Strike 1, Strike 2, Strike ... UPDATE! About This Page:

[maggieworkman]

My kids' teachers went on strike today!!! No school and it doesn't look like it will be resolved any time soon.

The teachers want a 30% salary increase over 3 years. They claim their median salary is less than the state average. I don't understand this because our schools are really good and we just passed a referendum. But we have such a population explosion in this area that they had to use the money to build a new intermediate school.

I am torn by this because as a teacher myself, I feel for the teachers, but as a parent I hate to see the kids out of school. Also, I read in the paper they were thinking of making up the time during Christmas!!! I sure hope not. I hope it doesn't interfere with our Disney plans at Thanksgiving!

Maggie

[ 10-14-2003, 09:31 AM: Message edited by: maggieworkman ]

[Dumbo]

I don't feel teachers should strike. Any time they strike they should be told strike and we hire permant replacements.

Personally I think teachers are overpaid and underworked. No where else to employees get as much time off a year as teachers plus after 10 years they get an entire year off if they want it.

I know I've offened but this is my reason. Our DS has a job working with juveniles who are court ordered into treatment. The employees there work 7-3 and 3-11. The nighshift doesn't require a college degree. They also work weekends and holidays for far less pay then teachers. These people also have college degrees and are paying off loans.

[poohsgirl]

That's quite a dilemma Maggie! I hope it gets resolved soon!

Who wants to go to school at Christmas time!

[ilovedonald]

I'm a teacher and I believe teachers are overworked and underpaid. Where would anybody be without teachers? On the other hand, I don't believe they should strike. They just hurt the kids.

Have you ever considered taking your kids out of school to go to WDW? My daughter is in 1st grade so its not that much of a problem.

Good luck with everything. The teachers did that where I used to live and it only lasted 1-2 days.

[img]graemlins/usa.gif[/img]

[simbarel]

Not a teacher even though I could be, and it's because they are so overworked and underpaid, particularly in my home state. This is such a hard argument because there's no easy answer. I hope things work out smoothly in your district soon. Teachers and children both cannot be underestimated nor compromised.

[DisneyFamily4Life]

30% in 3 years...you have got to be kidding...I'd like that raise. I am an RN and I will get a 3% raise. All people feel under worked and overpaid. The most happy people are those that are self employed. My wife is a teacher here in GA, a right to work state. They don't have unions etcc... No strikes here. Hope the situation is resolved though. We passed a 1 penny SPLOST(Special Local Options Sales Tax) here in Bulloch Co. It adds one penny to our staes sales tax, which is being used to build 3 new high schools and a middle school. This will expire in five years or less if the 45 million is collected prior to that. Maybe that would help your area.

[nightengale1824]

I totally agree that teachers are overworked. I don't think that anyone realizes that everytime there is a school activity teachers are used for security, food sales, ticket taking , and every other job no one wants. All this is without extra pay. It is just part of the job . Where we live there is an activity almost every night and I know some teachers that are working day and night 5 days a week. They also have more work and more students than a lot of parents are aware of. I am not a teacher and I have never been one but I notice a lot of things at our schools that could use some changing. Sorry for ranting but I felt it needed to be said. I hope every thing works out for you.No children should ever have to go to school through Christmas break because teachers strike. Lots of pixie dust headed your way from Oklahoma!!!

[Grumpygal]

I work at a university in the teacher education department. So I see all sorts of things that happen as we prepare our future teachers. I agree that teachers are overworked and underpaid, but I don't think striking is the answer. The only ones who get hurt during a strike are the kids. I think there could be better ways to get the point across without it coming to this (although I don't know what offhand).

I remember when I was in kindergarten the teachers went on strike and we were off for 3 weeks. I'll keep my fingers crossed that they resolve this issue quickly and things get back to normal for you.

[mrsmaup]

Wow, that would be a bummer for the kids eh?

I hope they work this out.

Im try to think of what my life would be like if my husband, who is in the Air Force, got a 30% pay raise over 3 years!LOL!! No, better not to get into that mindset, or I will become discontent w/the 4% yearly cost of living raises and those are something I am so thankful for since when we were eligible for food stamps(didnt use them, but were eligible) the first 10 years we were married. We are not now, so WHOOPIE!!!!!!

I wish our teachers here in ND could get a salary increase. Last year they were the lowest paid teachers in the country.

I think there are some districts where teachers are overpaid and lots where they are underpaid.

There are ALOT of professions that are underpaid commiserate w/what they are asked to perform(like die for total strangers for 20,000 per year)

We may never agree on how much teachers should get paid, or how much they do get paid, but I think we can ALL agree that people like actors and professional athletes get paid WAY TOO MUCH for what they offer AND to top it off, they complain about their MILLIONS not being enough [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

I hope this gets straightened out for your kids sake and I would definately keep your vacation on track. YOU scheduled it around school. Its not YOUR fault that school may be adjusted because of a teachers strike(vs say a natural disaster). You are the parent and YOU get first rights to your children.

[maggieworkman]

If things weren't bad enough, now our Garbage Collectors have gone on strike!!! Hopefully, the kids don't produce too much garbage while they are home from school due to the school strike [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] .

No new news on the teachers strike. The teachers and the school board have met ONCE since they went on strike last Tuesday. No new talks are scheduled.

Maggie

[maggieworkman]

Well, the STRIKE IS OVER and the kids went back to school today. Yay! They have been out since September 24 - 10 days of missed school. I am not sure how they are going to make that up. I believe we will get a note sent home with the kids today discussing it.

The teachers were holding firm for a 30% raise over 3 years, and although the contract is "undisclosed" for now, one news report said that they were getting a 9% raise this year and 7% next year.

Luckily I had my sister here to watch the girls while the strike was on. I just feel so bad for all the other parents who were struggling to find babysitters for their kids during this time.

Back to life as normal...

Maggie
p.s. the garbage strike is over too. One and 1/2 weeks without garbage pickup!

[Fortissimo]

Maggie, I was wondering this morning how the strike was going.

Glad to see it is settled and things can attempt to return to normal.