Greedy Teachers

[cobbler]

Here is the situation in a school district near me that could very well affect my school district.

The more I hear about this, the more it angers me because personally I think the teachers are being just to darn greedy and they will get no sympathy from me!!

They have been working without contract for over a year now. But the sticking point on why they haven't reached a new contract deal is health care.

The district, due to losing money from low enrollment, state funding or whatever, wants the teachers to pay $40 a month for healthcare. Well the teachers don't want to pay that much. So they voted a strike approval. Not that they will but that they could. Well here in MI it is illegal for teachers to strike and they could get fined a days pay for everyday they are on the picket line and could even be fired.

Me personally, I say fire 'em. That district has over 1000 applications on file for teachers wanting jobs. And if you have heard anything about MI is that we have lost a TON of jobs in the last couple years.

Well our whole county of teachers decided that if any of that districts teachers get fired because they strike, they will ALL walk out on a sympathy strike.

Now I think this is just beyond rediculous. I mean $40 a month is darn cheap, esp when they get some awesome coverage!!! Heck my husband pays $65 a week for our family of health care and we have 80/20 coverage with deductable and 10/20 prescription coverage. I would love to pay $40 a month.

Yet they say they are would strike for the kids. Kids my tush!!! I think it is just greed.

So what do you think?? Should they suck it up and pay $40 a month for full coverage healthcare and be thankful they have a job in these rough economic times and also be thankful it isn't a totally rediculous amount that the rest of us have to pay? Or do you think they have a legit concern??

 

[coliebird]

I think it's ridiculous. $40 isn't a lot of money at all. In my company, family coverage costs $225 per paycheck (bi-weekly) so I think $40 a month is a bargain.

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

I wonder if the district is capping the amount they will pay on health insurance???

In other words, the premium is $250 monthly and the district is saying we will pay $210 and the employee must pay whatever else is over that. So, this year it is $40, but next year if the premium goes up another $100 it will be $140, etc.

That is what has happened here in Texas and it has not gone over well, as you can imagine.

Just trying to explain that it may not be that they are fighting over $40 per month, but that there is now no limit to what they will pay in the future????

How sad that they are striking--that just never seems to help much. I don't think I would classify most teachers as "greedy", however.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

boy here's a thread that should have "Debate: " in the topic if I ever saw one. It is really hard to answer your points without knowing more about the structure of your District.

I will say however,
and I'm sure this will upset many people here,

I 100% agree that Public Education teachers should not have the right to strike.

 

[cobbler]

There could be a cap. I am not entirely sure and will state that now sooo.

But this is all the info we have been given on the news and the newspaper.

Regardless, 40 a month is still cheap when I pay over 260 a month and I don't get a cap!!

We actually just switched providers (well hubbys work did) because our premiums would have raised 57% starting tomorrow, making our portion of healthcare over 150 a week!!!

There is no way we could afford 600+ a month.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Geez! I'd go for $40 a week!!

I pay over $300 a month for health insurance coverage. That's just for me and doesn't include my son. And that's without a job. Their griping on this one is ridiculous.

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

Health insurance for most public school employees is insanely expensive.

We pay $700 per month for our family coverage. (DH is the only one working)

Most insurers do not want to take on school systems because they are (according to a friend who is a healthcare plan director nearby) high risk and expensive to insure---lots of women (whose healthcare traditionally costs more according to my friend) and lots of children (again $$$).

This is one reason why teachers are not on the state's health insurance plan for state employees--it would drive up their costs considerably.

 

[caitycaity]

Should they suck it up and pay $40 a month for full coverage healthcare

yes - this is pretty much the reason why i was against our grocery people here potentially striking. give me a break - most everyone pays way more than that.

 

[tonyswife]

I don't know if "greedy teachers" is the right way to put it. I'm not sure if teachers are allowed to *not* strike, no matter what their personal opinion is, if the union has decided to strike. I think it's probably more complicated than simple greed. Further, we can't just compare what teachers pay versus what we pay for family health coverage without taking overall compensation into account. For example, if a teacher pays $40/month out of a $30,000/year salary it's quite different than someone with a $80,000/year salary paying $100 or $150 per month. Plus, we have to consider whether or not the healthcare plans are equal in what they cover. Very complicated indeed. I hope they can work it out for the sake of the teachers and the children.

 

[caitycaity]

For example, if a teacher pays $40/month out of a $30,000/year salary

when i made $30,000/year i paid way more than that.

i agree with your other points, but $40/month for coverage is good no matter what your salary is these days.

 

[SC Minnie]

Everyone around here complained when ours went up 2 years ago from $50/month to $100/month for FAMILY coverage. We complained a little but it is a much better deal that having to get coverage on your own. Next year our coverage is going up again to $150/month for family coverage. We have a great deductible amount and the coverage includes vision and dental.

Health care cost are rising for EVERYONE. If your district bought into their demands the teachers would end up paying it anyway in the form of higher taxes. The district will have to get the $ from somewhere.

For example, if a teacher pays $40/month out of a $30,000/year salary it's quite different than someone with a $80,000/year salary paying $100 or $150 per month.

$30K is about average for the 'worker bees' here.

 

[OhMari]

I never want to bash teachers, but if it is something they never had to pay for, it is hard to accept.

I just read that some business owners and companies are going to eliminate health insurance benefits. It is just to expensive of a benefit to offer employees. Can you imagine if that starts to happen.

We pay $125 a month now that my husband has a new job. The company used to pay all the premiums but the company started making the employees pay a portion as of Jan. 1 of this year. My husbands co-workers grumble a lot over the premium. (My husband told them to get in the real world.

At his old job we paid $440 each month we paid half, the dealership paid the other half. When he got laid off, we forked up the $880 under COBRA.
We didn't want to risk being without health insurance. We paid those premiums 8 months.

 

[tonyswife]

Originally posted by caitycaity
when i made $30,000/year i paid way more than that.

Yes, so did I.

i agree with your other points, but $40/month for coverage is good no matter what your salary is these days.

Agreed. I wasn't making a judgement call on this particular strike, I was just tossing out some ideas. The strike may or may not be motivated by greed. It depends on the specifics.

I would be interested in a discussion on the relative usefulness of unions, though. You mentioned the grocery store clerk strike and I bet we have the same opinion on THAT one.

 

[tonyswife]

Originally posted by SC Minnie
.

Health care cost are rising for EVERYONE.

Agree. We really need to do something about it, starting with tort reform. (IMO, of course)

 

[SC Minnie]

Originally posted by tonyswife

I would be interested in a discussion on the relative usefulness of unions, though.

If you have ever had to deal with the railroads or the ports like I do you would have a definite opinion on unions.

 

[caitycaity]

I would be interested in a discussion on the relative usefulness of unions, though. You mentioned the grocery store clerk strike and I bet we have the same opinion on THAT one.

if we were still able to acess old DB posts, i would point you in the direction of a particularly good thread on this exact topic. it was started around the time of the so.cal. grocery strike and i thought it was a pretty interesting thread.

 

[cinmell]

Geeze, $40 a month isn't bad at all! I'd love to pay that instead of my $200 a month health insurance payment .

 

[tonyswife]

Originally posted by caitycaity


if we were still able to acess old DB posts, i would point you in the direction of a particularly good thread on this exact topic. it was started around the time of the so.cal. grocery strike and i thought it was a pretty interesting thread.

My mom and dad live in Palm Springs. My mom was SPIT on when she went to the grocery store during the strike. Now, I realize that this is not representative of all union workers, obviously. But, it did considerably sour my opinion of the entire issue in general.

The problem with a debate about unions is that people get really insulted when it's suggested that an unskilled, entry level position should NOT be paying $10 plus dollars an hour plus PHENOMINAL benefits.

 

[tonyswife]

Originally posted by SC Minnie
If you have ever had to deal with the railroads or the ports like I do you would have a definite opinion on unions.

Oh I DO have an opinion on unions.

 

[caitycaity]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=654435