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Carl Strock THE VIEW FROM HERE $28,000 for insurance? You betcha
Carl Strock can be reached at 395-3085 or by e-mail at carlstrock@nycap.rr.com.

    I mentioned the other day that one of the health insurance plans that teachers have access to in the Schalmont school district of Rotterdam costs $28,000 a year for family coverage, and more than one reader inquired, “Wha? Twenty-eight thousand U.S. dollars? For health insurance?”
    That’s right, dear readers. It’s called the Schalmont Plan, and it’s a “self-insurance” plan provided by the district, descended from a state plan that many school districts participated in back in the 1960s and early 1970s, before health insurance costs went astronomical.
    Other districts negotiated their way out of these self-insurance arrangements as costs began to rise. Schalmont did not, but is trying to do so now, which is one of the sticking points in negotiations with its teachers’ union.
    What makes the plan so expensive? Well, Superintendent Valerie Kelsey advises me, it’s a “fairly rich plan.” Those who are covered by it can go to any doctor of their choice with no restrictions and with no distinction between “in network” or “out of network.”
    They are 100 percent covered for hospitalization, for 365 days of the year.
    There is no co-pay for doctor’s office visits.
    The co-pay for prescription medicines is a mere $3, regardless of the medicine.
    It doesn’t even include dental and eyeglass coverage, which is provided separately.
    Actually, only about 10 percent of Schalmont’s active teachers — 24 out of 240 — participate in this “fairly rich” plan, most of them opting instead for MVP or CDPHP plans, which are also offered and which cost the district about $12,000 per family.
    The reason that more teachers don’t opt for the Cadillac plan is, presumably, that since they contribute 5 percent of the cost of their coverage, the other plans are more economical for them, 5 percent of $12,000 being somewhat less than 5 percent of $28,000.
    But 88 retired teachers get the coverage as well, and half of them make no contribution at all, since whatever deal was in effect for them at the time of their retirement is locked in forever. They get it for life, at no cost to them.
    This is by way of follow-up to my earlier analysis of why our school taxes are so high. They are so high because the state Legislature, faithful servant to the publicemployee unions, mandates that whatever was given once must be given forever.
    The employer can never get out of any commitment, no matter how much circumstances might change, unless the union agrees. And ordinarily no union agrees unless it is given something of equivalent value, the shorthand for which is, you can have it back, but you gotta pay for it.
    Superintendent Kelsey tells me that the Schalmont administration and the teachers’ union, deadlocked in negotiations, are endeavoring to determine even now the dollar value of this anachronistic insurance plan with a view to scrapping it and switching to a cheaper Blue Cross plan.
    But whatever it’s worth, the school district will have to pay in some other coin, so even getting rid of it will yield no immediate savings.
    This is something else you might keep in mind the next time you see a picture of Schalmont teachers with picket signs claiming (falsely) they have no contract.
    If they had no contract, they would have no $28,000 insurance plan, that’s for sure.

The facts coming out of the salary dispute are starting to paint a negative picture of the teachers demands and one of the many reasons Schalmont's school tax is so high.

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But 88 retired teachers get the coverage as well, and half of them make no contribution at all, since whatever deal was in effect for them at the time of their retirement is locked in forever. They get it for life, at no cost to them.

Isn't it amazing how even at retirement, we are paying for their total financial existence. Between their pensions, medical benefits AND social security. Now I know that we all benefit from social security, but with that money we, in the private sector, will struggle. THEY WON'T!! And that my folks is why our taxes will continue to go even higher. I commend the school board for standing their ground and hope that they continue and don't cave cause right now they have the residents behind them.

And on another note, Schalmont is clearly not on the top list of 'best schools'!!

I hope all the residents in the Schalmont district have stock in vaseline---they will all need it.....the teachers seem to be leeches just like the welfare recipients, only the teachers dont get to talk about "my baby's daddy"---however, I will say this(and it is not a cover-all for all teachers,but a large # of the new),,,,that after going to my childrens school I noted the 'new'(yes, recent grad teachers,2-10years) wearing very low cut shirts, very large dangly earrings, tight pants, very short skirts, very high heeled shoes(3inches), talking about their whale tales, showing off their tatoos and chewing gum like cows in the field----these were all women(sorry, no men there),,,,,does their union negotiate their dress allowance---I SAY MAKE THE SCHOOL BOARD REQUIRE UNIFORMS FOR THE TEACHERS--BLAZERS AND ALL......

As a nurse of many years there are sloppy kids coming out of school and into the profession of nursing....their early learning years were probably marred by the wonderful examples of those teachers. And the childcare workers are joining the teachers union---we are royally screwed now.....
.....the childrens teeth are set on edge....

AARP cant do anything about the next generations attitudes/morals etc, but, they can get ya cheaper drugs

I think there needs to be more parental participation at the school board meetings. Especially at the time of the contract negotiations. Let 'the people' have their input....such as a dress code.

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ROTTERDAM
Report supports Schalmont teachers
Teachers, administration react to mixed PERB results
BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter

    Schalmont teachers should accept a switch in the district’s health plan, but maintain the present level of premium contributions, a factfinder from the state Public Employment Relations Board concluded.
    In a nonbinding ruling issued last month, the factfinder also ruled the Schalmont Teachers Association shouldn’t accept administration proposals to lengthen the school day and increase teaching responsibilities in the middle school. The report also suggested the administration maintain the payment schedule of teachers attaining National Board certification and outlined a schedule of salary increase that would afford union members incremental raises until 2009.
    Interim union President Mary Beth Flatley was pleased with the results. She said the ruling further demonstrates how the administration has overstepped during the recent contract negotiations.
    “It absolutely validates our point from the beginning,” she said Tuesday. “The district was being too greedy with its demand in one contract.”
    School Board President Michael Della Villa said the ruling presented mixed results. While pleased the factfinder agreed with the administration on changes to the district health plan, he was dismayed by the suggestion to keep premium contributions static.
    “In some areas, it appeared to rely on erroneous conclusions despite the extensive documentation in our presentation,” he said in a prepared statement.
    Schalmont’s three-year contract with the 200-member union expired in June 2006. Since that time, union officials and district administrators have agreed on the contract’s nonmonetary items, but are at a deadlock on benefits and salary.
    District officials sought fact-fi nding in August, after several rounds of negotiations and mediation with PERB failed to yield an agreement. Both sides met with PERB in January and six issues were submitted for fact-finding.
    Switching from the district’s self-funded health plan would save Schalmont roughly $300,000 per year, the factfinder determined. The plan, which covers 24 union members and 88 retired teachers, was dropped by Schalmont’s other two unions and is only used by one other district in the county.
    But the report disagreed with raising teacher contributions from 5 percent to 15 percent by 2010. Increasing contributions after such a large change in coverage would be inappropriate, the report states.
    The report also suggested some of the savings from the health insurance change could be applied to teacher salary increases. The report calls into question the transfer of $2.6 million worth of reserves into the district’s tax certiorari and retirement system reserve funds.
    The ruling is critical of an administration proposal to reduce additional pay for board-certifi ed teachers from $2,500 to $1,000. Also rejected in the report were district proposals to add an hour to the work day and increase middle school teachers’ instructional assignments.
    Superintendent Valerie Kelsey said the ruling will be taken into consideration during upcoming negotiations.
    “The purpose of fact-finding is to have another opinion and to bring both parties closer together,” she said. “We hope that happens here.”
Reach Gazette reporter
Justin Mason at 395-3113

Is that PERB or PERP???

Okay, let them all go on the health care system that Spitzer is sporting. A family of 4 making $82,000/year is entitled to health care at the cost of $1400/year. I'm sure that ANYONE making that amount of money could well afford health care on their own. We, the taxpayer are still paying it, but at least it's a heck of a lot cheaper.

By the way, my daughter had something going on in class, so the parents were invited this last week.  When my daughter got home, I asked her a question.  That being "Does your teacher wear that button every day?"  And the answer to the question was simply yes.  What was on the button?  "No contract."  Simple enough.  So simple that the teachers, whether they are seeing anybody that would have a chance to do anything about it or not are actually taking this issue to the children each and every day.  

I was talking to another parent there and I asked this simple question and I pose it to you also.  If you are working, and you have a contract, then great.  If the date for the contract set to ends comes, then so be it.  After that, are you still receiving a paycheck?  Are you still getting paid at the same rate?  Are you getting the same health care benefits?  I would say that the answers to these questions are a resounding yes.  So, you still ARE working under a contract, maybe it's just not one that you've agreed with as of lately.  If you didn't have a contract, how would you know how much was supposed to be in each of your paychecks?  

Fact is, I think that the person explained to me that many of the protections that the teachers have under the contract are not there while they are negotiating.  You know what I would say in that case?  DON'T give them a new contract.  They're protected enough and they need to be held accountable.

I think that the parents should protest the idea of the teachers wearing pins that reflect their employment/contract issues. That is NOT the place for such a display. Whether you agree with the teachers or not, this is not an issue for the children to be involved in or subject to. There is a time and a place to hash this out. And it is clearly not in front of children in a classroom.

This action just re-enforced my lack of support for these teachers.

They should not be able to wear the pin.....as kids are not allowed to wear political statement tee-shirts either.....SOOOOOOO worried about the poor kids they are......I dont have a contract and I am still eating as is the rest of the country for the most part.......this isn't utopia, but it is closer than Russia or Darfur will ever be in the near future.......

BTW I think the overweight teachers should be forced to workout to lower the cost of their health insurance that we pay for......put that in your contract and smoke it....... and they must bring healthy snacks and lunches every day.....

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Strock Freestyle
Schalmont teachers
By Carl Strock
Monday, March 17, 2008

I have it from more than one reader that teachers at Schalmont, in Rotterdam, are expressing their pique at their lack of a new contract by staying outside in the parking lot until the official start time of 7:30 a.m. and then entering the school en masse.

Students, meanwhile, arrive at staggered times on their buses and begin entering the building about 7:15, meaning that for the first 15 minutes or so of the day there is minimal adult supervision in the building.

In the labor game I believe it’s called “work to rule” – abide strictly by the contract, but don’t do an iota more, and see how management likes it.

One parent thinks it’s a dangerous situation, having all those kids in the building with very few adults.

I try to work up sympathy for the teachers, but then I remember that their old contract remains in full effect, as I have pointed out before, and it provides for bigger raises and juicier benefits than many people receive in the world of private employment, including the option of a $28,000 health insurance plan giving them free everything, and somehow the sympathy refuses to rise.

I think of them out in the parking lot at 7:25 a.m., making a righteous stand, and I think, maybe they ought to try looking for some other job.

Maybe they could find a gig that entails fewer work days, shorter hours, more money and richer benefits than teaching does, including earlier retirement -- and then maybe they could come back and tell me about it, so I could apply for it too.

The teachers are getting far too greedy and I feel that their raises should be based on what the residents of the school district is able to pay.

I wish that I could see if this is true.  Only problem with that is that I have to be to work before that hour.  Anybody got any free time in the morning to see it?  Maybe videotape it and put it on YouTube.  Let the whole world know how poorly our teachers are being treated, being locked out until the time school starts.

Quoted from Kevin March

I wish that I could see if this is true.  Only problem with that is that I have to be to work before that hour.  Anybody got any free time in the morning to see it?  Maybe videotape it and put it on YouTube.  Let the whole world know how poorly our teachers are being treated, being locked out until the time school starts.

I dont think anyone would care.....it would be "Here they go again, hurry and feed them before our kids get dumber, oh the poor poor kids.".......