Lately, this blog has commented a lot on the national health care debate. In part, that is because the parent organization of DSEA, the National Education Association is one of the major players promoting true reform. Also, the blog has made several arguments about how the current system undermines our economic bargaining because money that should be used for salaries is siphoned off for health care. Of course, for the DSEA members who do not have contracts covering their insurance contributions, no argument needs to be made as a 50% increase in monthly premiums becomes effective this summer.
With all that said, I discovered another reason why school employees and other state employees should want a national health program, OPEB.
Other Post Employment Benefits, known by the acronym OPEB is becoming a major state budget issue. In simplest terms, OPEB is health care for our retirees. Not only do some in state government not like paying for this benefit, but it is also becoming increasingly difficult to budget for retiree health care.
The Government Accounting Standards Board (starting in FY 2008) makes states reflect the full cost of retiree health care benefits earned by current employees on their financial statements. In other words a way of forcing the issue of health liability for the future.
Although the federal government does not mandate funding this liability, or even a funding strategy, states feel the need to address the obligation and begin putting money aside into OPEB trusts. Moreover, states have started to think about ways to reduce this liability. This usually means making a two tiered pension plan where new hires do not have post retirement health care. It also means schemes for placing current retirees in insurance pools separate from active employees. None of these scenarios are good for state employees.
A national health program eliminates the OPEB problem.
There are only 50 governors in the country. That makes them a pretty exclusive club and a powerful lobbying body. I hope our governor is talking to Senator Carper and Congressman Castle about supporting national health care.
Meanwhile, Senator Kaufman continues to roll along supporting issues for the common person, such as national health care, without arm-twisting.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Labor Day Event Coming Soon
The Delaware State Education Association has enjoyed a good working relationship with the rest of the Labor community for several years. A part of this goodwill is expressed every year by our participation in the annual Labor Day Parade. Each year the DSEA participation has grown.
This Labor Day, Monday, September 7th we want to make it the biggest DSEA appearance ever. After all, it has been a tough year and all the way through it we have enjoyed the support of our Labor partners. In a show of solidarity we would like DSEA members to walk with the rest of Delaware Labor in the parade.
Your colleagues who have participated in the past will tell you it is a great event. Hundreds of union members walk in the parade from many diverse occupations. Most of the Delaware politicians will also march. DSEA gives away apples and promotion items all along the route.
Please mark the event in your calendars now: Monday, September 7th at 10:00AM please gather at 15th and King streets in downtown Wilmington. Parking is available close to the gathering point. The nearest landmark is St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Also, for members or retirees who may not be up to the walk, there is seating available on the staging band wagon.
This Labor Day, Monday, September 7th we want to make it the biggest DSEA appearance ever. After all, it has been a tough year and all the way through it we have enjoyed the support of our Labor partners. In a show of solidarity we would like DSEA members to walk with the rest of Delaware Labor in the parade.
Your colleagues who have participated in the past will tell you it is a great event. Hundreds of union members walk in the parade from many diverse occupations. Most of the Delaware politicians will also march. DSEA gives away apples and promotion items all along the route.
Please mark the event in your calendars now: Monday, September 7th at 10:00AM please gather at 15th and King streets in downtown Wilmington. Parking is available close to the gathering point. The nearest landmark is St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Also, for members or retirees who may not be up to the walk, there is seating available on the staging band wagon.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Vacation Time
My apologies to all the followers of this blog. Your humble writer is on vacation and trying to keep himself from drifting back into work.
However, I just had to thank the folks who turned out last night in Newark for the training on health care reform, especially the DSEA members.
It was a good turnout in spite of the heat of yesterday, and everyone, including me, trying to use vacation time before the Autumn onslaught.
The expertise supplied by Families USA staff was informative and timely. The event was sponsored by the Service Employees International Union's "Change that Works" campaign and hosted by the Unitarian Fellowship in Newark.
In spite of all the press about violent disruptions of health care town halls, this one went off without a hitch. It was "Delaware Nice", and I'm not going to complain about that.
However, I just had to thank the folks who turned out last night in Newark for the training on health care reform, especially the DSEA members.
It was a good turnout in spite of the heat of yesterday, and everyone, including me, trying to use vacation time before the Autumn onslaught.
The expertise supplied by Families USA staff was informative and timely. The event was sponsored by the Service Employees International Union's "Change that Works" campaign and hosted by the Unitarian Fellowship in Newark.
In spite of all the press about violent disruptions of health care town halls, this one went off without a hitch. It was "Delaware Nice", and I'm not going to complain about that.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Do Something Radical
I've just been reading through some of the materials from Race to the Top and/or Innovation Action Team.
My fear is that there are people involved in this so called reform who believe at the root of challenges facing education are teachers who lack intelligence, skill, and motivation and that they are protected in their mediocrity by their too powerful union.
These are the same people who will attempt to steer the conversation toward changing teacher termination law, eradicating tenure (mainly because they mis-interpret it to mean job security), loosening transfer language, rearranging the teaching day, eliminating seniority rights, linking evaluations directly to student performance, linking pay directly to student performance...
On the other hand consider that teachers have long desired to reform their own curriculum, professional development, school calendar, school day, service delivery to students with special needs, student performance monitoring, code of student discipline etc. They have attempted to do this through the collective bargaining process. In most cases, when the people who actually teach try to bargain these items, they are told by an attorney (Why do districts pay outside attorneys to negotiate?)that such issues are not subjects of mandatory bargaining and so will not be considered by the district.
If the reformers want to do a something really radical to shake up American education, they should broaden and strengthen collective bargaining rights. Give the people who actually teach and care for the kids more voice in the process, not less. Also, they could try weakening the power of superintendents and putting more power at the building level, but not just in the hands of the principal. Buildings could be run by democratically elected committees that include the principal, but not as a veto vote. Let's really, really, shake things up by asking kids what's working and not working about their school. Let's ask kids if they are happy going to school, and if they have anything even approaching a curiosity or love of learning.
My fear is that there are people involved in this so called reform who believe at the root of challenges facing education are teachers who lack intelligence, skill, and motivation and that they are protected in their mediocrity by their too powerful union.
These are the same people who will attempt to steer the conversation toward changing teacher termination law, eradicating tenure (mainly because they mis-interpret it to mean job security), loosening transfer language, rearranging the teaching day, eliminating seniority rights, linking evaluations directly to student performance, linking pay directly to student performance...
On the other hand consider that teachers have long desired to reform their own curriculum, professional development, school calendar, school day, service delivery to students with special needs, student performance monitoring, code of student discipline etc. They have attempted to do this through the collective bargaining process. In most cases, when the people who actually teach try to bargain these items, they are told by an attorney (Why do districts pay outside attorneys to negotiate?)that such issues are not subjects of mandatory bargaining and so will not be considered by the district.
If the reformers want to do a something really radical to shake up American education, they should broaden and strengthen collective bargaining rights. Give the people who actually teach and care for the kids more voice in the process, not less. Also, they could try weakening the power of superintendents and putting more power at the building level, but not just in the hands of the principal. Buildings could be run by democratically elected committees that include the principal, but not as a veto vote. Let's really, really, shake things up by asking kids what's working and not working about their school. Let's ask kids if they are happy going to school, and if they have anything even approaching a curiosity or love of learning.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
A Real Discussion on Health Care
The US Congress is currently on recess. This is traditionally a time when federal lawmakers return home to hear from constituents and be seen in all the right places. A common vehicle for hearing from constituents is the town hall meeting. These are usually moderately attended affairs where federal representatives can have policy conversations with common citizens; opportunities for more than soundbites.
However, this recess has been different in that town hall meetings across the nation have been hijacked by groups of loud protesters. This has particularly been true of meetings with the agenda to discuss health care reform. The activity is far from spontaneous, a number of health industry lobbying firms have sponsored advocacy groups to encourage and coordinate the disruptions. And "disruptions" is the accurate word. In most of these encounters the Congress Person and anyone else who wanted to speak has been shouted down. This isn't discourse, it is bully boy tactics.
By contrast, an opportunity for real learning and discussion around health care reform will be offered next week in Newark, Delaware.
On Monday, August 10th at 6:30PM in the Unitarian Fellowship, 420 Willa Road, Newark, DE 19711 a health care training will be offered by Kathleen Stoll, Deputy Director of Families USA.
Families USA has been a nationally recognized source of expertise and advocacy around health care for decades.
Why should a blog primarily devoted to the politics around education and education employees concern itself about health care? Why should the DSEA parent organization, the National Education Association be a key member of Health Care for America Now?
Here in Delaware, as in other parts of the country, health benefits for education employees are under attack. This year, employees had a 50% premium hike imposed on them. Even if your contract makes the school district pick up the premium, that is money that could be used for salaries. It is also subject to tough negotiations the next time your contract opens up. Moreover, if you follow this blog, you know that the state is likely to go after more employee health costs in the next budget.
In the United States we are spending 17% of Gross Domestic Product on health care.
Last year health care spending rose 6.9%, twice the inflation rate. It is predicted that health care spending will be 20% of GDP by 2017. No economy can withstand this type of onslaught for long.
In state budgets health care spending and education are always the two big ticket items. The more health care spending rises, the more pressure is put on the rest of the budget, particularly the next biggest cost, education.
Finally, educators deal with the health care crisis everyday. For example, one in three US children lack dental insurance. How many are coming to school everyday with discomfort? How much of your mission to teach is made more difficult by untreated medical problems?
However, this recess has been different in that town hall meetings across the nation have been hijacked by groups of loud protesters. This has particularly been true of meetings with the agenda to discuss health care reform. The activity is far from spontaneous, a number of health industry lobbying firms have sponsored advocacy groups to encourage and coordinate the disruptions. And "disruptions" is the accurate word. In most of these encounters the Congress Person and anyone else who wanted to speak has been shouted down. This isn't discourse, it is bully boy tactics.
By contrast, an opportunity for real learning and discussion around health care reform will be offered next week in Newark, Delaware.
On Monday, August 10th at 6:30PM in the Unitarian Fellowship, 420 Willa Road, Newark, DE 19711 a health care training will be offered by Kathleen Stoll, Deputy Director of Families USA.
Families USA has been a nationally recognized source of expertise and advocacy around health care for decades.
Why should a blog primarily devoted to the politics around education and education employees concern itself about health care? Why should the DSEA parent organization, the National Education Association be a key member of Health Care for America Now?
Here in Delaware, as in other parts of the country, health benefits for education employees are under attack. This year, employees had a 50% premium hike imposed on them. Even if your contract makes the school district pick up the premium, that is money that could be used for salaries. It is also subject to tough negotiations the next time your contract opens up. Moreover, if you follow this blog, you know that the state is likely to go after more employee health costs in the next budget.
In the United States we are spending 17% of Gross Domestic Product on health care.
Last year health care spending rose 6.9%, twice the inflation rate. It is predicted that health care spending will be 20% of GDP by 2017. No economy can withstand this type of onslaught for long.
In state budgets health care spending and education are always the two big ticket items. The more health care spending rises, the more pressure is put on the rest of the budget, particularly the next biggest cost, education.
Finally, educators deal with the health care crisis everyday. For example, one in three US children lack dental insurance. How many are coming to school everyday with discomfort? How much of your mission to teach is made more difficult by untreated medical problems?
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Southern Race Goes to Booth
There is a clear winner in the Delaware 19th Senate District, and it is Joe Booth. Booth captured 4,335 votes to Mervine's 2,085, with Opaliski at 408 and Jones bringing up the rear at 56 votes.
Booth was in the race early and ran a flawless campaign. He had several positive factors going for him, retired policeman, former school board member, former mayor, and current state representative.
The Democrat, Mervine was plagued with Party dissension that stemmed from the candidate selection process. The Party Committee met and chose Eddie Parker after several votes. Mr. Parker was out of the race 48 hours later. Some believe he was pressured out of the running. The Party met again and chose Polly Adams Mervine, daughter of the late Thurmond Adams.
Also in the category of "interesting things about this race" the Libertarian and the Independent were not significant factors. About one if five District 19 voters are Independent. Moreover, Opaliski had name recognition in the community as a candidate. Both Opaliski and Jones had been very visible in the campaign. Conventional thinking would lead one to believe that Opaliski and Jones would draw votes from Booth's conservative voting block. It did not happen, proving once again that Sussex County has their own way.
Last night's result means, heaven help us, another special election to fill Joe Booth's vacant state representative seat in Georgetown.
Booth was in the race early and ran a flawless campaign. He had several positive factors going for him, retired policeman, former school board member, former mayor, and current state representative.
The Democrat, Mervine was plagued with Party dissension that stemmed from the candidate selection process. The Party Committee met and chose Eddie Parker after several votes. Mr. Parker was out of the race 48 hours later. Some believe he was pressured out of the running. The Party met again and chose Polly Adams Mervine, daughter of the late Thurmond Adams.
Also in the category of "interesting things about this race" the Libertarian and the Independent were not significant factors. About one if five District 19 voters are Independent. Moreover, Opaliski had name recognition in the community as a candidate. Both Opaliski and Jones had been very visible in the campaign. Conventional thinking would lead one to believe that Opaliski and Jones would draw votes from Booth's conservative voting block. It did not happen, proving once again that Sussex County has their own way.
Last night's result means, heaven help us, another special election to fill Joe Booth's vacant state representative seat in Georgetown.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Election Day Tomorrow
Tomorrow, Monday, August 3rd will be the special election for Senate District 19. The special election is the result of the death of Delaware icon, Senator Thurman Adams. The DSEA has recommended Polly Adams Mervine for election to this seat. She is the daughter of the late Senator Adams and a former Second Grade teacher from North Laurel Elementary.
If you're DSEA in Sussex County come out and help. If you're DSEA in Kent or New Castle wish your Southern colleagues good fortune.
If you're DSEA in Sussex County come out and help. If you're DSEA in Kent or New Castle wish your Southern colleagues good fortune.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
