From the Opinions page of the News-Times.
IN A RELATED STORY ... OR PERHAPS THE REAL STORY:
Two months ago Senator Blumenthal and Congressman Murphy made public a survey regarding manufacturers in Connecticut. It determined we have 5,003 different manufacturing businesses that employ 171,207 in all levels of manufacturing and have an average annual income of $70,238.
This report offers an opportunity to focus on the P.E.A. (Region 15) teachers' union's perpetual outstanding negotiating expertise that dominates our inadequate, amateur board of education.
This situation is exacerbated by state statutes that allow regional school districts to bypass our other elected selectmen and finance boards and go directly to referendum with budgets.The teachers contract parameters further marginalize the voter. Done in secrecy, the voter is deaf, dumb and blind until the contract is already signed and becomes a three-year taxpayer obligation.
Exactly what has the teachers union managed to accomplish when negotiating with our inept Board of Education?
Here are the parameters comparing the private sector employee with the P.E.A. public-sector employee.
Private sector: 40 plus hours per week, 2,000 plus hours per year, spread over 250 work days. Average salary $70,238.
Public sector: 25 hours per week teaching, 900 hours per year, spread over 180 school days. Average salary $81,693.
How about justifying this aberration! Will somebody on the boards of education, selectmen or finance please explain the rationale that justifies a P.E.A. teacher working 28 percent less time annually and getting 20 percent more salary than the equivalent private-sector employee?
Shouldn't a teacher be paid proportionately? Isn't the teacher working 70 fewer days at $454 per day getting paid $31,780 ($454 times 70) too much?
If not, why not? I expect our elected officials, having a fiduciary responsibility, to respond to these legitimate questions.
Frank Pellegrini
Southbury
