| |
| HFT Email Login |
|
|
 |
| HFT Newsletter |
| Sign up for the HFT's monthly e-mail newsletter! |
|
 |
"
More money is put into prisons than into schools.
That, in itself, is the description of a nation bent
on suicide. I mean, what is more precious to us than
our own children? We are going to build a lot more
prisons if we do not deal with the schools and their
inequalities."
--Jonathan
Kozol |
|
|
|
Today
is
[A]
Larger Font [A] Smaller Font
|
 |
LATEST
NEWS FROM:
 Governor’s budget plan is flawed
Statement of IFT President Ed Geppert, Jr.
Governor Quinn’s Fiscal Year 2010 budget recommends a tax increase – a much needed and long overdue action to provide desperately needed funding for our state. Unfortunately, this one bit of positive news is submerged in a flawed budget proposal that won’t fix the state’s structural deficit and will cause serious harm to those who deliver education and state services.
The most egregious failing of this budget is the reintroduction of another pension gimmick. This scheme will cost taxpayers more in the long run. Again, the state will skip required pension payments. The result will be increased interest owed on that debt for decades to come. This was a bad idea when Governor Blagojevich and his budget director John Filan first proposed it. Being proposed by Gov. Quinn does not make it any better. When the people of Illinois removed Gov. Blagojevich from office, they expected to bid farewell to his budget gimmicks.
Teachers and state employees have always paid their share of pension costs. Our state’s pension problems were caused by governors and lawmakers of both political parties failing to make the required payments to the pension system. Our pension systems are actually a good deal for taxpayers when the state lives up to its commitment and makes the required payments. The state’s normal pension cost is equal to the employer cost for Social Security, and over the next 20 years costs will continue to decrease, making our current pension system more affordable than Social Security.
This budget does nothing to support those men and women considering a career in education. Drastically cutting benefits and increasing costs for future teachers will make it very difficult for school districts to attract and retain good teachers. Young teachers will be forced to pay more for less. It is not in the best interest of students to have 67-year-old teachers in a crowded kindergarten classroom. School districts will also suffer because they will have to pay higher salaries for veteran teachers who cannot retire.
The Illinois Federation of Teachers will adamantly oppose attempts to balance the budget on the backs of teachers and their retirement. Teachers are taxpaying citizens; they will pay any tax increase that becomes law. They also pay more than nine percent of their salary for their pensions. This is already the second highest contribution rate in the country.
The governor’s proposal is the equivalent of a 2 percent pay cut for teachers, school employees, university and state employees. The IFT will oppose this proposal as it currently exists.
 Employee Free Choice Act Introduced in Congress
Passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, which was introduced March 10 in both houses of Congress, would be an important step in protecting workers who want to form a union without interference from employers who often ruthlessly beat back those efforts to unionize, AFT president Randi Weingarten says.
"America's economic well-being is directly tied to that of its workforce," Weingarten says. "Strong unions, like investments in crucial programs and increased access to healthcare, are central to the future of the country. Unions allow workers to share in the prosperity they help create, expanding the middle class and strengthening America."
Read more...
AFT on the Frontlines of Healthcare Reform
President Barack Obama took the first step in fulfilling his promise to reform the nation's healthcare system on March 5, when leaders of labor, business and consumer groups, as well as members of Congress, gathered for the White House Forum on Health Reform. AFT vice president Ann Twomey was among the participants.
"There is a clear consensus that the need for healthcare reform is here and now," President Obama said in the opening session of the summit. The Obama administration is focused on reform because of the continued escalation of healthcare costs for families, business and government. Reform is needed to bring costs under control, to improve the quality of healthcare and to help the uninsured.
The AFT is prepared to work with the White House, Congress and other stakeholders on the much-needed reform of our healthcare system. "It is important that those efforts include the voices of healthcare workers, such as the women and men we are proud to represent, on quality-of-care issues," says AFT president Randi Weingarten.
Read more...
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
THANK YOU BEV NEFF, FROM THE HFT
During May’s BR meeting, the HFT recognized Bev Neff for her countless years of service to the HFT as well as the organization (Blackhawk) before it was the HFT. This was Bev's last Building Representative meeting, as she is retiring this year. Lida Lorbinenko moved and Martha Berg seconded a motion to expend $500.00 for a gift to recognize Bev's many years of service to the Harlem Federation of Teachers. Jan Berryman moved to purchase a plaque or some other type of recognition to be placed in the IFT office for no more than $100.00. Motion carried. Thanks again, Bev, for all of your years of service!
IN-DISTRICT TRANSFERS
During April’s BR meeting, Lynn Kearney again reviewed the procedure for transferring, particularly as it relates to the elementary buildings. Those interested in moving grade levels/positions within their building need to make this desire known to their building principal and HR. Please make this desire known and place it in writing sooner rather than later. The Union would appreciate a copy of the letter or e-mail sent. This will help if there are concerns with the process. Once in building transfers have been made, the District will address those who want to transfer buildings or any involuntary transfers that need to be made due to shifting enrollment concerns. Once this has been addressed, the District will look at outside candidates.
INSURANCE NEWS
WELLNESS COMMITTEE UPDATE: Yes, the Wellness Committee meeting scheduled for April was cancelled once again, and it was rescheduled for May 21st. | |
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
During May’s BR meeting, Bev Neff asked for volunteers for the audit committee as both Janine Langkamp and Duffey Ainsworth need to be replaced. Interested members should contact Bev Neff via e-mail. The audit is tentatively scheduled for July 9th at 9:00 AM.
AIR QUALITY/MOLD ISSUES
Dan Ralston has received some concerns regarding air quality and mold issues in some of the buildings. He will be sending a letter to Mike Chandler to see what can be done to test and/or investigate these situations. The principals have notified Mike of the concerns and haven’t heard back.
MEETING MINUTES UPDATE
Meeting minutes for May's Building Representative meeting are now online.
|
|
|
Keep
Tabs on Your Elected Officials
Our
civic duties don't stop with
just voting. All citizens have
a duty to keep informed of what
elected officials are up to,
how they're voting on issues,
and what issues they're giving
voice to in the legislative
process.
The
HFT has made it super-easy for
its members to keep tabs on
our elected officials! Below
the navigation menu on this
page is a small form that will
help you search for your elected
officials' contact information,
find issues currently up for
debate in the legislation, and
even help you contact the media
in our area. Stay involved in
our governmental process --
start searching today! |
Become
an AFT e-Activist
You
will be part of a powerful network
that connects you to the union's
political and legislative program.
Clicking the banner below will
take you to a form to fill out
to join the AFT e-Activist Network.
|
Think
YOU'VE had a bad evaluation? Check
these out! These are actual quotes
taken from Federal Government employee
performance evaluations.
1. "Since my last report, this
employee has reached rock-bottom and
has started to dig."
2. "I would not allow this employee
to breed."
3. "This employee is really not
so much of a has-been, but more of
a definite won't be."
4. "Works well when under constant
supervision and cornered like a rat
in a trap."
5. "When she opens her mouth,
it seems that it is only to change
feet."
6. "This young lady has delusions
of adequacy."
7. "He sets low personal standards
and then consistently fails to achieve
them."
8. "This employee is depriving
a village somewhere of an idiot."
9. "This employee should go far,
and the sooner he starts the better."
10. "Got a full 6-pack, but lacks
the plastic thingy to hold it all
together"
11. "A gross ignoramus -- 144
times worse than an ordinary ignoramus."
12. "He doesn't have ulcers,
but he's a carrier."
14. "I would like to go hunting
with him sometime ."
15. "He's been working with glue
too much."
16. "He would argue with a signpost."
17. "He brings a lot of joy whenever
he leaves the room."
18. "When his IQ reaches 50,
he should sell."
19. "If you see two people talking
and one looks bored, he's the other
one."
20. "A photographic memory but
with the lens cover glued on."
21. "A prime candidate for natural
de-selection."
22. "Donated his brain to science
before he was done using it."
23. "Gates are down, the lights
are flashing, but the train isn't
coming."
24. "He's got two brain cells,
one is lost and the other is out looking
for it."
25. "If he were any more stupid,
he'd have to be watered twice a week."
26. "If you give him a penny
for his thoughts, you'd get change."
27. "If you stand close enough
to him, you can hear the ocean."
28. "It's hard to believe he
beat out 1,000,000 other sperm."
29. "One neuron short of a synapse."
30. "Some drink from the fountain
of knowledge; he only gargled."
31. "Takes him 2 hours to watch
'60-minutes'."
TIRED
OF THOSE HIGH PAID TEACHERS?
I,
for one, am sick and tired of those
highly paid teachers. Their hefty
salaries are driving up taxes, and
they only work nine or ten months
a year!
It's
time we put things into perspective
and pay them for what they do...baby-sit!
We can get that for less than minimum
wage. That's right...I would give
them $3.00 an hour and only the hours
they worked, not any of that silly
planning time. That would be 15 dollars
a day. Each parent should pay 15 dollars
a day for these teachers to baby-sit
their children.
Now,
how many do they teach in a day...maybe
25? That's 15 x 25=$375 a day. But
remember they only work 180 days a
year! I'm not going to pay them for
any vacations. Let's see...that's
375 x 180=$67,500.00. (Hold on, my
calculator must need batteries!)
What
about those special teachers or the
ones with master's degrees? Well,
we could pay them minimum wage just
to be fair. Let's round it off to
$6.00 an hour. That would be $6 an
hour. That would be $6 times 5 hours
times 25 children times 180 days=$135,000.00
per year. Wait a minute, there is
something wrong here!!! There sure
is, duh!!!
The
dinner guests were sitting around
the table discussing life. One man,
a CEO, decided to explain the problem
with education. He argued: "What's
a kid going to learn from someone
who decided his best option in life
was to become a teacher?" He
reminded the other dinner guests that
it's true what they say about teachers:"Those
who can...do. Those who can't, teach."
To
corroborate, he said to another guest:
"You're a teacher, Susan. Be
honest. What do you make?"
Susan,
who had a reputation of honesty and
frankness, replied, "You want
to know what I make? "I make
kids work harder than they ever thought
they could."
"I
can make a C+ feel like a Congressional
Medal of Honor and an A- feel like
a slap in the face if the student
did not do his or her very best. I
can make kids sit through 40 minutes
of study hall in absolute silence.
I can make parents tremble in fear
when I call home.
"You
want to know what I make? I make kids
wonder. I make them question. I make
them criticize. I make them apologize
and mean it. I make them write. I
make them read, read, read. I make
them spell definitely beautiful, definitely
beautiful, and definitely beautiful
over and over and over again, until
they will never misspell either one
of those words again. I make them
show all their work in math and hide
it all on their final drafts in English.
"I
make them understand that if you have
the brains, then follow your heart...and
if someone ever tries to judge you
by what you make, you pay them no
attention.
"You
want to know what I make? I make a
difference."
-Shared
through the Internet ~ Author Unknown
|
HFT ELECTIONS
