WTU rallies for new contract

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO, DCUM represents a very small percentage of DC parents. The majority of parents I talk too have have no idea what it is and don't care. Taking surveys at a supermarket is probably more representative. Still the WTU needs to do a better job of communicating what it wants.

I get a ton of mail for the DC primaries. Is the WTU sending out mailers, updates on Twitter, Facebook, etc. to gain support? Maybe I just missed it.

I’m a teacher. The colleagues I’ve spoken to want smaller class sizes, a raise (do you know other DC employees are receiving a 12% increase over the next four years), I would love cola but maybe that’s a dream, substitutes, real planning periods that aren’t taken up by covering classes or LEAP meetings that aren’t meaningful, true sped resources, and a fair evaluation tool. I teach high school, I image ECE teachers need paraprofessionals and probably other things I’m not aware of.

Let me point out here that the rank and file teachers have no idea what’s being negotiated because we don’t have a seat at the table and the negotiations are supposedly confidential. I get really tired of being accused of things that the vast majority of DCPS teachers have nothing to do with. The finger pointing and outrage aimed at educators on this board is disgusting.

Thanks for sharing! It sounds like you have a leadership issue. Doesn't the body vote on request before they go forward? It all sounds very weird and disjointed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who doesn't like the uncertainty generated by the WTU can just go to a charter. It won't be a great charter if they decide at the beginning of the school year, but they can go.

Who cares, anyway. WTU doesn't need you or your kids.

WTU might not, but individual teachers do. If DCPS enrollment numbers fall, if more parents move to charters, go private, or move, then DCPS will employ fewer teachers. Alienating parents and saying "WTU doesn't need you" is a good way to make yourself obsolete because parents do have other options in this city for education, but if you want a union teaching gig in DC, good luck getting one or holding onto it if enrollment declines even 10%.

This is also one or the ways you can tell whose voice counts in WTU and what union officials mean when they talk about teachers. Are they talking about young teachers, new teachers, specials teachers, paras, librarians? Nope, because those are the people most likely to lose their jobs due to low enrollment, especially at schools in Wards 5/6/7/8. Teachers with seniority, near retirement don't really have to worry about this issue. So they can say "we don't need you" to parents. But this is not true for teachers in the district as a whole, who absolutely need students enrolled. And for specials teachers and paras, the investment of families can literally mean the difference between having a job or not -- it is community action that often saves the job or a librarian or art teacher or pays for paras in many classrooms, when DCPS claims it can't afford to keep them on.

None of the actual teachers I know would ever say "we don't need you." They work at Title 1 schools (both my kids are at Title 1 schools) and work hard to build community with parents because it's better for the kids and the school. They are teaching because they care about the kids. They view parents as allies in those efforts.

NP. Well said. Just look at what's happening in LA: https://edsource.org/2022/schools-adapt-in-a-shrinking-los-angeles-unified/672760

[Anonymous]

It’s probably taking a while to get done because MPD and DC fire are also at the table for new contracts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO, DCUM represents a very small percentage of DC parents. The majority of parents I talk too have have no idea what it is and don't care. Taking surveys at a supermarket is probably more representative. Still the WTU needs to do a better job of communicating what it wants.

I get a ton of mail for the DC primaries. Is the WTU sending out mailers, updates on Twitter, Facebook, etc. to gain support? Maybe I just missed it.

I’m a teacher. The colleagues I’ve spoken to want smaller class sizes, a raise (do you know other DC employees are receiving a 12% increase over the next four years), I would love cola but maybe that’s a dream, substitutes, real planning periods that aren’t taken up by covering classes or LEAP meetings that aren’t meaningful, true sped resources, and a fair evaluation tool. I teach high school, I image ECE teachers need paraprofessionals and probably other things I’m not aware of.

Let me point out here that the rank and file teachers have no idea what’s being negotiated because we don’t have a seat at the table and the negotiations are supposedly confidential. I get really tired of being accused of things that the vast majority of DCPS teachers have nothing to do with. The finger pointing and outrage aimed at educators on this board is disgusting.

Thanks for sharing! It sounds like you have a leadership issue. Doesn't the body vote on request before they go forward? It all sounds very weird and disjointed.

OP here and LOL. If the greater public saw how absurd our most recent election was they would never think we were this strong and nefarious body ever again.

[Anonymous]

This is my 10th year as a teacher in a DCPS Title I school. I have been rated highly effective each year, so I have been eligible for salary raises and bonuses. For those who are unfamiliar, if you get a lot of high scores on the evaluation, you can skip along the pay scale, so I am paid as if I have 25+ years of experience and a PhD. This program is an effort to retain the teachers DCPS has identified as really, really good. However, because I have maxed out on the pay scale and the contract has expired, I have not had any wage increase for several years. I am paid exactly the same amount as I was three years ago. I don’t know how many teachers are in my position but it is a poorly thought out policy that the “best” teachers get wage stagnation. I would be fine if the new contract was everything the same from the old contract (which it probably will be) and an automatic 3% or whatever COLA on the pay scale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is my 10th year as a teacher in a DCPS Title I school. I have been rated highly effective each year, so I have been eligible for salary raises and bonuses. For those who are unfamiliar, if you get a lot of high scores on the evaluation, you can skip along the pay scale, so I am paid as if I have 25+ years of experience and a PhD. This program is an effort to retain the teachers DCPS has identified as really, really good. However, because I have maxed out on the pay scale and the contract has expired, I have not had any wage increase for several years. I am paid exactly the same amount as I was three years ago. I don’t know how many teachers are in my position but it is a poorly thought out policy that the “best” teachers get wage stagnation. I would be fine if the new contract was everything the same from the old contract (which it probably will be) and an automatic 3% or whatever COLA on the pay scale.

PP. Just want to add that I would never strike.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is my 10th year as a teacher in a DCPS Title I school. I have been rated highly effective each year, so I have been eligible for salary raises and bonuses. For those who are unfamiliar, if you get a lot of high scores on the evaluation, you can skip along the pay scale, so I am paid as if I have 25+ years of experience and a PhD. This program is an effort to retain the teachers DCPS has identified as really, really good. However, because I have maxed out on the pay scale and the contract has expired, I have not had any wage increase for several years. I am paid exactly the same amount as I was three years ago. I don’t know how many teachers are in my position but it is a poorly thought out policy that the “best” teachers get wage stagnation. I would be fine if the new contract was everything the same from the old contract (which it probably will be) and an automatic 3% or whatever COLA on the pay scale.

What's your salary? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is my 10th year as a teacher in a DCPS Title I school. I have been rated highly effective each year, so I have been eligible for salary raises and bonuses. For those who are unfamiliar, if you get a lot of high scores on the evaluation, you can skip along the pay scale, so I am paid as if I have 25+ years of experience and a PhD. This program is an effort to retain the teachers DCPS has identified as really, really good. However, because I have maxed out on the pay scale and the contract has expired, I have not had any wage increase for several years. I am paid exactly the same amount as I was three years ago. I don’t know how many teachers are in my position but it is a poorly thought out policy that the “best” teachers get wage stagnation. I would be fine if the new contract was everything the same from the old contract (which it probably will be) and an automatic 3% or whatever COLA on the pay scale.

What's your salary? Just curious.

The teachers at the highest end of the pay scale make $116k plus 10-20k bonus per year depending on school and subject.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO, DCUM represents a very small percentage of DC parents. The majority of parents I talk too have have no idea what it is and don't care. Taking surveys at a supermarket is probably more representative. Still the WTU needs to do a better job of communicating what it wants.

I get a ton of mail for the DC primaries. Is the WTU sending out mailers, updates on Twitter, Facebook, etc. to gain support? Maybe I just missed it.

I’m a teacher. The colleagues I’ve spoken to want smaller class sizes, a raise (do you know other DC employees are receiving a 12% increase over the next four years), I would love cola but maybe that’s a dream, substitutes, real planning periods that aren’t taken up by covering classes or LEAP meetings that aren’t meaningful, true sped resources, and a fair evaluation tool. I teach high school, I image ECE teachers need paraprofessionals and probably other things I’m not aware of.

Let me point out here that the rank and file teachers have no idea what’s being negotiated because we don’t have a seat at the table and the negotiations are supposedly confidential. I get really tired of being accused of things that the vast majority of DCPS teachers have nothing to do with. The finger pointing and outrage aimed at educators on this board is disgusting.

Thanks for sharing! It sounds like you have a leadership issue. Doesn't the body vote on request before they go forward? It all sounds very weird and disjointed.

OP here and LOL. If the greater public saw how absurd our most recent election was they would never think we were this strong and nefarious body ever again.

I'm starting to understand. In a city that has the NEA and a zillion lobbyist, WTU is just making due..so sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO, DCUM represents a very small percentage of DC parents. The majority of parents I talk too have have no idea what it is and don't care. Taking surveys at a supermarket is probably more representative. Still the WTU needs to do a better job of communicating what it wants.

I get a ton of mail for the DC primaries. Is the WTU sending out mailers, updates on Twitter, Facebook, etc. to gain support? Maybe I just missed it.

I’m a teacher. The colleagues I’ve spoken to want smaller class sizes, a raise (do you know other DC employees are receiving a 12% increase over the next four years), I would love cola but maybe that’s a dream, substitutes, real planning periods that aren’t taken up by covering classes or LEAP meetings that aren’t meaningful, true sped resources, and a fair evaluation tool. I teach high school, I image ECE teachers need paraprofessionals and probably other things I’m not aware of.

Let me point out here that the rank and file teachers have no idea what’s being negotiated because we don’t have a seat at the table and the negotiations are supposedly confidential. I get really tired of being accused of things that the vast majority of DCPS teachers have nothing to do with. The finger pointing and outrage aimed at educators on this board is disgusting.

Thanks for sharing! It sounds like you have a leadership issue. Doesn't the body vote on request before they go forward? It all sounds very weird and disjointed.

No, we don’t vote on the request. Yes, we have a leadership issue or three It IS very weird and disjointed, much like DCPS as a whole. This school system is a massive, convoluted machine of the likes I’ve never witnessed before in public education. The true outraged should be aimed at the top heavy central office, but I guess it’s easier to pick on teachers. Not sure why that seems to be the go to for some.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is my 10th year as a teacher in a DCPS Title I school. I have been rated highly effective each year, so I have been eligible for salary raises and bonuses. For those who are unfamiliar, if you get a lot of high scores on the evaluation, you can skip along the pay scale, so I am paid as if I have 25+ years of experience and a PhD. This program is an effort to retain the teachers DCPS has identified as really, really good. However, because I have maxed out on the pay scale and the contract has expired, I have not had any wage increase for several years. I am paid exactly the same amount as I was three years ago. I don’t know how many teachers are in my position but it is a poorly thought out policy that the “best” teachers get wage stagnation. I would be fine if the new contract was everything the same from the old contract (which it probably will be) and an automatic 3% or whatever COLA on the pay scale.

What's your salary? Just curious.

The teachers at the highest end of the pay scale make $116k plus 10-20k bonus per year depending on school and subject.

That bonus is only for highly effective teachers and it’s actually $2k-$20k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who doesn't like the uncertainty generated by the WTU can just go to a charter. It won't be a great charter if they decide at the beginning of the school year, but they can go.

Who cares, anyway. WTU doesn't need you or your kids.

WTU, come get your people. This is exactly what not to do if prepping for a strike. Y’all are chaotic.

But WTU doesn't want parent support. They keep saying over and over that it doesn't matter if people leave DCPS. And I guess it doesn't matter if they don't get their preferred person elected mayor. In a way, there's truth to this. Who cares if parents support the union? The only thing that happens is some small percentage of people leave or go private or go to charters. Parents have no power, aside from the elections and voting with their feet. The union doesn't need support.

Yea I agree with this. Life would be a lot easier with some support from people on this board, but let’s be real. Most of you just yell into a void all day, and have no practical influence on whether or not we have a contract. Maybe one day we can all get along!

The only influence is that you have to negotiate with Bowser versus R. White. So that's probably meaningful.

True, but nothing that was discussed on here changed that election.

You don't think that support for the union (or lack thereof) had any bearing on the election? Huh. It's possible, but certainly there were enough people loudly proclaiming they wouldn't vote for R. White due to his support from the union. I certainly know many in real life.

No, it’s because T. Antisemetic White wouldn’t drop out. It was a close race but alas Bowser won and that’s ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is my 10th year as a teacher in a DCPS Title I school. I have been rated highly effective each year, so I have been eligible for salary raises and bonuses. For those who are unfamiliar, if you get a lot of high scores on the evaluation, you can skip along the pay scale, so I am paid as if I have 25+ years of experience and a PhD. This program is an effort to retain the teachers DCPS has identified as really, really good. However, because I have maxed out on the pay scale and the contract has expired, I have not had any wage increase for several years. I am paid exactly the same amount as I was three years ago. I don’t know how many teachers are in my position but it is a poorly thought out policy that the “best” teachers get wage stagnation. I would be fine if the new contract was everything the same from the old contract (which it probably will be) and an automatic 3% or whatever COLA on the pay scale.

What's your salary? Just curious.

The teachers at the highest end of the pay scale make $116k plus 10-20k bonus per year depending on school and subject.

That bonus is only for highly effective teachers and it’s actually $2k-$20k.

Yes, I am the PP who discussed maxing out the pay scale. For teachers in Title I schools, our bonus is 10-20k. 2k is for teachers who are not in Title I schools. I was referring to the wage stagnation for the teachers DCPS says they want to keep the most (those who have been rated highly effective for many years in Title I schools). Unfortunately, I don’t think this group is a high priority in the union negotiations because I only ever hear about how terrible IMPACT is from the union, so I don’t believe those of us who are receiving these high evaluations are a priority. I’ve been denigrated by some of the hardcore union members for taking the pay raise and bonus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is my 10th year as a teacher in a DCPS Title I school. I have been rated highly effective each year, so I have been eligible for salary raises and bonuses. For those who are unfamiliar, if you get a lot of high scores on the evaluation, you can skip along the pay scale, so I am paid as if I have 25+ years of experience and a PhD. This program is an effort to retain the teachers DCPS has identified as really, really good. However, because I have maxed out on the pay scale and the contract has expired, I have not had any wage increase for several years. I am paid exactly the same amount as I was three years ago. I don’t know how many teachers are in my position but it is a poorly thought out policy that the “best” teachers get wage stagnation. I would be fine if the new contract was everything the same from the old contract (which it probably will be) and an automatic 3% or whatever COLA on the pay scale.

What's your salary? Just curious.

The teachers at the highest end of the pay scale make $116k plus 10-20k bonus per year depending on school and subject.

That bonus is only for highly effective teachers and it’s actually $2k-$20k.

I will also add only 4 teacher in all of DCPS received 20k because it’s only for the bottom 10 schools. After that around 30-35% of teachers receive a 2k-10k
bonus.

Also our salaries are public info, the average teacher makes 65k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is my 10th year as a teacher in a DCPS Title I school. I have been rated highly effective each year, so I have been eligible for salary raises and bonuses. For those who are unfamiliar, if you get a lot of high scores on the evaluation, you can skip along the pay scale, so I am paid as if I have 25+ years of experience and a PhD. This program is an effort to retain the teachers DCPS has identified as really, really good. However, because I have maxed out on the pay scale and the contract has expired, I have not had any wage increase for several years. I am paid exactly the same amount as I was three years ago. I don’t know how many teachers are in my position but it is a poorly thought out policy that the “best” teachers get wage stagnation. I would be fine if the new contract was everything the same from the old contract (which it probably will be) and an automatic 3% or whatever COLA on the pay scale.

What's your salary? Just curious.

The teachers at the highest end of the pay scale make $116k plus 10-20k bonus per year depending on school and subject.

That bonus is only for highly effective teachers and it’s actually $2k-$20k.

Yes, I am the PP who discussed maxing out the pay scale. For teachers in Title I schools, our bonus is 10-20k. 2k is for teachers who are not in Title I schools. I was referring to the wage stagnation for the teachers DCPS says they want to keep the most (those who have been rated highly effective for many years in Title I schools). Unfortunately, I don’t think this group is a high priority in the union negotiations because I only ever hear about how terrible IMPACT is from the union, so I don’t believe those of us who are receiving these high evaluations are a priority. I’ve been denigrated by some of the hardcore union members for taking the pay raise and bonus.

Yep ^ the division over the bonuses right now is real gross as well. won’t stop me from accepting my “blood money” as some of my colleagues have called it