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Stafford teachers upset because new hires will receive step increases Date published: 6/27/2009
BY JEFF BRANSCOME
Some Stafford County teachers are upset because this year's pay freeze doesn't apply to new hires. Returning Stafford teachers will not receive cost-of-living raises or step increases, which reward them for years of experience. However, new instructors with teaching experience hired for the fiscal year that begins July 1 will get a higher salary under the step-increase schedule. Teachers straight out of college will make $36,322--the same as colleagues who have worked a year in the county. "We're still having to attract teachers," said Director of Human Resources Rick Fitzgerald. "We have to maintain a certain competitiveness with our surrounding jurisdictions." He said the division will look into the possibility of increasing all teacher salaries around January. An example of Stafford's pay controversy is that new teachers with five years' experience will start at level five on the salary scale in 2009-10. Returning instructors with equal experience will stay at level four, making $981 less. "I believe there should be equity, whatever it is," said Stafford Education Association President Jannette Martin. "I think it's a slap in the face to current employees to be paid less because they've shown the loyalty." This year marks the first time in recent memory that Stafford teachers haven't received step increases. No school systems in the Fredericksburg area approved cost-of-living raises or step increases this year because of the recession. The SEA plans to file a Virginia Freedom of Information Act request for all employee salaries to gauge discrepancies in pay. School Board Chairwoman Patricia Healy said she sympathizes with teachers, but doesn't know how to address the issue at the moment. "I understand where they're coming from, and I wish we could do something about it now," she said. "But unless we made a decision to penalize the new hires, I don't know what else we could do." Stafford employs almost 1,900 teachers, Fitzgerald said. He said he's projecting 150 new hires and said about 60 percent have no experience. Stafford didn't lay off any teachers, and actually added 25 positions for 2009-10 using federal stimulus money. "At least we didn't have to cut hours or pay and take those kind of measures," Healy said. School administrators in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County said no employees, including new hires, will receive step increases. In fact, salaries for Fredericksburg teachers with no experience will be 2 percent less than they were last year, said city Superintendent David Melton. "We didn't want that situation where a new hire would come in with less experience and make the same or more money than an existing teacher," he said. Martin said education association members throughout the region told her they're not aware of similar pay inequities between returning teachers and new hires. She said she believes Stafford could have found money for across-the-board pay increases. "I think it would've gone a long way if they had even found a small amount," she said. Jeff Branscome: 540/374-5402
Read more stories about Stafford Date published: 6/27/2009
Let's get real. An organization of employees without the right to strike is not a union, it is more like a club. Many business groups advocate for their members, such as the National Association of Manufacturers or the Coal Operators Association. I never hear any anit-union people complaining when employers combine forces to lobby all levels of government for favorable legislation, so what is wrong with employees who want a better deal. It doesn't mean they are inefficient.
Well Bible study groups dont get involved in employee/employer grievance procedures, I will grant some do get involved in political action. I don't really see why implying their actions are "unionlike" would be considered an "attack" though. What might they be planning to do with the pay info from the FIA request mentioned in the article, if not inflame their members?
if someone as hateful as you is really teaching our young people. as to a person "negotiating a better deal" when offered a job, nothing says you have to take their opening offer. Not the same as a union at all, Unions bargain collectively for it's members. There is nothing saying you have to accept their offer on next years contract, you could counter with what you think is a fair wage, if you can't reach an agreement, well that's another bridge to cross. But the negotiation shouldn't be in the papers.
How is the SEA "acting like" a union?? How is this "acting like" different from any kind of other legal advocacy group? How is this "acting like" an affront to the first amendment to which even us lowly teachers are entitled? In your "real world" if someone can "negotiate a better deal" as you say, it sounds like a union to me. In the "real world" being able to do this sure sounds like worker discrimination to me...isn't that illegal at the workplace?
You said the SEA acts like one...so let's see, can they negotiate contracts? Can they strike? Arbitration?? Negotiate benefits? Teachers are right where you want them Ron, woefully unprotected and taken advantage of. So the last thing we need is to put up with your tripe. If you want to willfully ignore facts again and call the SEA a union, have fun. But don't let reality get in the way. The SEA is no more a union than a bible study group is.
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