You hear that a lot from various parts of government. In fact, I’m hearing just that now from the Utah legislature and educational bureaucracy.
Then you read about New York’s “rubber room” and you know, just know, that there is plenty of room to cut before hitting the tax well again:
The teachers have been in the Rubber Room for an average of about three years, doing the same thing every day—which is pretty much nothing at all. Watched over by two private security guards and two city Department of Education supervisors, they punch a time clock for the same hours that they would have kept at school—typically, eight-fifteen to three-fifteen. Like all teachers, they have the summer off. The city’s contract with their union, the United Federation of Teachers, requires that charges against them be heard by an arbitrator, and until the charges are resolved—the process is often endless—they will continue to draw their salaries and accrue pensions and other benefits.
That’s right – an AVERAGE of 3 years drawing pay, pensions and benefits.
If I were New York City I’d break the contract. Let them strike. Start again with volunteers, parents and non-union teachers – including former ones that are delighted to be out from under the yoke. It would be an ugly couple months, but worth it in the long term.
Unions are a monopoly that is just as bad as a corporate monopoly. Teachers unions compound that by being attached to the public checkbook. Public sector unions have ruined many states, NY and California being notable examples.