Yesterday, the ATRs received an email from the DOE offering us an opportunity to leave our livelihood for a maximum of 19.2% of our present annual salary. Except for ATRs who were going to retire anyway, I suspect you can count the numbers willing to take this severance on two hands. This is an insulting offer by the DOE and accepted by our union leadership. If we are to believe there are only 1,200 ATRs (the real number is 2,500+ if you include the provisional and long term leave replacements), then maybe 10 ATRs will actually take this insulting offer. Of course the DOE and union will not publish the numbers since it will show how inadequate the ATR severance package is. For people unaware of what the package is, here are the numbers.
Payment................................................Years in Service
1 week.....................................................Less than 4 years
2 weeks...................................................Less than 6 years
3 weeks.................................................. Less than 8 years
4 weeks...................................................Less than 10 years
5 weeks...................................................Less than 12 years
6 weeks...................................................Less than 14 years
7 weeks...................................................Less than 16 years
8 weeks...................................................Less than 18 years
9 weeks...................................................Less than 20 years
10 weeks.................................................20 years or greater
Therefore, if you are making $100,049, then the severance would be:
$100,049 x (10/52) = $19,240 (19.2%)
Since the average ATR makes approxinately $85,426 and has been in the system for 15 years. they would get the following,
$85,426 x (7/52) = $11,500 (13.5%)
For teachers who have only 10 years in the system, they would get a pittance
$75,000 x (5/2) = $7,212 (9.6%)
The ATR severance package is totally inadequate and is an insult. This just proves how little the union leaders thinks of their members. No real union would have allowed the DOE to propose such an insulting severance package and spin it as if this is a generous offer. How stupid do they think we are?
To all members, do not let the union leadership and the DOE push you out. Taking this offer, if you are not ready to retire, means they win and you lose.
Just because the DOE and UFT are populated by cretins doesn't mean that the MEMBERS have to emulate them. I rolled backwards in my computer chair laughing as I read this asinine email. It's more than insulting---could you not feel the slap on your face and hear the peals of laughter directed at YOU in the background as you read it? Truly, I'm surprised they didn't direct us to report to their offices to be tied down and relieved upon. Oh. That's next.
ReplyDeleteMore like a kick in the balls.
ReplyDeleteIt is so insulting as was the hyped up taxable signing bonus and 75 percent of teachers ate it up - they all suck!
ReplyDeleteThe 1.67% is the multiplier for less than 20 years for tier 4.
ReplyDeleteExample:
$75,000 x 12 years x 1.67% = $15,030
It is a shame that our members are apathetic and voted for this horrendous contract. I hope the ATR's challenge the separate work rules nonsense in court. Our union leadership is boneheaded and they are completely out of touch with the rank and file.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 5:39 -- most of our MEMBERSHIP is "completely out of touch with the rank and file". They saw a contract being waved around, with a couple of bucks offered, and they grabbed it like a hungry trout grabs a lure. Most of the teachers I asked as to why they voted for this horrendous contract (1) admitted they hadn't read it, (2) told me they were afraid if they didn't grab this contract, no better contract would be offered, (3)or were just too stupid and/or naive to know what a decent contract would look like. Sadly, many of the "yes" voters were senior teachers! One would have thought they'd know better, but DUH!
ReplyDeleteThese yes-voters don't think like union members used to think. Now, it's every man for themselves. This is at least partially a result of the many years of Bloomturd pitting us against each other with selective bonuses. As is being done again in the current crap contract with this "Master Teacher" nonsense. We all know that a "Master Teacher" in reality would be the best kiss-up to the AP in the department, not necessarily someone with superior teaching skills.
One thing is for sure---ATRS are on their own. Their union has abandoned them in favor of the new dues-payers coming into the system for DiBlahblah's Pre-K classes. Their fellow union members have pretty much abandoned them in favor of themselves. So we need all the solidarity among ourselves that we can muster!
A totally insulting OFFER!!!! THE HIERARCHY OF" OUR" Union should be ashamed of themselves.More importantly we should be ashamed too for allowing people like them to be our representatives.If they are supposedly our PROTECTORS what do we need friends for?
ReplyDeleteOf course it's insulting- the entire contract is insulting. For that matter, the entire teaching profession has become one big insult. I'm surprised one of the UFT toadies hasn't written in to say," this is a great severance package and no one else has it!".
ReplyDeleteEveryone is screaming about how much we get paid, but have forgotten the lives and trillion plus dollars completely wasted in Iraq and Afghanistan. I guess we serve the purpose of keeping the public unfocused on the real issues. Our union uses the same tactics when they focus on minor issues with minor victories- to keep us off track. At the last ATR advisory meeting the focus was being targeted on how the union fought hard to stop ATRs from going through scanning. At Arundel's meetings she focuses on the mundane minor issues instead of how our rights are being violated daily (with no help from our union). Happy 4th.
Mulgrew needs to become an ATR and rotate to a different school on a weekly basis. He negotiated this rotation back in 2011. Mulgrew also needs to be held accountable and be subject to the same work rules as teachers. Another idea is to have Mulgrew TEACH A CLASS with Common Core standards and Danielson. I do not think he would last long as an ATR or in the classroom. Mulgrew would take the severance package because being an ATR means real work (working with kids).
ReplyDeleteIt's a slap in the face to those that voted against the ATR system when they had a chance in the '05 contract. For those who voted YES to that contract and became an ATR after all the warnings posted on Facebook and various blogs, what did you expect?? You voted away your excessing rights!!
ReplyDeleteWait till the people who voted YES to this current contract see the changes in health care benefits after Mulgrew declared no changes. The media is already reporting many insurance companies are now raising their premiums. So where is the Affordable in the Affordable Healthcare Law?? It will be taking from your retro. Hope you guys break even.
Here's an unexpected twist in the ATR interview situation. This week over 100 ATRS--including excessed types like James Eterno and Untouchables like Auguste Leppelmeier and me--received the following email from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High Principal Edward DeMeo: "I trust you are well. According to our records, you may be seeking a Social Studies position for the new school year. If so, please forward your resume to me. I plan to interview candidates next week.
ReplyDeleteThank you."
I wonder if Farina knows about this ecumenical invitation.
I have 17 years in the system and I have never been an ATR. I voted NO for this contract because I know that anyone in the system is subject to becoming an ATR at anytime. Last year, I was brought up on charges by OSI which were unsubstantiated thank goodness.
ReplyDeleteBut during the entire time the investigation was open, I felt I was doomed and would eventually become an ATR. I say this because we all know that OSI is a dept. filled with sub-human garbage making 60K (check the postings)as "investigators". Pathetic wanna be cops.
I was one of the lucky ones. But it was that experience which made me VOTE NO for this contract.
It could have been me.... I always tell myself. I feel terrible for my 3 good friends who are ATR's for 4 years! I feel terrible for all of them.
Our union is shameful.
I think if we returned to optional dues, our union would represent us quite differently knowing that their source of revenue could be cut off at any time.
ReplyDeleteThe next thing the union will surrender is tenure. That battle is coming.
need a story on howie kwait. in the daily news again. not saying he's bad or good but a lot of things going on at john bowne that needs someone like you to write about
ReplyDelete