Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Forsaken-Garlic4818 t1_j66fpun wrote

Both sides are slow to post, but the statement from the school committee mentions step increases for staff like it's a gift. That's literally a basic minimum expectation that staff climb steps, unless they added steps...which, again, kind of a bare minimum to keep salaries growing once people hit the max.

Best I can do is 10% over 3 years but adding additional working days, which is one of but not the only issue.

In the old contract they got 2% a year which is quite frankly an insult. This is also one of the lowest salary grids I've seen in the state.

No fucking wonder they're striking.

Folks should also keep in mind that contract issues are often about more than pay. Adding 5 additional working days of PD that claim to be about "educator choice" but are often mind-numbing admin bloat is an additional 3% of working days and also pretty much universally considered a waste of time. And I'm willing to bet there are serious issues with class sizes and other working conditions beyond pay/days worked.

EDIT: They haven't had a real contract since 2020. Most districts (like mine) signed 1-year MOAs at our old salary increases. These staff have not had ANY raises since 2021, and have only increased their salaries by 2% over the last 2.5 years.

42

WuTannerThrowAway t1_j66h2dd wrote

Galvin is too busy giving kickbacks. He also used his position to cover up a DUI when he crashed a city vehicle in one of his earlier terms as Mayor.

15

Vamoose87 t1_j68ybgt wrote

Not to mention his hateful statement to the educators "You are all replaceable". This is not bargaining in good faith. He should remember that he too is replaceable.

12

Forsaken-Garlic4818 t1_j69hro0 wrote

> Not to mention his hateful statement to the educators "You are all replaceable".

It is insanity that school leaders think this in a post-pandemic world. If they think teachers are replaceable they might want to look at their SchoolSpring postings.

Our principal likes to blame staff for poor school culture...maybe because they fire people who may not have been the best teachers in Year 1 without giving them a chance, and would rather leave unfilled positions open as a result.

5

Cameron_james t1_j69zfh5 wrote

It's more likely he'd be replaced before the teachers. Mayors don't last 30 years. (Well, except in Waltham.)

2

Vamoose87 t1_j6a65fc wrote

5-6 years is more typical for Woburn, but Galvin has been in office since 2010

2

fatnoah t1_j68u2dr wrote

Are the 3-3-3 and 5-2-2 numbers asks for percent salary increases?

3

Forsaken-Garlic4818 t1_j69hjcy wrote

Yes, that's how the breakdown is.

I'm not in Woburn and admit I'm confused about the 3-3-3 ask if the SC has already presented 10 over the course of the contract...unless the union presented an original 3-3-3-3 that had other asks in it.

5-2-2 is a "benefit now, less later" deal because the retro raise would be higher. A higher retro check would slightly soften the blow of having to wait so long for it.

3