Times: West County school district to vote on ‘last, best and final’ offer to teachers union
— by Jeffrey Wisniewski — 7 July 2009 — 2 comments below »
The “best” and “final” offers are very seldom concurrent… “A bargaining dispute between the West Contra Costa school district and teachers could culminate in a strike in the fall if the school board decides to impose its ‘last, best and final offer,’ a union official said Monday. The document calls for hard district caps on current and retiree health benefits and gives the district the right to increase all class sizes to include as many as 33 students. Other stipulations include removing seniority as a primary factor in transfers and keeping pay at the same rate.“
Teachers’ unions exist for the sole purpose of representing the interests of teachers, of course. Quite often, the interests of teachers (e.g., less work, more pay) are perpendicular to policies that would give the best education. I have no animosity toward teachers’ unions per se, because teachers deserve a square deal, but there is no reason to imagine that they are benevolent toward the interests of students. In fact, it is approximately true, that if one wants to determine the best education policies, a good start is to oppose all of the positions of teachers’ unions. We need to have larger class sizes, fewer teachers, better pay, longer days, more rigorous curricula, national standards for learning, abandonment of local control of schools, and longer school years. We are in a desperate race with other nations to educate our children to seize the available opportunities and all indications show that we are losing badly.
Jeff, these teachers work in a district rougher and poorer than most others BECAUSE they were contractually given health benefits for their family. That’s 10k a year – at least – that they could’ve had in salary.
The district is retroactively trying to take away the lifetime benefits they guaranteed to these teacher’s spouses. A relative of mine has worked there two decades, and they’re trying to take what she has already earned. Not only is that illegal, but it’s ridiculous when you realize the school board members award themselves this lifetime benefit after only a single year of working.
The school board members also cannot account for the 4 million dollars extra in their budget. These people are corrupt and they’re just like the banks– trying to screw over people without the same power as them.