The 3% teacher salary cap. Can the IEA deliver on its main legislative agenda item? – Fred Klonsky
THE 3% TEACHER SALARY CAP. CAN THE IEA DELIVER ON ITS MAIN LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ITEM?
Andy Manar’s bill dropped the repeal of the 3% salary cap.
The Illinois Education Association, which claims 130,000 members, has made the repeal of last year’s cap of 3% on pensionable raises its main legislative item. The General Assembly adjourns in a week with no repeal as of yet.
Last week the IEA delivered what they said was 55,000 signatures to the legislature supporting the repeal.
The back story is that Democratic Party legislative leaders (Madigan and Cullerton) slipped the salary cap into last years budget bill at the last moment. Years ago Madigan pushed and got a 6% cap, claiming teachers were getting a spike in salaries to increase our pensions. Capping salaries – which included extra compensation for non-teaching duties – was supposed to solve Madigan’s concern with teachers getting good pensions.
But at a time when there is justifiable concern for teacher shortages, Madigan and Cullerton reduced pensionable raises again last year to 3%.
No district in the state could agree to a raise for veteran teachers above 3% without paying an enormous penalty.
The concern for teacher shortages led this session of the Democratic Party controlled General Assembly to consider a bill with three components: Eliminate the state teaching licensure test. Allow pay for student teaching. Repeal the 3% salary cap.
The bill passed the Senate.
Last week it passed the House but without the repeal of the 3% salary cap.
