Am I the only 1 who doesn't expect a raise?

:thumb:

 

I was just hoping we would get a step this year since last year we did not get a cost of living raise but we got our step. Well they posted our salary scale this morning and NOPE nothing everyone stays at the same amount....oh well at least I am employed. I also hope that insurance does not go up, I am a one person income and I cannot take that hit.

 

I'm not expecting any type of pay increase this coming year. We aren't even getting step increases. The only increase I'll be getting is from my altered maternity leave pay back to my regular pay.

 

2nd year with no pay raise. Steps maintained. No cost of living ever. Glad to be working. Love my what I do!

 

Our steps have been frozen for a few years. I am stuck at the freakin' bottom (well, 2nd step from the bottom). It stinks because I make 30K a year and have to work a second job

 

WOW! You're a diamond in a dozen! It's a very unselfish act. Too bad that some of your fellow staff members don't feel the same. It depends on how much some of your team members are making too and how much you make. You probably don't have as many money obligations as some of your members.
Oh! Well! It's a deep pocket situation! (Hole in pocket?:unsure
Sometimes it's not all about the money. It's tough though, and some people sometimes just want more and more money. (Greed?)
You know how it goes,
Rebel1

 

Truthfully, I think many of us would accept a 'freeze' in pay as long as we could keep everything else status quo- no give backs, keep our benefits...My district colleagues and I are very fortunate to be working in an excellent school system with great pay and benefits, wonderful PD opportunities and supportive administrators. However, given the current economic climate, we are being asked (make that required) to pay more into our health benefits so even with a pay freeze, we'll have less in our paychecks. On top of that, my state is repealing a homeowners' tax rebate- which in reality (despite what my governor says) turns out to be a tax increase. So we're out of pocket even more. It's not about greed, it's about preserving our livelihoods, our family finances (I don't know anyone living high on the hog on teachers' pay), and securing our futures... I think most teachers and associations are willing to be reasonable, even consider not raising pay this year, but it's the constant hits to our pockets that keep us from 'voluntarily' freezing our pay...through negotiations we hope to find an agreement which all find palatable.

 

Pigeon, this is off the original topic, but I had to share. I don't know if you know this, but there is an income-based repayment option for student loans. I have $30 grand in loans already, and I'm taking on more to attain my masters. I have a million kids, so we qualified for a very reduced payment. It doesn't hold off the interest, but when you're struggling... HTH.

 

I live in NJ - enough said??!?!?! We as teachers, no matter what state we work in, word hard for our money - think about all you do during the course of the day and year that goes above and beyond. I am so sick about hearing how cushy our jobs are and how much money we make for only working 180 days, and all the time off we have, and summers off. Bottom line - I still make way less than my friends who chose private sector work. We all know our day does NOT begin at 8:00 and end at 3:00. Since I came back to teaching about 10 years ago I have not taken a summer vacation because I have had to work during the summer. Did I choose this job? Yes, for a multitude of reasons. We know our negotiations are going to be tough coming up at the end of this year, but here in NJ we are still hearing Districts are giving raises. The public perception of how much we make and how our raises are handed out and what we do have gone backwards. Having a Governor such as we have - well, that does not help matters either. That is my political statement for the day!

 

I wonder if this is the same program I found. The one I found, you get a VERY reduced payment (I have $50K and my payment is only $100/month) and if you pay it continuously for 10 yrs the balance of your loan will be forgiven.

 

I have no idea what everyone means when they're talking about "steps"??

Can someone please explain? I think I have an idea though.:wub:

 

I never even thought about this. As a first year teacher I was just glad I had a job and was getting paid. I know we are not getting a raise but I never even thought about the steps.

 

I am sorry, but I not only expect a raise...but need a raise. Our insurance is going up. Yes, the district pays for mine, but not my kids. I am making less than I was making at my last district when I left 4 years ago. I also have advance degrees, but because of the way they are worded, I don't get a pay increase for them at my current school.


When my supt., principal, governor, senator, and legislator don't get a raise, I will agree to not take a raise.

 

Yep, that sounds like it! It's relatively new. And I think the only people forgiven after 10 years, though, is teachers (maybe a few others, like the "Good Neighbor Next Door" home loan program). Everyone else is 20 yrs, if I remember corectly.

 

Steps are basically cost of living increases. Every year you work at the school, your salary goes up, usually somewhere between $500 and $2000 depending on the district. Many districts have "frozen" the steps because of budget issues, meaning that you're stuck at last year's salary instead of getting the increase.

You can also increase your salary by earning more credits through a university or through professional development activities. I don't know if districts have frozen those steps as well.

 

In my last school every year you taught you went up another step. It was like getting a raise for having more experience.
This school year they froze the steps but did give the increase for coursework taken. It was hard to first get a letter that says, "You'll be making XXXX next year." Then a month later you get the letter that says due to the freeze, "You'll be making XXX." The new pay is a couple thousand less.

:thumb: Agreed!

 

Steps are not cost-of-living increases. It is getting money for the experience you have.

Usually pay scales say :
Years Experience / Pay
0 $30,000
1 $30,500
2 $31,000

Every year as you gain experience, you go up a 'step'.

Our steps are frozen and our scale looks like this:
Years Experience / Pay
0-2 $30,000
3 $30,500
4 $31,000

Every year, they adjust the number of years of experience so no one gets a raise

 

Right, we have, or used to have:

1. An increase in pay for each year of experience.
2. An increase in pay for continued education.
3. A cost of living increase, 1% to 3%.

 

Thanks everyone!

I guess our steps have been frozen for years now.

 

We have a contract for another 2 years so pay raises are as per normal. However, next contract may not be so nice. As for the question of teachers believing they deserve raises....my friends who are corporate employees got bonuses, raises, paid Christmas parties, paid trips that included major fun activities, etc when the economy was good. I got NONE of that. When I go to the conference, my district pays for GAS not mileage and definately no rental car. So one of the few monetary benefits of being in the public sector is that you have consistency in terms of income. So yes we deserve a raise that maintains the pace of inflation. When the economy booms again I guarantee you I won't get a 5 or 10% raise that my corporate friends will get! And if Ontario was really interested in controlling costs, they'd cut bonuses to the people who earn over 200,000$ a year and cut all the hidden pay raises -which our premier isn't doing. So don't hurt the average public employee just because you can't be bothered to cut the wages of your friends.

On a side note I am totally done with listening to private sector people complain about my pension. We all made decisions in life. I chose to enter a profession where I am paid way less than I would be in the private sector for security (pension, clear pay scale, etc). My friends in the private sector chose the better wages with less security. We choose things and we live with those choices. I don't anticipate we'll get a pay raise but yes I'll fight for it in the next round of negotiations.