Just Give Us A Raise and Fair Contract, Already? Nah. Make it Real, Valued and Valuable

Complacency, givebacks and apathy in our contract negotiations hurt our profession and devalue our contract. We need intentional, precise, transparent, specific, strong demands worth something.

Just get the contract done? We need a raise and a fair contract now? We want respect?

Are we going to demand trust and love in our next contract, too? We want a fair contract or a great contract?

Qualifying and describing what we want and demand *specifically* is essential or it starts to sound like anything will do as long as it’s something.

Complacency, givebacks and apathy in our contract negotiations hurt our profession and devalue our contract. We need to be intentional, precise, transparent, specific and strong in our contract demands.

Too much is riding on just platitudes.

PAY CUT AFTER PAY CUT

A sub-inflation raise is a pay cut with the skyrocketing costs of living in the NYC area. Whether we want to blame it on “patterns” or just poor organizing and a milquetoast negotiating strategy.

Adding more days to our work year and more instructional time in our school day without more $$$ is also a pay cut.

Healthcare that is inferior and more expensive is also a cut to our compensation. Make no mistake, we are about to see a new healthcare plan rolled out in this negotiating round sprung on active city workers that is inferior under the guise of “cost savings”. Just as the plans forced on city retirees with the Medicare Advantage privatization scheme.

Having to work 40 plus years to retire also a cut in overall compensation. Tier 6 is broken. Lobbying more vigorously and bringing a better Tier 6 plan to the negotiating table is possible. We collectively bargained 25/55 with the Mayor in 2007 with Tier 4.

Givebacks in our contract, and there have been many, cheapen value, too.

We are currently in a fight about 150 minutes of extra time that we agreed to in 2005 because of concessionary, feeble postures by those we entrust with the fiduciary responsibility to protect our interests and the value of our mighty labor.

VALUE IN OUR CONTRACT DEMANDS

What’s the value of our job security? What does it look like?

We need …

+ Quality premium-free healthcare with lower copays and continuous care, including improved prescription, dental, mental health eye care

+ an accessible and healthy pension — not after 4 decades of service

+ due process from tenure granted earlier than later, fair evaluations and a strong grievance process

+ improved paid family leave

+ contractual class size limits so we can teach and kids can learn.

+ And, of course, meaningful raises that will outpace runaway inflation.

Let’s be intentional and precise.

Make it tangible for us, UFT 52 Broadway.

Make it REAL! Make it valued and valuable.

Be bold. Be better. We need specifics and volition to fight.

We got bills and families to take care of.

Or move over.

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