Marion Teachers Association

We will miss you and we appreciate your service to our schools.

Call the hot line as Tier 5 threat returnS

NYSUT News Wire - June 5, 2009 

Urgent call to action

NYSUT is urging members to call the AFL-CIO Legislative Hot Line at (877) 255-9417 and tell Gov. David Paterson to stop the Tier 5 retirement plan.

Addtionally, we encourage members to use NYSUT's legislative action site to send a free action letter to elected officials in the Assembly and Senate with just a few clicks.

About the proposal

Union legislative analysts say the Tier 5 proposal will require greater contributions from middle-class families over a longer period of time in exchange for diminished retirement eligibility and inferior retirement benefits. They say these changes will not save taxpayers a single dime over the near term and will provide only marginal savings over the longer term.

More specifically, this legislation would require employees to pay the 3% mandatory contribution forever; increase vesting from five to 10 years; eliminate the ability of members age 55 or older with 30 or more years of service to retire without penalty and increase the penalties for retirement prior to age 62 from a maximum of 27% to a maximum of 30.4%.

The plan would severely hamper the ability of public schools, colleges and universities to attract and retain quality educators, analysts said.

Join retirement systems now

The Teacher-Members on the state TRS board advise part-time members - if they have not done it already - to sign up for the pension system now as a Tier 4 member. It could soon be too late.

'Dignity for All Students Act' would prohibit harassment

NYSUT demands law to curb bullying

 
Tell the Senate: Pass the act now

For the seventh time, the state Assembly has overwhelmingly approved the union-backed Dignity for All Students Act, a bipartisan measure aimed at providing all public school students a learning environment free of discrimination and harassment.

Now it's time to move the bill to the floor of the state Senate.

• TAKE ACTION: Tell your state representatives to support the Dignity for All Students Act

Provisions of the legislation prohibit harassment and discrimination based on actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex.

"All students have a right to a safe and supportive school environment, so they can concentrate on their academic and personal growth. The Dignity for All Students Act attempts to stop the bullying and menacing," said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan.

The bill (A3661-B/S1987-A) directs school districts to develop procedures which create discrimination-free and harassment-free schools, as well as guidelines for training personnel to respond to discrimination and harassment.

The commissioner of education would be required to provide advice, model policies and direct services, where possible, to help districts establish policies to prevent discrimination and harassment.

Incidents on school grounds or at school functions would have to be reported annually to the State Education Department.

"We're counting on the new Democratic majority in the Senate to move quickly on this bill," said NYSUT Executive Vice President Alan Lubin. "This will be one of our priority bills for the end of the legislative session."

Congratulations to MTA Members Receiving Tenure

The Marion Teachers Association would like to congratulate the following members on their tenure appointments at the Board of Education Meeting on April 20th, 2009.

*Jamie Bade-Elementary

*Amy Kellerhouse-Special Area Special Education

*Vanessa Hysell-Academic Social Studies

*Dawn Vernon-Elementary

*Sarah Willson-Special Area Special Education

NYSUT Career Center

New York State United Teachers, a statewide union of professionals in education and health care, welcomes your suggestions as we develop and grow this Career Center.  It includes a comprehensive map of links for education job listings in New York state, along with information to help you progress in your career and many links to additional resources.

Through a representative democratic structure, the Marion Teachers Association seeks to improve the professional, economic and personal lives of our members and their families, strengthens the institutions in which they work, and furthers the cause of social justice through the trade union movement.

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