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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSchool Districts, Charter Schools Save Money By Impoverishing Support Staff
http://www.alternet.org/school-districts-charter-schools-save-money-impoverishing-support-staffAt the end of the 2012-2013 school year, two of Americas largest school districts, Chicago and Philadelphia, closed a total of 73 public schools between the two cities. Thousands of employees were laid off, including many food service, janitorial and security workers. In Philadelphia alone, 1,202 safety staffers who prevent violence when students arent in class, were laid off.
These cutbacks are only the latest instances of a sustained effort to cut costs by eliminating unionized positions in public schools either by hiring support staff through private entitieslike Aramark or Sodhexoor by replacing traditional schools with charters, which are usually arent covered by a school districts union contracts. Theres a vast difference between working in an unionized public school district and working in an unorganized school of any kind. For employees, non-teacher positions at non-union schools usually means little job or retirement security, limited (if any) health insurance, sick leave, vacations, and much lower pay.
The last day of work was absolutely the hardest day of my life, says Takeeva Thompson, who was just laid off from her job in the cafeteria of Kohn Elementary, an overwhelmingly African-American school in deep Southside Chicago. I know we are looked at as being the unimportant staff in the school, but I took pride in what I did and I appreciated the relationship I had with those kids. I helped buy uniforms, I helped with homework, I helped with funerals because we lost children to gun violence. We are like second and third mothers to a lot of those children.
Thompsons job included helping the cooks prepare hot meals and doing other work around the kitchen, cleaning meat, chopping up fruits and vegetables, and keeping everything organized, but she often ended up assuming duties well outside of her official job. Thompson was part-time, usually working about five hours a day for about $12 or $13 an hour. But as a member of UNITE HERE Local 1 she received comprehensive healthcare and paid holidays, sick days and vacation.
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School Districts, Charter Schools Save Money By Impoverishing Support Staff (Original Post)
xchrom
Jul 2013
OP
dsc
(52,166 posts)1. non union public schools, like mine, already do
ErikJ
(6,335 posts)2. The private business unions have shrunk 35% to 7%, so in kind the public union workforce
is forced to shrink now as well. All according to the Master Plan of the Grand Wizards.
My husband has been saying this for many years. I finally started believing him a few years ago. Dumb me-guess I just didn't want to believe it.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)3. And enriching the "deciders". nt
xchrom
(108,903 posts)5. indeed. nt
ceonupe
(597 posts)6. Around here
Kitchen staff and support staff don't make over $10 an hour.
They work at most 6 hrs a day and there is now way for them to earn overtime. These are county employees not a private contractor.
ctsnowman
(1,903 posts)7. K & R
Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)8. k&r
JPZenger
(6,819 posts)9. Value of health insurance may be higher than wages
I know of a young woman who works as a teachers aide for a public school district. She doesn't make much in income, but the value of her health insurance is reportedly higher than her cash income. I realize many aides don't get health insurance, but that value needs to be considered.