With the economic slow down, the lawyers, bankers and journalists all over the country have accepted the cut in pay and are going without raises to stay employed in the tough economy. Education industry was supposed to be recession proof but now it has spread here too and the teachers are happy to have their jobs.
Therefore, about a hundred teachers and other staff members from the Tuckahoe school which is located in Westchester county has agreed to put in $1000 or more each for next year’s school budget which will help them to keep the tax increase below 3 percent. In another location 80 percent of the school’s teaching and non teaching staff has agreed to raise approximately $ 150,000 from their own money to close the gap of $300000 in the school budget.
In long Island, almost 733 teachers in the W. Floyd district of Mastic Beach decided to give up $ 1 million of their salaries for the next year to restore 19 teaching positions which were being laid off. This is a surprise because the New York state’s powerful teacher’s association has never before agreed to reopen a contract or negotiations in bad economic times and have never made any concession of any sorts. But many schools presented their budgets to the voters in the recent past where many teachers have opened their doors for compromise on the payment fronts. They prefer living from pay check to pay check but want to keep their jobs in these times. Everyone of them is showing a ,lot of support from different towns and villages.
The last time the Teacher’s union had made any compromises was in the 1970s and then no one ever heard of such a thing. Therefore, this is a pleasant shock. But as the school activities start, the authorities feel that once everyone is set in a routine, they will not see this gap as wide as it seems now.
But there are places where the teachers have downright refused for pay cuts and all the negotiation plans have gone down the drain. This is happening even when many families around these areas are facing major financial troubles.
Some teachers in New Jersey were reported saying that they sympathize with the unfortunate economic situation but they will not let any pay cut happen. It is because they don’t believe they are over paid. One teacher also said that they all belong to middle class families and are already feeling the pinch so they cannot allow paybacks.
Even in the Floyd district approximately 60 teachers were against the idea of pay cut. And in some towns, the school authorities are keeping their donations confidential. This is because they don’t want other schools to feel that they are in some kind of competition.
Even with so much negative happening around, some teachers are content as they have accepted the situation and now are willing to live from paycheck to paycheck. It is necessary to hang on to the job more than worrying about the paycheck or rise.
Some will have to curtail their expenses and will have to just make do with whatever they have. Times will change of course but it will be slow. Luckily people have now accepted their situation and are willing to work towards it.
For all those who oppose this set up will have to give in at some point of time or face lay offs. It is much better to make plans now and work towards them. Else everyone will be in trouble.
Just lie low for a while. Things will be back to normal soon.