Tier 5

I received my benefits profile in the mail today - Tier 5 is now a reality? I knew it was being debated but it was actually approved?

Thoughts anyone? I'm Tier 4 and almost vested, but how do my fellow educators feel about this?

Re: Tier 5

I do not know the details...but from what I understand they will have to pay more/for a longer time into their pension, I think they may need to pay more into their benefits...

I think it stinks.

Honestly we have it good---but our union is really cracking under pressure.

One of the perks of the trade has always been the retirement incentives, the great healthcare--basically the security.

What's next??? No tenure??? Tenure based on grades?? I mean it just so silly at this point.

Sure we love working with kids and educating them but if they start taking away the perks...I fear we will lose some great educators.

JMO

Message edited 2/17/2010 11:15:11 PM.

Re: Tier 5

As my dad (former NY Tel Union guy) would say,
"Kid, they're splitting the union. Never let them split the union."

To me, it is very much the same.

I'm Tier 4 with 12 years in now. I was in the Fac Room during the exam week and saw three un-tenured teachers trying to figure out their service hours towards their next certification level. All I could think was, "Thank God I don't have to deal with that!!" My head was spinning from hearing their conversation.

I can see both sides of it.

Pro- We CAN'T keep paying pensions/benefits for such jobs. When the retirement system was created, a lot of people died before retirement. Now, you can retire at 55 and live to 85... 95. My aunt and uncle were both Tier One and retired in 97... yes they earned it but $$$$ Do the math and as a state/country we just can't afford it anymore. This is what's choking our states and municipalities... health care and pensions.

Con- As the daughter of a former union employee, one of the top reasons (and yeah, I love to teach but my medical and pension was equally if not more important to me) I went into teaching was the security of the pension and benefits. For the same degree of education and skill level, (at this point in my career) I would be making more in business... oh, and when times were good let's not forget the tuition reimbursement ($$$$$) and 401K matching which all adds up to a higher compensation package for many private sector employees. Let us not forget, we are 10 month employees and our salaries are based upon that.
It sounds cold but at this point in my career (MS plus 60) I don't want service-credits, I want $$$ for my family.

It is increasingly difficult to recruit bright, hard-working, educated professionals given the challenges we face every day. They just took away a huge monetary compensation on the back end. I'm afraid we will be losing even more potentially great teachers to other careers.

Re: Tier 5

Re: Tier 5

I'm disappointed with our state union leaders. Our district wanted to tier us and although it wouldn't affect anyone in the faculty at that point...everyone stood strong to the fact that the unborn teachers are just as important and the faculty didn't sell us out 50 years ago.

Re: Tier 5

yes there is a tier 5 (not a teacher but work for the state) i have been a temp employee for two and half years and in Nov. I just was made perm and luckily squeezed in before the cutoff.

I see why it needs to be done, simply put the state can not afford to pay the incentives once given to it's employees. Even at the college level they are cramming more students per teacher raising tuition, not hiring full time staff in order to cut costs (new adjuncts in a new tier = less $$$) but now they want to pass measures for students to test out of 11 & 12 grade. They are not doing that to benefit the students necessarily they are doing it to cut jobs. The less people in those grades is less staff to hire. But its putting more pressure on community/local colleges since these students will be entering and yet the state will not allow staff to be hired.

I will see the trend of the cushy state jobs not being so and being more like the private sector or at least the state is trying its hardest to do this. The union has its work cut out for them.

Re: Tier 5

Great point ladies.

Selfishly I am happy to have a new tier of educators help to fund my future pension. However I agree with all the negatives associated with another tier.

Re: Tier 5

Yes, Tier 5 is a reality. in one sense, it stinks for the new teachers, but I see why they had to do it. the property taxes have become completely unmanageable and out of control. people can't afford it anymore. school districts have to pay into the system for everyone and it accounts for a huge portion of their budget (our property taxes). the 6% the districts put in for tier 4 teachers after 10 years in the system is a lot of money.

as much as i love my job and the benefits i get for which i am very grateful, it comes at the expense of the property tax payers that are busting their behind to pay the insane school taxes on LI and throughout the state. it had to be done.