effective Oct. 13, 2007
– 5% effective May 19, 2008
– applies to all rates and longevities
• Up front cash payment for every member
–$750 one-time lump sum payment (pensionable)
–payable Jan. 1, 2007
This is what I know so far. The complete salary charts for all titles and levels will be published in the next NYTeacher
The contract is acceptable but what about a takeback or two?
I’ll write about this stuff more, but I think Chaz is right. Our negotiating committee did try to get the 2 pre-Labor Day days back, but the City wanted 14 extra PD hours in return (I know that we were going to ask for this from sitting on the committee, but I heard about the city’s counter-demand from a staffer, so it must not be a state secret.) Too, too bad. There would have been great symbolic value in even one small take-back.
MVP, I’m not complaining about the money, but I won’t gloat about it either. Once again we’ve fallen short of inflation. But I can’t whine too much, we are pretty close this time. I’ll grab the $750. Everyone will. But it’s a sucker bet. I would rather take 1/10 of 1%. Over the next 20? 25? years, it would far exceed the lump sum.
And how many teachers will make it to their 23rd year to see the 100k? (Me, I will. 13 more, but this is my career. But there’s not a whole lot of me’s out there).
But like I say, can’t whine too much. Money is ok, and without a major loss.