Is the Tacoma union made?

Sure you can.
Hundreds of threads. Thousands of posts. Go forth and multiply.

 

Well, there's threads for those so if you want to talk about those you can go find them.

 

TBH, I like this thread, it's been very civil and I don't mind reading other TW members opinions. I've read every page so far.

 

I agree, I'm new here but everyone, while disagreeing at times, hasn't resorted to insults and attacks. They've all kept it to opinions and offered different reasons why they think this or that.

Good conversation all around is hard to find on most forums.

 

I'm a part of a teacher's union. The bargaining team of teachers gets a few half days each month to bargain with the district. We didn't get a raise for 10 years and then got 2 in 2 consecutive years with back pay to the previous few months. We all get paid the same amount based on number of years teaching, number of years in the district, and number of post baccalaureate units and degrees. I'm in 4 of 6 unit columns and 1 year in district due to part time work last year.

Based on what I wrote above, I cannot believe half of the country is making less than 2500 a month before taxes!!! I'm taking home about 1000 more than that for 11 months out of the year and I'm in my first year of work. I teach Summers to make up that missing month. I am 28 and it took me 7 years out of high school to get my first teaching job. It took 2 more to get my first full time teaching job. I went to college, post bacc work, credential work, and now am finally here.

What is everyone else doing? Can you even get jobs straight out of high school these days?

 

You can if you know the right people or you think 10/hr is a good start.

 

First of all, thank you for your commitment to the youth of America. It is difficult for people who have never worked in a classroom for an extended period of time to fully grasp just how challenging being a teacher is today. This is my 20th year as a public school teacher, and in that time I have seen the continued attacks on education take their toll. I was VP of our local union 9 years ago, and we were able to negotiate a 4% raise that year (the district had over a 20% fund equity balance), and it was mutually agreed on by both sides. Since then we have not seen a raise, and in fact have had multiple reductions and step freezes, so that I now make the same as I did when I was a 10th year teacher. The strength of the union has been dramatically diminished over the past decade, and with new right-to-work laws, it won't improve. The most frustrating part of this is that staff who choose not to join the union and run afoul of administration are still guaranteed by law to have representation provided by local (but not county, state or national) union officials. As you can imagine, this really helps to disable the union from within. I understand that union's can be overbearing and counterproductive, and are often seen to be relics of a past time, but they still have value in some professions.

 

Thank you. Everyone is paying their union dues this year in our district. We had one guy who didn't but he retired. I think we got 5.25 and 5.45 in the last two years. It has been 10 years before that. I heard we didn't have a raise during those 10 years because of the recession.

 

That's the part of right to work I really don't like. I think it's fine if someone doesn't want to join a union but they don't deserve any union protection like right to work mandates. They also shouldn't be allowed to join after an issue and expect union protection.

Most people think right to work means you just don't have to join the union but in reality it's a law that allows free loaders to leech off the hard work and sacrifices of others.

 

1st year of work + 2 years to get full time job + 7 years out of high school for your first teaching job. So 10 years after high school but < 10 years out of college.

(2500+1000)*11=38500 (excluding your summer section) not sure (and not asking) if it's gross or net because you say "take home". But if I understand everything, you're still doing better than a recent report I read on average income for people with a liberal arts degree 10 years out of college...it was something like =<50k gross (can't find it now & not certain of its validity anyway).

Oh (and I say again I'm not in a union) but, these cats enjoying the benefits of union representation without contributing (when there's one on the property in their work group) are the equivalent of those committing welfare fraud IMO. If you're gonna ride the tralley, ya gotta pay the fare.

 

I agree that joining and or remaining in a union should be an individual choice. Though I struggle to understand how the law is fair to the dues paying members if non-members are entitled to essentially union representation without paying dues...

Am I misunderstanding what's being said or is that correct? If so, it almost sounds as if the law is designed to undermine the membership.

 

I have a family of 4....and make less than that, so, yeah. I'm in the 51%.

 

Just out of interest, do you have a degree (I do not), are you union (I am not), how long have you been working?

 

5 years to get math degree. 1 year to enter credential program. 1.5 years in credential program. 0.5 years as a substitute teacher in very nice district. Hired there as part time teacher for 1 year. Hired as full time teacher this year.

I was lucky to have a family who would let me live at home during college and after I got my job. I got married 5 months ago and moved out before the full time job started. I was only able to take the sub job and part time job because I didn't have to pay rent here in socal. I took the part time job because this was too good a district to not look for the chance to work here full time. I was planning on taking interviews over the summer if they had not secured me for full time this year.

I am taking home 3550 each month after taxes. I don't know what to call that, net or profit? My wife is also a teacher and makes more than I do as she has been teaching full time for 2 years longer than I have and is a column above me. Our rent is almost half of my paycheck each month... Try finding adequate housing in this area and you'll know why.

The local teachers union bargains for your salary, benefits, and contract items. We pay them from our dues each month. Most of the money goes to state and federal unions who lobby and provide for us legal representation if we need it on a professional level, like if we cause indirect harm or if we are liable for something that happens on campus, or off if it's school related and illegal.

People who don't pay dues just don't get that representation from the higher unions

 

No, no degree.
No, no union.

I've worked for over 18 years. I've been union, I've been a supervisor, a plant manager. I've been the grunt.

I actually make more on the hour now, than when I was in the union. The only reason I made more in the union was overtime. We worked a lot of overtime.

Edit: Also, my company is currently paying about $8 OVER what every other company around here pays for this position...so....

 

Oh ya, you're doing better than average


I get the market in your area only because family living in LA, Santa Barbara & San Fransisco, what I don't get is their property tax being higher than my mortgage or non-dues-paying co-workers of yours enjoying local level benefits. Kinda removes any incentive unless you need the national backing.

 

Thanks for the reply. FYI...I've lived in your neck of the woods.

 

Really? Where abouts?

 

Every time we drive up near the Bay Area, someone we talk to complains about the rental prices in San Francisco!

We don't have anyone not paying, but I'm sure people don't pay all over the place. I am happy to be working union, even though our union isn't like a normal workers union.

I don't know, yet, if I'm happy that every teacher in my district gets the same pay for their year and column. Why aren't we being paid by our performance? I'll leave that as an open question. I have thoughts, but want to hear from you guys first.

 

Just north of Bloomington most recently (still years ago) and around Indy. Bloomington was ok but, I could live without the Indy experience.