Statement of Purpose:
To advocate for progressive policy in NYS that will improve wages, benefits, and conditions for teachers.
Over the last 20 years, teachers have seen drastic reductions in their wages (relative to inflation), rising healthcare costs, and a degradation of our retirement system. Many local unions and their umbrella organization, NYSUT, have failed to address these problems. Teachers are less financially secure, and a serious teacher shortage looms.
Teachers must demand that our union leaders and elected officials in Albany take these crises head-on.
Demands:
NO MORE TIERS
The multi-tiered retirement system (NYTRS) must be abolished. All teachers should have the same retirement benefits under the Tier 4 system. Tiers 5 and 6 should be rolled into Tier 4, and legislation should be passed to ensure the system is the same for all in perpetuity. No Second-class teachers!
RESTORATION OF LOCAL CONTROL
The so-called “tax cap” legislation must be repealed. Local school districts, through their democratically elected school boards, should have the freedom to control their own budgets. Residents in each district can vote to pass or reject a budget based on their own considerations. The current “tax cap” legislation imposes austerity budgets on local districts as inflation often outpaces the “cap.” This robs schools of the funds needed to meet their students' educational needs and to provide reasonable increases in teacher salaries.
UNIVERSAL SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE
Albany must pass the NY Health Act to create a single-payer healthcare system that covers all New Yorkers. Healthcare costs are rising at unsustainable rates, robbing our school districts of necessary resources. Additionally, private health insurance provides worse coverage, creates unnecessary red tape, and leads to substandard care.
Ready to Influence Change?
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