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Believe it or not, there is nothing preventing full-time Teachers Union presidents from getting a large portion of their salary paid by the very school district whom they negotiate their collective bargaining agreements with. Let us put this in clear terms - A full-time union employee, who has been granted full-time leave from the school district to work for the union, is receiving half of their salary and benefits from the school district!
There is one more critical stop for Senate Bill 77. The Senate passed this bill with a 17-11-1 vote (Go HERE to see how your Senator voted). It has now moved on to the House of Representatives and will receive it's FINAL vote very soon.
Contact your Representative (find HERE ) first and ask them to support Senate Bill 77. Then contact all members of the House of Representatives and ask them to vote YES (find HERE). Your calls and emails do make a difference. Your actions can help get this bill passed!
We cannot afford to divert money away from the classroom, especially in lean budget years. Districts must be held accountable to taxpayers to spend their budgets directly on the education of our children. Union salaries are not an appropriate expenditure. Help us put a stop to this unethical practice!
What did the Salt Lake Tribune say? ( UEA Pay Deal , March 1, 2009 ). "It has evolved to mean, in practice, that some districts continue to fork out hefty amounts to pay people who are no longer working strictly for the district. In fact, in union parlance, these UEA officials are being paid by the employer, the opponent in contract negotiations. It's like having one foot on the ground and the other on a moving train."
Tell your Representative to put a stop to it!
Recent News about SB77
Bill to prohibit paid teachers union leave advances | Deseret News
Utah Legislature: Union rep salaries targeted by bill | Deseret News
Bill to prohibit paid union leave clears committee| Salt Lake Tribune
It's Not the Responsibility of Taxpayers to Provide the Teachers' Union with a Voice | Utah Policy
Below you will find a summary of the bill outlining the conflicts and questionable ethics of this practice.
Ask them to vote YES on SB 77 (School District Leave Policies)
This bill has already passed the Senate and is awaiting the final vote on the House Floor.
- Call and email your Representative.
- Call and email all Representatives.
- Please forward this email to friends and family.
You can call the House Chamber number and leave a message
that will be taken directly to the legislator.
it's appropriate to be firm, but always be respectful.Senate Bill 77 First Substitute - School District Leave Policies
Chief Sponsor: Margaret Dayton
House Sponsor: Keith Grover
Passed the Senate 17-11-1
- On November 1, 2009, The Office of Legislative Auditor General of the State of Utah released a report on Association Leave in Utah's School Districts. The most revealing and obvious finding in the OLAG report, "The association president represents the interests of teachers which, at times, conflict with the interests of the district." The report also found, "Districts are not fulfilling their statutory responsibilities to ensure that association leave has a direct benefit to the school district." http://www.le.state.ut.us/audit/09_bilr.pdf
- This bill addresses fiscal responsibility. We cannot afford to divert money away from the classroom, especially in lean budget years.
- Districts must be held accountable to taxpayers to spend their budgets directly on the education of children. Union salaries are not an appropriate expenditure.
- In opposition of the 2009 bill, HB381, UEA President, Kim Campbell stated, "This bill would take away the voice of teacher associations." (Deseret News Feb. 24, 2009). Unions are a private organization whose sole responsibility is to represent the interests of dues paying members. Taxpayers should not be asked to subsidize an organization that does not represent them, regardless of their claims about benefiting districts.
|
District |
Association President |
Release Time Granted |
Teacher Salary UtahsRight.com |
% of Teacher Salary Paid by District |
Approximate Amount Paid to Association President by District* |
|
Davis |
Susan Firmage |
Full-time |
$50,549 |
Up to 50% |
$25,274.50 |
|
Granite |
Jay R. Blain |
Full-time |
$56,492 |
50% |
$28,246.00 |
|
Salt Lake |
Virginia Ellison |
Full-time |
$73,032 |
33.33% |
$24,344.00 |
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