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Some ideas to think about:
Most union negotiations now, for all workers, are fighting off concessions: Nearly every unionized worker must fight hard these days just to maintain health insurance benefits, fair wage structures and other job protections that they'd won long ago. The globalized economy is in a "race to the bottom" and pushing everyone down. The health insurance crisis is just one symptom of a economy that is punishing all working people, and rewarding only the corporations and those who profit from them. All workers want to fight off concessions... but only certain workers, with the strength of a powerful union and community support, can fight back against concessions. And it is only this fight-back that slows the "race to the bottom."
We're not better off if we're all sliding to the lowest level: Some disgruntled people complain that "I don't have health insurance at my job, so teachers shouldn't either." By this logic, a downward spiral of ever-lower wages and ever-weaker health insurance benefits is exactly what we should all expect. But of course that's ridiculous. How can we fight for a high standard of wages and benefits for everyone if that standard no longer exists for anyone? Should it only be CEO's that have good benefits? Shouldn't we be joining hands to demand that all workers -- regardless of job or union status -- get what teachers have fought for?
Why are teachers be singled out? A lot of venom sometimes get unleashed at teachers because they are public employees whose salary is paid by local taxes.
Teachers are no different from all workers. Teachers have special work conditions, just as all workers do. Only electric line workers have to get out of bed in the middle of the night during ice storms to repair downed lines. Only nurses must be compassionate and skilled at the beds of seriously ill and dying patients. Only teachers have to shoulder responsibility for hundreds of diverse demands every hour of every day from students, parents, administrators and their communities. But what makes all workers the same is their universal need for wages comparable to others doing their job, for working conditions that allow them to do a good job, and for economic security and dignity.
United we stand, divided we fall. Ultimately, this is the most important point. Who benefits when workers criticize other workers? No one really does. We can all only benefit when we recognize the common cause we have as workers, and when we stand together to defend any worker who's in a brave fight against the race to the bottom.
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Liability Insurance |
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IMPORTANT NOTE: |
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These answers are offered as a guide to the coverage of the PSEA-NEA Educators Employment Liability Policy. They are not a substitute to the formal policy. Please refer to the Educators Employment Liability Policy for complete information on your coverage. Also, please discuss any questions with your PSEA-NEA UniServ representative. |
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Who is covered by the PSEA-NEA EEL Policy? |
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EEL Policy is available to PSEA-NEA members, including teachers and other professionals, educational support personnel, student teachers, retired members and substitute teachers. |
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Is the EEL Policy available to agency feepayers? |
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No. You must be a member of PSEA-NEA. |
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What types of cases are covered by the EEL Policy? |
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Claims filed as against you in your role as an education employee, including charges filed against you as a result of corporal punishment. Examples of the civil matters that education employees face may include sexual harassment lawsuits and lawsuits resulting from injuries to students. These injuries are often sustained on the playground or in shop or Vo-Tech classes. School employees often find themselves involved in civil rights suits when a student or parent claims that the student's civil rights have been violated - many times not by the school employee himself but rather by other students. The lawsuit then claims that the school employee was negligent in letting this harassment occur or continue to occur. Violations of students' I.E.P.s, the ADA and/or IDEA, and accusations of breach of student confidentiality are also examples of civil rights lawsuits that teachers often face. |
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Are school administrators covered by the EEL Policy? |
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Yes, if they are PSEA-NEA members. |
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I teach at a private school. Does the EEL Policy cover me? |
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Yes, if you are a PSEA-NEA member. |
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I work at a charter school. Does the EEL Policy cover me? |
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Yes, if you are a PSEA-NEA member. |
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I’m a driver ed instructor? Does the EEL Policy cover me? |
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A driver training instructor is covered while riding as a passenger in the course of educational employment activities. |
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I’m a School Nurse. Does the EEL Policy cover me? |
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Yes. The policy also covers members who are Dental Hygientists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Nursing Educators and Athletic Trainers. |
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If I am charged with violating the civil rights of a student, does the EEL Policy cover me? |
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The EEL Policy covers claims against members alleging a violation of any person’s civil rights, including alleged violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act and similar state and federal laws. The EEL policy provides coverage up to $300,000 in civil rights cases. |
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Am I covered if criminal charges are brought as a result of my employment activities? |
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The EEL policy provides for reimbursement up to $35,000 for legal fees involved in defending a member against criminal proceedings arising from your educational employment, as long as the member is found not guilty. That not-guilty provision does not apply to proceedings resulting from corporal punishment. Note that PSEA’s Legal Services Policy provides $2,500 in up-front money for members charged with covered criminal proceedings. These PSEA funds need not be reimbursed if the member is found guilty. |
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Am I covered if I am assaulted while doing my job? |
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The EEL Policy will pay a member up to $500 for damage to the member’s personal property (vehicles excluded) that is damaged as a result of an assault on the member while performing his or her work related duties |
.......................JUST THE FACTS..........................
Salary |
- A 4% increase does not mean teachers will receive 4%.
- Due to ongoing education and shifting of educational columns, 1.45% of the increase is set aside.
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Family |
$35.00/month |
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Employee |
$30.00/month |
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More Facts
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We have waited and negotiated in GOOD FAITH for well over 800 days.
- We do not wish to place students or families in a difficult position.
- We are simply unable to wait longer for a fair contract.
- There are times when one must stand up for what he/she believes in; now is that time for us.
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| Members are not looking for large pay increases or plush medical benefits. |
- Littlestown educators are the second lowest paid teaching staff in a three county area.
- Proposed salary increases fall well below the average of 4.7% as well.
- Average starting salaries for new teachers in other districts exceed ours by well over $2,000.00.
- Littlestown will fail to recruit the best new teaching candidates due to this discrepancy.
- Average career salaries for teachers in other districts exceed ours by $5,000.00 or more.
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| When is 4% not 4%? |
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Not all teachers receive that exact percentage in a pay increase.
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A 4% increase may mean a 3.2% increase for those at the middle level on the pay scale but only a 1.5% increase for those at the highest and lowest levels of the scale.
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Some teachers will make far less than the % salary increase dictated by inflation and rising living costs. |
| Health care is a very divisive issue in negotiations to date. |
- The school board has terminated all spousal insurance coverage for support staff whose spouses can obtain insurance coverage at their own places of work.
- Those married employees must purchase TWO policies to insure their families instead of just one. Some must pay for two premiums now. Littlestown's support staff earns minimum pay now. This is a burden our janitors, secretaries, and other support personnel should not be asked to bear.
- The school board is now demanding that we accept that same type of insurance coverage for teachers as well. The drop of spousal coverage means our married members must pay for two premiums per month, regardless of the cost of the spouse's insurance coverage. Any such increase will mean that teachers at the lowest and highest levels of our pay scale will lose several hundred dollars in family income per month. Any salary increases will be an increased cost of their joint health care premiums.
- Keep in mind that the savings the board claims from such a drop in spousal coverage is only SPECULATION!
- If this drop of coverage does occur, Littlestown teachers will be among the very few teachers in the state of PA FORCED to have insurance coverage that drops spouses in this manner.
- The last offer asked teachers to accept a raise in monthly health insurance contribution from$35.00 to close to $300.00 in 3 years' time.
- Littlestown deductibles would be the highest paid by teachers in the state, benefits will be decreased, and our teachers will be paying more than three times for full coverage than the average $70.00 monthly contributions paid by other teachers in surrounding districts for the next three years.
- Teacher co-pays, ER visit costs, and prescription costs will also go up considerably under the board's proposed contract. To be asked to pay more on top of more is simply not reasonable and not fair.
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| The board contends that the money needed to pay for the association's offer will not be available due to the referendum: this is simply false. |
- The deficit the board is claiming will exist can be easily raised. PSEA research specialists for Act 1 have stated that the district would see revenue increases of roughly $1.5 million each year at the current index.
- The estimates of LEA's proposed increases in salary and benefit increases are LESS than half the estimated increases in revenue! In other words, with an index of 4.60% the board will have a total revenue increase of well over $1,100,000.00 to work with next year.
- In simple terms - THE MONEY IS THERE TO PAY US AND TO KEEP OUR BENEFIT PACKAGES WHERE THEY ARE NOW!
- Remember, our members have not caused the "deficit" the board claims exists for the district at this time. Poor fiscal management is to blame. All other districts in our area can pay for fair salaries and benefits for their teachers; why can't Littlestown?
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| Concerning the letter mailed out to the public |
Members consider the letter that went out to the public on behalf of the school board and printed on the letterhead of Dr. Robert McConaghy an insult because it placed teachers and families in opposition to one another. The letter claimed that the district can pay for EITHER student needs or teacher needs. This simply IS NOT true. In a district such as ours, a community-based district, teachers must care for students and their families and vice versa. By looking out for each other we insure that no one is left behind and that the proud legacy of Littlestown Area School District lives on in our childrens' success and in their childrens' success after them. |
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