LONG ISLAND BULLETIN BOARD

Not surprising people are still complaining !! I THANK YOU TEACHERS FOR YOUR CONCESSIONS !! There are some parents who appreciate the wonderful and caring teachers of the "Sachem Community" !!

The community I graduated from, have lived in and taught in did exactly what I thought would happen...BE UNGRATEFUL FOR US OPENING OUR CONTRACT AND GIVING BACK THING ONLY DECENT PART OF A LOUSY FOUR YEAR CONTRATCT. You are not thankful...because you are an ungrateful, selfish community that I am embarassed to live in.

It is quite possible the community you graduated from knows more than you ever learned in high school. The teachers union outsmarted the superintendent, the Board of Education and Mr. Business manager. Run the numbers. Run the numbers. Over the life of the new contract and you will see the teachers took more money than they gave up. Alert Newsday! *lert Newsday! They have been had. The teachers knew exactly what they were doing, but our school officials failed miserably. While other districts are getting real concessions this district gave thee teacher a better deal for the long term. I congratulate Mr. Heslin for gaining a great victory while allowing the district to believe they were the victors. Truly genius! You are a formidable adversary.

And you are an A__ H___

Maybe som. But the bigger ones are the ones who extended the deal at more than it would have cost if they did nothing.

I knew exactly what was going on. I was against open ing the contact. I do not benefit in the way many other teachers do due to my longevity. Many of us do not support Heslin and did not agree with the new contract. Please don't tell me I don't know what I am talking about. It affects me as an emloyee and a resdient.

Heslin as scored two major victories this year. He was able to get a retirement bonus for teachers who already were committed to retirement and now a extension that gives teachers more money in their pockets over the three years. Heslin 2. Sachem BOE 0.

You can always move to Central Islip!

And the teachers are paid even more there.

You're crazy if you think we are better off with this deal. I was against it because it is much less money in my pocket now and will only be a better deal long term if we did nothing and then took zeroes for several years. Run the numbers again. You want concessions like other districts? I'll gladly take concessions like other districts sign me up! How about like Syosset? They opened their contract gave back 2.75% and then took 0%, 2.75%, 2.75% with no increase in health insurance AND no screwing around with step raises.

With all do respect why did no one look into the teachers, and the admin look into paying more into their medical...Last I looked the most was 20% for a family plan...It's time to start paying 35 / 50 % this alone would save well over 10 million dollars a year..No one is really looking out for the taxpayer and the kids at the union level, BOE level, and admin....Its time to start paying what the real world is paying...It would save jobs big time..3.5 million saved on over 1200 people is not much, and people are making it such a big deal..I don't at all, beacsue what are you really giving up overall in the big picture...Not much ohh it may look nice, but I think we should have done allot better..Everything needs to be looked at at every tier level...I love some of our teachers they do a great job, but its time to really look at whats real.. Last I looked at a few years the community was paying well over 30-40 million just in medical bene's a year, so you do the math just having a higher contribution to medical would then show some good faith...You still are getting an pay increase, and nothing else changes..Some real good negotiating going on for the union members, and yet again the taxpayer gets screwed again....That's how I feel same old story and at the end of the day we get s h i t on again...

With all do respect why did no one look into the teachers, and the admin look into paying more into their medical...Last I looked the most was 20% for a family plan...It's time to start paying 35 / 50 % this alone would save well over 10 million dollars a year..No one is really looking out for the taxpayer and the kids at the union level, BOE level, and admin....Its time to start paying what the real world is paying...It would save jobs big time..3.5 million saved on over 1200 people is not much, and people are making it such a big deal..I don't at all, beacsue what are you really giving up overall in the big picture...Not much ohh it may look nice, but I think we should have done allot better..Everything needs to be looked at at every tier level...I love some of our teachers they do a great job, but its time to really look at whats real.. Last I looked at a few years the community was paying well over 30-40 million just in medical bene's a year, so you do the math just having a higher contribution to medical would then show some good faith...You still are getting an pay increase, and nothing else changes..Some real good negotiating going on for the union members, and yet again the taxpayer gets screwed again....That's how I feel same old story and at the end of the day we get s h i t on again...

1. think you could have done a lot better? than what? You would have been paying more next year and now you are paying less. Or at the very least you pay the same but kids get more.

2. Show good faith? I am making considerably less next year than I would have been had the contract not opened up. How is that not good faith?

3. Tax payer gets screwed again? How is a taxpayer getting screwed when the union opens up the contract and makes less? See number 1 above.

Same story as before. Everyone screams GIVE BACK, GIVE BACK! Then we do and now it's NOT ENOUGH, NOT ENOUGH! I hope people are paying attention for the next time this happens.

It isn't enough if the two out years will cost you more money than save year one. Save in one year and lose in longer. Everyone in this economy should be happy to be employees. Union should save jobs first. All jobs.

I respectfully disagree. We will never know for certain but I think the union has lost out in the long run. The only way teachers union makes out in the long run is assuming several years of 0%. Having 2.5% upfront even if it is followed by a 0%, is still way better than 1% followed by 1.5% and both years having half step increases. The salary number may be the same at the end of two years but the loss to the employee over that time and savings to the district is substantial.