What,s Up With The Teachers Contract

[Guest Concerned Parent]

I support Kearny teachers but can someone from the KEA please explain what the teachers are asking for that the board won’t agree to.  Are you still negotiating throughout the summer?

[Guest Dad]

Apparently the KEA is fighting to not lose anything.  The district switched to AETNA from Horizon and saved 600k. It dosnt look like the teachers are going to see any of that.  According to my teacher friends their contribution is the same.  In fact I know one teacher who can't afford the health care policy and had to elect a lower quality plan just to "save"  300 bucks a month.  I feel bad for these guys who are spending thousands a year for health care and can't get a break.  Keep in mind that they pay taxes as well.  

Many take home 50% or less of their gross.  So for example a teacher making 70k a year are really living on 35k.  It doesn't seem right.  I do a lot of tax returns.  Where is all the money going?  How inefficient is the district that teachers are struggling to afford health care but yet the BOE just banked 600k from a health care deal and are in line to get big bucks from Trenton.

 

 

[Guest T.T.]

teaching is a 10 month position, so it's not 70k in a year, it's 70k in 10 months.  We have great health care, that's why we pay more money for it.  The teacher that can't afford to pay for healthcare isn't budgeting properly.  I have two kids and while the health care is costly, you get what you pay for.  I am treated very well at doctor's offices and hospitals and couldn't be happier.  AETNA is great health care and I'm thankful that we have such a good plan.

[Guest Jimmy]

School districts should have multiple plans in which employees can choose cheaper plans.