Boston teachers take push for new union contract directly to the public
The Boston Teachers Union launched a media blitz today in hopes of convincing the public to side with the union in tense contract negotiations over pay.
The outreach began this morning in advertisements taken out in more than a dozen newspapers, including the Globe, urging readers to “Tell the Boston Public Schools to Stop the War on Teachers!’’
Then at 11:30 a.m. union leaders along with community leaders who support them plan to took their message to City Hall Plaza, where they handed out fliers to passersby.
The key issue the union is trying to build public support for is paying teachers for working an extended school day. Superintendent Carol R. Johnson has proposed an additional 30 minutes, but the union says she is offering to pay teachers nothing for it.
“We are adamant about not working without compensation,’’ said Richard Stutman, the teachers union president.
The fliers the BTU was handing out feature a spoof of a news release suggesting that teachers are being singled out among other city employees and other workers in other sectors in asking them to work additional time.
“City Hall to Remain Open Until 6:00 Every Day as All Employees and Major Vendors Agree to Donate Services for 30 Minutes Daily; Mayor Urges Teachers to Follow Suit,’’ the flier said.
At times, an airplane carrying a banner “Boston city Hall — Open Until 6’’ flew over the plaza.
Johnson has denied that she is unwilling to pay teachers more for the extra time, saying that increases in the overall pay rates of teachers, which would occur in most contract years, should adequately compensate teachers in tough fiscal times.
Matthew Wilder, spokesman for the public schools, said today of the union’s PR effort: “We think this another example of the BTU leadership using a meaningless PR stunt instead of focusing on a contract that would bring real reforms for our our students.’’
The newspaper advertisements portray teachers as underpaid, noting that many teachers work “far longer’’ in myriad tasks in addition to the classroom time they spend with students.
“They spend at least two to three hours every day at home or at school correcting papers, planning lessons, and all the other things that go into teaching our children,’’ the ads states.
The ad then lists the half-hour pay rates of more than a dozen other professions, from bus drivers to psychologists.
Teachers have been without a contract since their most recent one expired in August 2010. Pay is one of a number of issues, including devising a new way to evaluate teachers, that have caused negotiations for a new agreement to drag on
The key issue the union is trying to build public support for is paying teachers for working an extended school day. Superintendent Carol R. Johnson has proposed an additional 30 minutes, but the union says she is offering to pay teachers nothing for it.
“We are adamant about not working without compensation,’’ said Richard Stutman, the teachers union president.
The fliers the BTU was handing out feature a spoof of a news release sugggesting that teachers are being singled out among city employees and workers in other sectors in asking them to work additional time.
“City Hall to Remain Open Until 6:00 Every Day as All Employees and Major Vendors Agree to Donate Services for 30 Minutes Daily; Mayor Urges Teachers to Follow Suit,’’ the flier said.
Johnson has denied that she is unwilling to pay teachers more for the extra time, saying that increases in the overall pay rates of teachers, which would occur in most contract years, should adequately compensate teachers in tough fiscal times.
Matthew Wilder, spokesman for the public schools, said today of the union’s PR effort: “We think this another example of the BTU leadership using a meaningless PR stunt instead of focusing on a contract that would bring real reforms for our our students.’’
The newspaper advertisements portray teachers as underpaid, noting that many teachers work “far longer’’ in myriad tasks in addition to the classroom time they spend with students.
“They spend at least two to three hours every day at home or at school correcting papers, planning lessons, and all the other things that go into teaching our children,’’ the ads states.
The ad then lists the half-hour pay rates of more than a dozen other professions, from bus drivers to psychologists.
Teachers have been without a contract since their most recent one expired in August 2010. Pay is one of a number of issues, including devising a new way to evaluate teachers, that have caused negotiations for a new agreement to drag on.
James Vaznis can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @globevaznis.
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