The Newton Teachers Association (NTA) and the School Committee agreed last year to a one-year contract extension through August 2019, reportedly in order to grant time to come to an agreement. But in the past couple of weeks, the NTA has held several protests, campaigning with signs for a “Fair Contract Now.” Judging from past contract disputes, these protests are typically a sign that the NTA is concerned about the pace or status of negotiations and is escalating efforts to call attention to their concerns.
Meanwhile, the Newton Police Superior Officers are working off a contract that expired in 2014; contracts for Teamsters, Newton Patrolmen’s Association, nurses, engineers and parking control expired in June 2018; and several collective bargaining units have contracts that expire this coming June.
Once upon a time, Newton residents learned about these matters by reading their local newspaper. These days we have no idea what’s going on. Why have superior officers gone five years without a renewed contract? Does the NTA believe it’s being offered an unfair contract? Did the one-year extension move the parties any closer to an agreement? Or, as NTA President Mike Zilles stated at his back-to-school address to teachers in August, is the mayor not allocating sufficient funding to the schools? For that matter, why is the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) the only union that goes public with its plight?
Mayor Fuller’s office won’t comment on collective bargaining and I recognize that I may be raising questions that will never be answered. But salaries and benefits consume 86 percent of the school budget and presumably a large share of the city budget. We should be asking these questions.
How do the salaries and benefits compare with other ‘excellent’ suburban districts in metro boston?
I think this is the best way to judge what is “fair”
Budgek is asking the right question. I don’t think anyone will like the answer. I compared our average teacher salary to peer-districts identified by the NPS. My preliminary investigation told me that our teachers are paid far less. Of the top of my head, we are talking about 15% less.
This is a big deal. If our compensation is less than our peers, in the long-run the best teachers will work for our peers. Why has the school committee not made this known publicly and put pressure on the city to allocate more money for teacher salaries? NPS often spends money that is unnecessary. Rather than doing so, they should save the money to use it for the next contract negotiation.
Finesse is needed. If a bag of money fell on the NPS, the goal should be come up with a contract that promotes education and allows the NPS to attract and retain the best teachers.
What strikes me is that the Superior Officers have gone five years without a new contract. There’s a story there.
I thought Ruthanne Fuller and Scott Lennon were both very solid mayoral candidates. The one difference was I thought Fuller would be the stronger of the two bargaining with the unions. That is why I voted for her. So I don’t necessarily view these protests as a bad thing. The teachers are not underpaid, IMHO. If they want to earn more, they are well qualified to teach in, say, Wellesley or Weston.
Newton has other governmental expenses, many associated with the schools. If the teachers’ contract costs too much, other city needs would not be met.
I think the attitude that Andy outlines “if they want more money, move to Wellesley/ Weston” is just the wrong one.
I cannot imagine us saying, if people want more affordable housing, they can move to _____ (name an affordable city here).
I hope we realize that our school system is the primary reason why many people choose Newton. Dont believe me, ask any realtor on the majority reason they highlight. We must figure out how to pay these teachers fairly.
My impression from the election is that the real fight will be over benefits. I am told that all employees who work for Newton for 10+ years gain the benefit of lifetime, gold-plated health care. That must cost a fortune.
Would be good to know how many teachers who are offered jobs in Newton turn them down for other school districts. Just saying in case an enterprising journalist wants to dig into this!
.. wait lifetime gold plated health for working only 10 years?
Is this real or a joke? They must have had some really skilled negotiators to get that benefit.
The way to retain the best teachers, school administrators, police officers, firefighters and other essential personnel, is to offer the best employment package. In all of the above cases, that’s exactly what Newton should do…
The City should benchmark these salaries against all other regional municipalities, and automatically increase our benefits packages to stay a tick above everyone else. It would avoid these seemingly endless negotiations that strain relationships between our elected officials and city employees, two groups of people who should be working together for the betterment of Newton…
In exchange for the best compensation, the unions should offer concessions [especially the teacher’s union] that makes it easier for the city to make scheduling adjustments and terminate underperforming employees.
Here is something that I learned from emailing someone knowledgeable. First, our teachers tend to be younger than those in other districts. Because teachers are automatically paid more for seniority, this explains some or all of the average pay difference. Second, our teacher retention rate is 89%. Third, when we offer teachers jobs, we do not typically lose to peer districts. I want to investigate these things more deeply, but these facts cause me to revise my original view of teachers’ being underpaid.
Jeffrey – Think about the contradiction in the two statements “our teachers tend to be younger than those in other districts” and “the retention rate is 89%”. Does that make sense? It appears to me to be a biological impossibility. Either you have younger teachers that account for low salaries or you have a high retention rate with teachers moving up on the salary scale, but you can’t have both. If teachers remain, then they get older. It’s the way of life. Whoever is giving you information hasn’t thought this one through very carefully.
This is our reality in Newton: Most Newton educators cannot afford to live anywhere near Newton, in part because the salaries remain low. We’re not talking about being able to afford to live IN Newton – that hasn’t been the case since about 1990, if not before. Newton educators very often live 45 minutes to an hour away, and that has a negative impact on the school system and family/student experience. Many educators have to leave earlier than they would like in order to avoid a major traffic jam getting to the daycare center. Educators can’t attend evening and weekend events because they live so far away, etc. Once an educator’s family commitments increase, the long commute becomes more of a burden. Educators leave when there’s a comparable job at comparable or better pay closer to home. Then yes, the system gets a younger educator at a lower salary, but loses the professional development and experience built up during their time in Newton.
If you want to talk to knowledgeable people about the NPS, I suggest contacting a few educators who work in the trenches. In just the last day, I’ve spoken to three people who have a second job and two of the three are at the top of the scale, One waitresses three nights a week, a second works in an assisted living community, and the third tutors. What really was most upsetting was to hear one of these people say, “I love my job” at the end of the conversation. Newton educators appreciate the values of the school system, but it’s unclear how much the system values them.
There are many aspects to the problems related to compensation. In the coming weeks, there will be a more in depth conversation. My hope is that this conversation is respectful and civil, and that the contract is settled before the end of June.
Jane, I agree that everything does not add up. That being said, I trust that the person with whom I spoke gave me accurate facts. The descrepancy in pay with our peers, although crucial evidence, might not be the end of the story. I need more time to dig into the data.
I’ll be talking a lot this year about our municipal employees.
Teachers, DPW workers, police officers, firefighters, city hall staff: They are some of the most dedicated people I’ve met and we all know they don’t get paid enough to live in the community they pour their heart into serving.
I wish you’d name the person with whom you spoke. I’m perfectly comfortable speaking openly about this issue but I’m not comfortable about an anonymous source making claims and using data that are reported on a blog. This “knowledgeable” person should speak publicly for him/herself or not speak at all.
Another important data point would be a comparison of salary at different steps. Do teachers in Newton make a lower starting salary than comparable districts? What about teachers at the highest step with years of experience? And how do mid-point salaries compare?
@Bryan: I’ll be interested in hearing where you think the money should come from in order to better pay city employees.
Bryan said, ” …we all know they don’t get paid enough to live in the community they pour their heart into serving.”
With our housing costs it’s tough to find anyone who is paid well enough to buy into 2019 Newton.
But, the idea that municipal workers are at a bigger disadvantage than the average Newtonite is a red herring. Average household income in Newton is $118,639. The average teacher salary in Newton is +-$75,000. The majority of those average households are double income. Double income teachers fit in well. Can they afford to buy in to Newton? No. But neither can the current average Newton household.
@John,
I don’t know where you are getting this lifetime gold plated benefits notion from! I have worked for the City for 25 or so years and trust me, there is no lifetime gold plated anything!
For everyone else….part of the problem with negotiations for contracts on the “City side” is the lack of a consistent HR Director over the last several years. The HR Director is very involved in the negotiation process. Over the last several years, this position has changed hands numerous times. Every time a new person takes over, they need to be caught up to speed and they also need to develop relationships with people on all sides. This all takes time and thus the process is slowed….
As far as fair and competitive wages….just ask the DPW workers if they are paid comparable to their counterparts in surrounding cites and towns….and they are just ONE example of how this City underpays and under values it’s employees.
Terry – No educator or city employee expects to be able to buy a home in Newton and no one expects that to change with a fair contract. That’s not the issue.
The landscape has changed for educators. A two years Master’s degree cost twice what my one years Masters program cost back in the day so young educators often have serious student loans to pay off. My son had a $500/month payment when he first graduated. That level of debt means that a top candidate will look at a salary scale much more closely than in the past – and the Newton name brand loses its pull.
If Andrew Levin thinks it’s okay for top candidates to go to other cities and towns for better pay, he’s certainly free to his opinion, but it’s not what I hear from most parents with whom I speak.
Jane, You and I know that, but Bryan’s comment is something often heard and it is a misleading distraction.
Unfortunately, I agree. It’ll never happen. It’s also not accurate to say that Newton teachers are younger than in other cities/towns.
We need to remain laser focused on getting this contract settled before the end of the school year. That means a decent raise, but it doesn’t mean employees are expecting a windfall.
@The Whole Truth — I am not meaning to troll, and I definitely want the NPS teachers to be paid fairly. But NPS retirees appear to retain their health insurance:
https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/cms/lib8/MA01907692/Centricity/Domain/54/FY17%20Benefits%20during%20retirement.pdf.
Reasonable people may differ, but I would call my similar PPO coverage, with a similar out-of-pocket percentage, “gold-plated.” My employer will not allow this to continue after I retire, for obvious reasons.
John white,
That pretty generous, my employe breaks down the cost of health insurance benefit they pay for me… its about 20k if i recall.
If that was a life time benefit, i think it should be fair to value that at least 50k a year.
If you say the average teacher is paid 75k then the total comp is valued at 125k a year… more than generous
A lifetime health insurance is unheard of in private sector, and given the escalating price of healthcare, it really is quite valuable.
I assume there is a lifetime pension ontop of this also?
Im not saying teachers dont deserve it… but theres a point where asking for even more is just pure greed
@John,
There are big differences between the schools side and the City side.
@Gail: I’m not suggesting it is something that can be fixed overnight, the regional housing crisis is a big and complex problem without easy solutions. But when we’re talking about pay for city workers, I do think the context is really important. As Jane said:
“Newton educators very often live 45 minutes to an hour away, and that has a negative impact on the school system and family/student experience. Many educators have to leave earlier than they would like in order to avoid a major traffic jam getting to the daycare center. Educators can’t attend evening and weekend events because they live so far away, etc.”
Bryan,
On the flip side, they get the entire summer off and finish the day earlier… plus the lifetime health and pension
I think this discussion cannot continue until we know
– starting pay of teacher and the total comp including lifetime healthcare and pension
– average pay for 15 years experience and total comp. Also if this includes tenure?
If my employer offered to cut my salary by 20k a year in exchange for lifetime healthcare & tenure and pension… i would take it in a heartbeat. I would commute 1.5 hrs a day just to keep these perks for life… and someone mentioned it only requires 10 years of employment??
The student loan crisis is hitting millnials and other younger generations hard and it’s now affecting public education. Given the situation that so many young educators are in, if one community’s salary schedule is better than another’s, then that trumps all other factors.
It used to be very different. Back in the day, my loan for my Masters degree was 40% of my first year’s salary. My son’s student loans were 150% of his first year salary. My low student debt allowed me to think about what kind of a community I wanted to teach in. Those days are over.
The question is not about how much John White or Bugek makes. The question is this: can we attract and retain top candidates so that we maintain an excellent school system?
Jane,
Actually question is “how much more taxes are Newton residents willing to pay to retain and attract to educators”
Followed up by
– what is Newton attrition rate among junior teaches vs more senior. Perhaps salaries only need to be raised at jr level
– what percentage of job applicants turn down offers because the salary is not sufficient.
– would new teachers accept a significant pay raise in exchange for a 401k and non life-time healthcare?
– are pay rises from seniority or performance?
– Can underperforming teachers be fired or demoted?
Bugek – You first question may be revised to “What are Newton’s priorities?”
-IMO, we definitely need to raise the entry level salary. Retention, on the other hand, has to do with how well we pay teachers over time. Salary schedules are complex – a teacher may jump ship when it becomes apparent that even at the top of the scale you can still only afford to live an hour away. Thirty years ago, I did just that and left a position for Newton, cut out a long commute, and received a $5000 raise.
-In my experience, just like in any field, people rarely tell the real reason why they don’t take a position. They just inform the system that they’ve taken another job. Similarly, you never give the real reason why you’re leaving in an exit interview. You never know what the future may hold, and what contacts you may want to keep in your back pocket. When I left my previous position, I didn’t say the real reasons why I was leaving – I just said I got a job closer to home.
-MA public school teachers belong to the Massachusetts Teachers Retirement System and 11% of their salary goes to that. Pensions are paid through the MTRS – it does not come from Newton’s budget.
-I have no idea what you’re referring to with regard to lifetime health benefits. If you leave the system before age 65, you no longer receive health benefits from Newton. Once you turn 65, Newton educators are on Medicare, just like you will be (or are). Newton offers a complementary health plan to Medicare, as do many of the better private companies.
-Pay raises are based on years of service. That means that once you reach the top step, which can be when you are in your late 30’s if you begin teaching in your mid-20’s, the only raise you receive is that which is negotiated through a new contract. This’s part of the problem. If you’re 38/39 years old and at the top of the scale, for the next 25 years you’re dependent on the negotiated raise. I’m sorry, but the late 30’s isn’t very old. My kids are that age and the only one not receiving a salary increase that shows up in his paycheck is a teacher.
-Personnel issues are totally confidential. Unfortunately, that gives rise to the idea that teachers can’t be fired. I have no idea how you’d demote a teacher.
Jane,
Without the following stats, Newton residents simply cannot make an informed decision on whether we really have a problem which can be solved by higher compensation.
If the stats show, we need to increase then we should. But we need the stats for transparency
– weeks to hire at teacher at levels: jr, middle, sr
– number of accepted rejected because of salary
– attrition rate of jr, middle, sr
– ratings (I assume by test scores?) of teachers at different salary levels. Does a highly rated teacher correlate with high pay? Do poor performing teacher have lower pay?
+ other stats. We simply cannot make decisions based on rumors, feelings, “fairness”
Again, if the stats show we should pay more then we should pay more
Jobs. . . . .
At my private sector job, there are many people that commute an hour each way. We all know the commute when we take a position (or move to another community). This is one part of the decision to leave or take a job.
I don’t get lifetime health insurance or a pension. I am expected to put some away in my 401K each pay period. My employer (who I have been with for ten years) hopes I will have enough to retire on, but it isn’t their responsibility.
I think we have to take pensions and lifetime health benefits into account since that is a benefit they will get for the rest of their lives.
I don’t work for a large company. This is what I have decided. I decided to purchase a small house in Newton for the great schools, the great community and the proximity to Boston. Others have decided to purchase larger houses an hour away. Often we are told it isn’t safe for teachers an hour away to drive to school after a snowstorm, but somehow my co-workers living an hour away find a way into the office by 10 AM or 11AM. They understood that with the commute and the job there are responsibilities. I am asking all employees in the city to act as adults and make the decision that is best for him/her, but not whine when it snows that they can’t get to work at all after a snowstorm.
NewtonMom,
A little harsh, but i guess its reality. I do support providing teacher some assistance though.
I would totally support building maybe 50 units of affordable housing for junior teachers on a temporary basis.
1st year 70% off.
2nd year 50% off
3rd year 30% off
4th and last year 10% off
5th year they have to move out or face termination. Zero exceptions. The units are vacated for new teachers
Simply a way of attracting new junior teachers as the starting pay is on the low side. Unfortunately they would still be liable for the taxes on the subsidy rent..
Here is the salary schedule for Newton teachers.
Newton Mom- Newton teachers do not receive lifetime health benefits. I have no idea where that notion came from, but this is the second time that someone has repeated this inaccurate information. As for the 401K issue, a teacher’s retirement is his/her responsibility as well. A teacher pays into another organization that funds pensions – the Mass. Teachers Retirement Board that has nothing to do with Newton. 11% of a Massachusetts public school teacher’s paycheck goes to MTRB to fund his/her pension. MA teachers do not contribute to Social Security.
Yes, my husband commuted close to an hour. And yes, teachers and Newton educators can leave if they choose. The question is what’s best for the school system. That educators of Newton students are unable to be part of the larger school community is concerning.
Jane,
Thanks for letting me know about the health insurance. I am confused since I was going on this “At the present time, for those employees hired prior to July 1, 2011, the city will continue to pay 80% for the Tufts EPO and Harvard health insurance plans (20% retiree cost). For those employees hired after July 1, 2011, the city will continue to pay 75% for the Tufts EPO and Harvard health insurance plans (25% retiree cost). For all employees the city will pay 70% for the Tufts PPO health insurance plan (30% retiree cost). ” When I retire, my company pays nothing for my health insurance. Is this information incorrect?
My husband and I both work, and I earn on the lower end of what a teacher earns. We live in a tiny house, and we are content. There is no way that a teacher could buy a huge house in this community, but there are small ranches and Cape Cod style houses that are available (if developers don’t swoop in). It is all about personal choices. I don’t think it is my responsibility to make sure teachers live in Newton. If
As far as others about salary increases, not every year I get a salary increase, and most years any salary increase that we receive is off set by a larger health insurance premium.
NewtonMom – I don’t think you read my posts. I’ve been very clear on the issue of where Newton Educators can affors to live on two spearate posrs, and it’s not Newton. More importantly, I stated that “Newton educators cannot afford to live anywhere near Newton”. I don’t know how much clearer I can be on the topic.
Your quoted statement explains health insurance for currently employed educators but nowhere does it say that a Newton educator receives those health benefits if they leave the system. If you retire from Newton, you are eligible for a Medicare complement plan after you turn 65, but like everyone else over 65 and older Medicare remains the main source of health insurance and you continue to pay into it.
You continue to try to turn this into a personal issue – comparing what you receive to what Newton educators receive. My point is that in order for Newton – which is surrounded by towns with excellent school systems – to maintain a competitive edge, the salary has to keep pace.
I am sorry you feel attacked Jane. I will stop commenting on the thread. I am giving a different opinion and we feel differently. I didn’t mean to attack you.
@Mike Zilles-
What exactly is “sufficient funding for the schools” ? Please provide a hard figure…..
Unfunded liabilities are unsustainable.
Don’t forget to add the soon to be approved salary and benefits bump
for all our elected pols.
You can’t fit 10 pds of dirt into a 5 pd
bag. 60 percent of the city’s budget already goes to the schools…
Should it be 70 percent? 80 percent?
At some point there needs to be a reality check, and the Newton Taxpayers Association shouldn’t be the only group providing one
@NewtonMom – you have nothing to apologize.
I truly believe teachers should be paid competitively. We should be benchmarking ourselves to peer group of schools, not just for teacher salaries but also for number of students / class, student achievement, achievement disparity etc. That should be the #1 report from SC and Superintendent.
@NewtonMom is right – the teachers pay is quite “fair” compared to private sector. And of course, as tax payers we should be comparing it to our situations. The job protection and post retirement healthcare is no longer a part of private sector package.
In that spirit, I absolutely agree – we should be focusing on paying teachers fairly and NOT on making housing available to teachers. They are capable of making those choices and tradeoffs.
BTW – a $72K teacher salary is equivalent to $90K per annum (remember school is only for 9 mos).