WyBlog

Gov. Christie tightens the screws on the teachers union

Advantage: Christie! Last week the governor formally asked the teachers unions to accept a one year wage freeze to help offset our state's dire fiscal problems.

In reply the union's militant leader, Barbara Keshishian, said "blow me".

So yesterday Governor Christie upped the ante. So far teachers in four districts (out of more than 600!) have agreed to accept the freeze. To convince more districts to sign on the governor is dangling a carrot in front of the school boards. He will send more state aid to any district which accepts the wage freeze.

The money will come from savings realized by not paying higher Social Security and Medicare taxes as a result of freezing salaries. In these tough times more state aid is a powerful incentive for the school boards to lean on their employees, and lean on them hard.

Locally the North Caldwell district plans to cut 20% of their staff to balance their budget. Caldwell is laying off 25 teachers, coaches and aides. The teachers unions would rather see some members lose their jobs and children miss out on sports and extracurricular activites so long as their gravy train isn't derailed.

In other words, their cries of "it's for the children" are a crock. Their message to the kids is plain for all to see. And that message is "fuck you".

The NJEA is used to being the 800 pound gorilla of New Jersey politics. They always got whatever they wanted. Politicians quivered at their feet, fearful that the union's wrath would lead to electoral defeat.

Not any more. Chris Christie is bigger than the NJEA. This time our state's fiscal problems are too large to sweep under the rug. The NJEA had better wake up and smell the coffee. And I hear that the vending machine coffee at the unemployment office tastes awful.

Posted at 10:04 by Chris Wysocki   [/education]   Comments | Archived | Perm Link |
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