CORE's Don Gatchell and Ross County RTA's 'Legislative Chair' isn't afraid to take a stand, is he?

From John Curry, March 1, 2011

Other RTA legislative chairs...where are YOUR statements re. SB 5? ORTA still stands silent on this issue, don't they?

John
Hey, I sure didn't see any ORTA people at the Statehouse today. They were as absent as the Teabaggers. KBB

TEACHERS KNOW ABOUT SACRIFICE!

Ohio teachers are unique public employees because of the extensive education required to be even considered for employment in schools. Besides the four years of college to become a teacher, employed teachers are mandated by the state to attend graduate school to achieve a Master’s Degree to keep their jobs. Most private sector workers do not have to spend so much of their time and a great deal of their money to become eligible for employment and to keep employment. Plus, teaching is a demanding job. Whenever schools and universities have fiscal problems, teachers are fired. Governor Kasich has called on public employees to sacrifice. Governor, teachers know about sacrifice!

Teachers do understand that economic times are tough in Ohio and change is required to keep their pension fund solvent. Therefore, 17 months ago, in 2009, they stated in writing the sacrifices they would be willing to make to help stabilize their pension system, the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS). The STRS Board submitted this revised Teacher Retirement Plan to the ORSC, the committee of assigned legislators and others who oversee Ohio’s five public pension systems. This Plan recommends that teachers work more years and be older before they are eligible to retire, yet receive a lower pension. Retired teachers will have their cost of living adjustment (cola) lowered. Within the last year the Plan was revised again to allow the employers, local school districts, to be exempt from increases in their pension contributions for teachers. The Plan was finally introduced as House Bill #69 and will be brought before the Ohio General Assembly for passage. Ohio teachers are ready to sacrifice more!

Current STRS retirees have also made sacrifices. They went from paying little for health insurance to paying as much as $1,000 per month for a couple. The extra check or “13th check” to compensate older retirees who exist on a very small pension was eliminated years ago. Now the small annual cola will be lowered. Plus the Feds prohibit STRS retirees who earned 40 social security quarters from receiving the stipend they earned due to something called the GPO/WEP provision. Retired teachers know about sacrifice!

It is easy to see why active as well as retired educators across the state are upset by Senate Bill #5 that asks them to make even more sacrifices. Honoring the seniority of good employees is an American tradition. Even Governor Kasich has stated that being able to negotiate a contract is a basic right of employees. Senate Bill #5 needs to be revised now in light of the sacrifices already made by Ohio’s educators. Teachers should not be made to sacrifice anymore nor be blamed for Ohio’s economic woes!

Don Gatchell
Retired Educator
Chillicothe