Elyria teachers vote down proposed insurance increase
NorthCoastNOW
ELYRIA - The Elyria Schools teachers union shot down a proposal that would have employees paying more for their health insurance, and the rejection now forces the district to come up with nearly $1 million before July 1.
About 150 members of the Elyria Education Association voted against the proposal Tuesday, said Superintendent Paul Rigda. The final tally was not available Tuesday.
The support staff union - about 40 members of which also showed up to vote on the proposal - heard the results of the teachers` union vote while caucusing and decided not to take a vote since their limited numbers would not have made a difference, Rigda said.
The proposal would have had the district`s more than 900 employees contributing about 12.5 percent of the total health care cost.
Currently, the district offers a three-tier health care program where individuals pay $10 per month - 2.5 percent of the total cost - and have a $250 deductible.
Employees carrying either a child or spouse on the insurance with them pay $20 a month, and family plans are $30 per month. The family deductible is $500.
The proposed pay structure would have increased the $10 monthly contribution for an individual to $52.43 and the $20 or $30 monthly contribution to $132.43 per month per family.
Elyria Schools is a self-insured district that spent roughly $7.5 million on health care for its employees in 2008, but that figure is expected to jump to more than $8 million by July 1, the deadline for the insurance to be renewed, Rigda said. The district was hoping the teachers and staff would pick up the extra cost, given the state of the school system`s finances.
“The cost of insurance is so high now that it`s very difficult for a school district to pay the brunt of it,” he said, “We`ll still be paying the brunt, but we can`t pay 100 percent anymore. You can`t expect the district to close schools and lay people off and expect this.”
Rigda blamed the EEA`s new leader, Sarida Volante, who was recently elected union president, for convincing teachers to vote down the plan and placing the burden on the school district. At the request of the union, Rigda did not attend the meeting at the high school where Tuesday`s vote took place, but said an insurance representative who was there told him Volante read a prepared statement asking the teachers not to approve the proposal.
“We cannot allow this to happen - what the leadership wants - which is to fund the health care program on the back of the kids and parents,” he said. “The community trusts us, and we have levies to pass and renewals to pass. I think the average person has to pay something significant for their health care anymore.”
Volante did not return a message left at her home Tuesday seeking comment.
The increase would have placed Elyria employees on par with others across the state and country, school officials said.
Gary Taylor, the district`s director of human resources, said the average employee contribution in the area is between 15 percent and 17 percent. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average public-sector employee picks up 10 percent of their health care benefits with their employer covering the remaining 90 percent.
In order to come up with the extra money, Rigda said he expects raises for the teachers totaling to be wiped out and perhaps other cuts.
“If they`re not going to pay for their health care, we have to come up with that money somewhere,” he said.
Contact Adam Wright at 329-7129 or awright@chroniclet.com.
Contact Lisa Roberson at 329-7121 or lroberson@chroniclet.com.
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Filed by NorthCoastNOW May 13th, 2009 in Top Stories.
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Duh, did anyone expect them to vote it it? if the deductibles have to be increased, then so be it. give them a HMO and only local.
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seriously, did they expect them to vote to have more money taken out of their checks?
but, here’s a question that someone on school payroll might be able to answer:
is it really having the best interest of the children in the schools - to decline this small (yes, i said small - because it is compared to what many residents are having to pay out for insurance) increase to save money and avoid having to cut other - potentionally more important - things from the budget?
where’s the ‘put our children first’ mentality that - i thought - draws many people into this profession in the first place?
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It’s just like the turnpike workers a few years back. They threatened to go on strike because they were asked to pay about $25 a month for their insurance. You have to love the unions. It’s their way or the highway, the only time support a persons choice is when it comes to abortion. The schools suck, tough give us more money, no vouchers. A new college graduate doesn’t need platinum health insurance but they don’t have a choice they have to take it because the union says. Besides they aren’t paying for it.
I say during the next contract talks the school district tells the union what they can have and if they don’t want it they can go somewhere else. There are plenty of people looking for teaching jobs.
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Yes let’s blame those over-paid spoiled teachers huh? It sounds like the blame is on the insurance companies and the hospitals that have made it so hard for anyone to afford insurance! Why don’t we start with the ones that are making all of the money from everyone. Don’t blame the teachers. They, and the school, wouldn’t be in this position if it weren’t for the greedy insurance companies and doctors!!
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First of all many of the teachers are dealing with the same economy that everyone else is. Many of the husbands and wifes of the teachers have lost their jobs. An increase of $30.00 to $132.43 would be enough to break some families. Why do people think that teachers have the money to sacrafic? They are like everyone else living day to day and pay to pay. At that the pay is NOT comparable to those districts around us. They have taken pay freeze after pay freeze, funding cut after funding cut, building closures, reduction of staff, larger class sizes, lack of supplies, cut in material funds for copy paper…..and the list goes on. What else does the administration want?? ………their first borns. Teachers give more than their share and I am sure with the new contract coming there is a cold chance of them getting a raise so again, inflation is up and pay stays the same.
Did anyone really think teachers were going to vote to take a cut in pay for insurance and on top of that no raise…? NO WAY.
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Currently, the district offers a three-tier health care program where individuals pay $10 per month — 2.5 percent of the total cost— and have a $250 deductible.
Employees carrying either a child or spouse on the insurance with them pay $20 a month, and family plans are $30 per month. The family deductible is $500.
Those numbers are unbelievable. I challenge anyone who does NOT work for the government to say they have those kind of numbers for their insurance.
I didn’t think those kind of numbers existed anymore.
Yes you have to LOVE the unions!
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Reading the article and the remarks made by Mr. Rigda cause an even bigger division between the district and the teachers. He “forgot” to mention the $4 million carry-over which the district has as a result of closing 2 building and eliminating 23 teaching positions. Last year we closed buildings and cut teachers, BUT added 4 new administrators! Notice how he mentioned the concessions the teachers have made with cuts and closings, but not one administrative position was eliminated, except for the one who was going to resign regardless, Dick Ackerman!
If the district was truly concerned about saving money, they would cut from the top first, those who make the most, and have the least impact on students.
An increase of $56 a month in insurance only applies to a single person, making more than a 2% PAY CUT. The increased family rate would be almost a 6% PAY CUT.
I agree we teach because we love it not for the money, and we are all happy to at least have a job in these times, BUT through our cuts and increased work load, the district has saved money, we would like part of it to cover the insurance our contract guarantees us. We have repeatedly taken 0% because of the increased insurance costs so we do understand and have made concessions.
One last point, we did not vote no because of the EEA president, we voted no in part because we were threatened that if we did not vote yes LAST NIGHT, our rates would be higher. We asked that we be able to consider the information presented and vote next week. We were told no, that if we did not then and for it, the rates would be even higher.
Thank you for allowing me to vent.
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Sorry…me again, but mathteacher makes a good point. Many of the teachers in Elyria could not be more disappointed with Mr. Paul Rigda’s comments. He did not paint a very pretty picture of the teachers and I don’t think that was fair of him. Teachers aren’t the greedy ones. They would just like to pay the bills. Since when have they ever done anything based on what a union president says, besides isn’t it her job to give the teachers her honest opinion?? That is what should be expected. Teachers have minds of their own and can see a bad decision for themselves.
Seems like Mr. Rigda is “throwing a temper tantrum” because he didn’t get his way. Very unprofessional.
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I am sorry, but again the teachers have shown greed, but have failed to show justification. IF they taught the kids and the kids learned, then they could justify their stance. But, with the rating the Elyria school system has for poor education, the teachers don’t deserve their stand.
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I prefer to call them ‘Classroom Attendants”, as they sure are teaching.
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Now, give up the few bucks for the insurance. Insurance companies are not getting rich, since the city is self-insured. It is the citizens who are getting cheated - by overpaying for benefits and not getting a good education for their kids in return.
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The rating of the Elyria school system is not poor because of the teachers. That statement is purely that of ignorance and misunderstanding. The teachers in our district are fantastic and do a wonderful job. You could take any teacher from a district with a higher rating and place them in our schools and they couldn’t do any better either. The differences between some of the school districts can not even begin to be compared although they are. Parent involvement, socio-economic status, jobless rate, etc…. are all parts of the community that support the students an whether they succeed or not. A kid with great parents, food to eat and a school that has supplies and low number counts is going to perform better than a kid with one parent working two jobs, no protein and food because there is not enough money and 30:1 ratio of students to teacher. Common sense! Don’t forget that 15 of the 30 kids have the same issues.
JoeSandor, just an awful thing to say.
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MathTeacher’s characterization of the 4 million carry over is just not fair.
That money is to balance the budget out a certain number of years, PER STATE LAW. I don’t recall the exact number but it is required that all Districts in Ohio do it for a few years into the future. I THINK it is five years.
So the idea was close the schools now, and save that money each year and bank it so that it could be used to balance the budget the last year, keep the district in compliance with state law and to try and avoid asking the taxpayers for more money during these extreme economic times.
I am surprised that someone would suggest we take that money, abandon that plan and that promise the District made to the taxpayers so teachers can continue a sweat heart deal on health insurance.
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To joesander: I invite you to come and spend a day in my elementary classroom-I give you about one hour before you say that you couldn’t handle it! Maybe if you taught your own children respect at home, we wouldn’t have to deal with it at school. Students come to school rude and disrespectful-we’d get way more done if we weren’t dealing with things that should be taught at home. Do your job as a parent!
We were expected to read and approve this new insurance in less than an hour. Maybe if we had had the info a week earlier to study it-we would have approved it. In the future, get your facts straight before you run your mouth about something you have no idea about.
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Math teacher has it all wrong. Here are some facts:
1) The district has to provide a 5 year forcast to the state and for the next two years out they must show the forcast in the black.
2) The years in the black must be 2% of the genreal budget……..not breaking even.
3) The so called carry over is a rainy day fund, it is carried over to pay the bills in the future years and IS added in the next years of the 5 year forcast.
4) If that money was spent on teacher raises or insurance, the subsequent years of the 5 year forcast would show deficits.
5) every time staff members receive a raise, more money is needed to balance the budget. 2% is built into the forcast, but skyrocketing insurance costs are not. The only way to pay for this is an increase in revenue (levies) and this is not the time to be asking the taxpayers for more money. (ask the lorain county commisioners)
6) Teachers have “step raises” in elyria the first 14 years. these raises are not taken away.
7) Buildings were closed and teachers were RIF’ed to manage class sizes, be fiscally responsible, and not for paying teachers more than a 2% raise and to keep their health care costs at 2%.
For those who want to complain about the cold hard facts should walk home with the kids they teach and talk to the parents in the community who lost their jobs or would be happy to take a pay cut and keep that job.
Be realistic about the times we are in and come back with the complaints about money when Elyria is thriving economically.
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I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I do remember the worst year I ever spent in my life, and that was substitute teaching in the Detroit Public Schools. It was the only time I ever felt the need to stop at a bar on the way home and have a drink, or two. I used to hate to hear the phone ring in the morning because I knew they were calling me to work in one of the worst hell holes in the city. The very worst day was the one I substituted for a kindergarten teacher. I could not control the kids and eventually the principal had to get the lunch room lady to help establish and maintain order. Don’t ever underestimate lunch room ladies or bus drivers; their jobs are difficult. As for elementary teachers, we ask a lot of them - often things that should rightfully be done by parents. As for teaching in middle school or high school, this paper couldn’t print some of the things that happened to me there. The names I was called and the physical abuse were beyond the pale. If you think teachers have it so good, then why didn’t you get the education required to become a teacher and then enter the field yourself?
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If Alan Greenspan wanted to go and teach an economics class he could go to any college in the country and they would take him in a heart beat. If he wanted to teach a high school econ class they would say sorry you’re “unqualified” because he doesn’t have a teaching degree, or license.
Unfortunately the way the education system is setup slows improvement. First future teachers have to go get a masters degree just to teach, then when they are paid so little at first that they can’t pay their bills. Many of the teachers that are really good at what they do are also really good at other things so they leave. The ones that aren’t very good know that if they stick around long enough they will get paid more than if they did anything else, because they can’t do anything else. So we get more and more teachers that aren’t that good in the system because we drive the good ones away.
The US spends more per student than any other country in the world, but the results don’t show it. You can say not all kids eat healthy or their parents aren’t involved, but do you think that same situation doesn’t happen anywhere else in the world. Does the US have the worst parents in the world? Other countries have parents that are gone all day working, or parents that themselves are uneducated and can’t help their kids. There are single parent households a round the world also. So why are things different in the US? More money is spent on students in this country to make up for these issues so why isn’t it working? Many say more money is needed but that hasn’t seemed to work.
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Well Chris H, something we can agree on. My native Spanish-speaking wife, with a degree from a Spanish-speaking University and an M.A. from Alabama, couldn’t qualify to teach Spanish in Michigan, California, or Virginia until after she had taken 24 credit hours of basic Spanish courses from a community college. She was certified to teach French and German though because she had taken some courses in those languages. Right after taking those 24 hours, she was immediately hired by that same community college to teach Spanish. I took more education courses while working on my B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. (not completed, thesis not written) than Carter has little liver pills, and not a one of them did me any good. My daughter majored in education and was lost the first week of school because she told me that they hadn’t taught her what to do. You are 100% right about education courses and schools of education, and teacher licensing requirements. They are teacher union controlled and meant to provide continuing employment for professors of education.
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Personally, I don’t know why anybody would want to teach in Ohio. After researching what teachers are paid there, we decided to remain where we are. The area of New Mexico where I live pays teachers very well, especially dual license teachers with a M.A.
Joey Sandor’s comment are asinine. Nine times out of 10 it’s the students, and their non caring parents, who make a school’s performance bad. The teachers struggle to teach these heathens who have no interest in learning.
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That is interesting Jack Miller.
According to the teacher salary guides New Mexico teachers out in the high 50’s. In Ohio they max out at almost 70 grand.
http://www.teacher-world.com/teacher-salary/new-mexico.html
http://www.teacher-world.com/teacher-salary/ohio.html
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Teachers in Elyria are not to be held in contempt. Administrators have some pretty nice perks that could use some scrutiny and adjustment. Teaching and non-teaching staff for instance must pay 10% of their earnings towards their retirement. Administrators like superintenent and principals, are not required to pay into their retirements. The district pays their retirement in full. Also administrators receive an annuity payed by the district. Teaching and non-teaching individuals do not have an annuity paid by the district. Rigda likely has a travel allowance, and he likely has a clause that allows him to have considerable vacation time, and the ability to sell unused time back to the district where as lower level employees cannot. Mr. Rigda’s response to all of this was a little disappointing, all things considered.
Go Cavs!!
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Administrators in Elyria do not receive an annuity paid by the district. Administrators per diem make less than many of the senior teachers in the district. As for the complaints about some of Mr. Ridga’s perks…….compare what he makes to a CEO of a company of 1000 employees and you will see what he makes pales in comparison.
Someone should really ask themselves: Should the supervisors of the teachers make the same as the teachers and have the same level of perks? If so, what incentive is there to be the boss?
Get the facts straight and use common sense.
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Stop crying us a river teachers. In the private sector, a GOOD company health insurance plan requires the employee to cover 1/3 of the premium with a deductible from $1,000-$2,000.
Add to this PERS versus Social Security and three months off during the summer…Please!
And you wonder why people vote down taxes!!!
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JACKFROST - Sorry, but the high figures you posted concerned one school district. Seriously, why would anyone with a PhD want to teach in a public school? The AVERAGE teaching salary in Ohio is $48,692. In New Mexico it’s $39,391. But, these are averages and there are school districts that pay more or less than the average in both states. If you go to the Las Cruces schools website you’ll see salaries top out at $60,676 with a MA+15 and $62,496 with a EDS/MA+45. Believe me, we did our research because we really wanted to move back to Ohio. The only school district in Northern Ohio that paid ‘close’ to what we have here was in the Kirtland/Mentor area. We want to live closer to Lorain County, but the schools don’t pay well. It may come down to living outside the area we wanted to move to, but the economy has put any thought of moving on hold. Thank you very much for posting that site. It has a lot of useful information.
PETE - My fiancé’ works in a year round school. It’s great. The cycle is 9 weeks on, 3 weeks off with 5 weeks off for summer break. Makes for frequent vacations.
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