NEW YORK CITY NEW YORK CITY FIRE, POLICE, AND FIRE, POLICE, AND

TEACHERS’TEACHERS’CONTRACTSCONTRACTS

THEOLOGY 3305THEOLOGY 3305 November 30, 2004November 30, 2004MATTHEW GALLAGHERMATTHEW GALLAGHERCHRISTINA KEITHCHRISTINA KEITHJENNIFER MCNICHOLASJENNIFER MCNICHOLASSOPHIA SCIOTTISOPHIA SCIOTTIMICHELLE VIAUMICHELLE VIAU

TEACHERSTEACHERS Teachers = Key to Teachers = Key to

the the WorldWorld

They do so much They do so much and receive so and receive so little.little.

They deserve They deserve better benefits.better benefits.

•NYC teachers are hard working individuals

NYC public school NYC public school system is the system is the largest in the largest in the country.country.

Teachers in NYC Teachers in NYC make less than make less than those in other those in other places.places.

•Teachers spend what little money and time they have to provide the best for their students.

Children = FutureChildren = Future Happy Teachers = Happy Teachers =

Better Job Better Job

Less $ = Lack of Less $ = Lack of EnthusiasmEnthusiasm

Students suffer Students suffer consequencesconsequences

Government need to do more to help Government need to do more to help teachers, not feed theirteachers, not feed their

pockets.pockets.

Teachers Teachers deserve betterdeserve better than what theythan what they are getting now.are getting now.

SEESEE The NYPD and FDNY have been The NYPD and FDNY have been

without a contract since July 2002.without a contract since July 2002. Police and firefighters are looking for Police and firefighters are looking for

higher raises and better benefits.higher raises and better benefits. They hold peaceful demonstrations They hold peaceful demonstrations

for fair contracts.for fair contracts. No resolution to date. No resolution to date.

BLOOMBERG AND CITY BLOOMBERG AND CITY PROPOSALSPROPOSALS

Mayor Bloomberg does not support Mayor Bloomberg does not support better contracts for the police and better contracts for the police and firefighters.firefighters.

City’s new contract proposal is an City’s new contract proposal is an insult to the NYPD and FDNY.insult to the NYPD and FDNY.

City proposed 4% increase over 3 City proposed 4% increase over 3 years.years.

A fair contract is what’s being asked A fair contract is what’s being asked for.for.

NYPD AND FDNY DUTIESNYPD AND FDNY DUTIES Police and firefighters risk their lives Police and firefighters risk their lives

everyday dealing with fires and everyday dealing with fires and crime.crime.

After 9/11 they also have to deal with After 9/11 they also have to deal with terrorism.terrorism.

Terrorism is an added responsibility Terrorism is an added responsibility and very stressful. and very stressful.

Arguments For Better Arguments For Better ContractsContracts

TeachersTeachers 1.1 million 1.1 million

students in NYCstudents in NYC Lower salaries than Lower salaries than

surrounding surrounding suburbs.suburbs.

Overcrowding Overcrowding leads to leads to unfavorable unfavorable classroom classroom conditionsconditions

Police Police Risk lives daily for the publicRisk lives daily for the public Personally liable for punitive damages Personally liable for punitive damages

incurred on the job.incurred on the job. Most dangerous work in the tri-state areaMost dangerous work in the tri-state area Lowest pay in the tri-state areaLowest pay in the tri-state area

FirefightersFirefighters Risk lives for the publicRisk lives for the public Starting salary $36,878Starting salary $36,878 Must use obsolete equipmentMust use obsolete equipment

Are Their Demands Are Their Demands RealisticRealistic

TeachersTeachers Not all teachers can work in affluent Not all teachers can work in affluent

suburbssuburbs Current teacher turnover rate is 10%Current teacher turnover rate is 10% The city wants to create a correlation The city wants to create a correlation

between pay increases and student between pay increases and student performanceperformance

PolicePolice Low Salary, but unique benefitsLow Salary, but unique benefits Sick days are not limitedSick days are not limited 20 paid vacation days per year20 paid vacation days per year Full coverage health plansFull coverage health plans Full pension after 20 yearsFull pension after 20 years Scholarship opportunitiesScholarship opportunities

FirefightersFirefighters Base salary is $37,878Base salary is $37,878 Full coverage health plansFull coverage health plans 20 paid vacation days20 paid vacation days Full pension after 20 yearsFull pension after 20 years

ACTACTWHAT ARE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS?WHAT ARE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS?

STRIKESTRIKE DEMONSTRATIONSDEMONSTRATIONS CITY COUNCIL SPENDING CONTROLCITY COUNCIL SPENDING CONTROL REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAXESREAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAXES COMMUTER TAXCOMMUTER TAX STATEN ISLAND FERRY FARESSTATEN ISLAND FERRY FARES

A STRIKE:A STRIKE:NOT AN OPTIONNOT AN OPTION

PROS:PROS: Worked for bus Worked for bus

companies in 2002.companies in 2002.

Would make the Would make the city see how city see how valuable these valuable these workers really are. workers really are.

CONS:CONS: It is illegal for fire It is illegal for fire

and police workers. and police workers.

Poses danger to all Poses danger to all city residents. city residents.

We would be the We would be the innocent victims. innocent victims.

DEMONSTRATIONSDEMONSTRATIONS Attract media attention Attract media attention Workers have to be in attendance at Workers have to be in attendance at

city events. city events. Let the public know what is going on. Let the public know what is going on. Gives message that they are hard Gives message that they are hard

working people. working people. Shows everyone that they are Shows everyone that they are

ordinary people who work hard to ordinary people who work hard to support their families. support their families.

NEW YORK CITY’SNEW YORK CITY’SMONEY PROBLEM:MONEY PROBLEM: IT NEEDS MORE IT NEEDS MORE

Ways to raise more:Ways to raise more:

Cut city council Cut city council spendingspending

Use real estate Use real estate transfer tax moneytransfer tax money

Reinstate the Reinstate the commuter tax commuter tax

Fares on the Staten Fares on the Staten Island FerryIsland Ferry

CITY COUNCIL SPENDINGCITY COUNCIL SPENDING Not fiscally Not fiscally

responsibleresponsible Has increased staff Has increased staff

while all city while all city agencies have cut agencies have cut staffstaff

Keeps passing bills Keeps passing bills and giving away and giving away money to please its money to please its constituents constituents

REAL ESTATE TRANSFER REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAXESTAXES

Two bedroom/Two bedroom/bathroom homebathroom home

Astoria, QueensAstoria, Queens

Built after WWII Built after WWII

Finished Finished basementbasement

Backyard Backyard

SOARING PRICES:SOARING PRICES: 1951- $11,0001951- $11,000

1961- $17,0001961- $17,000

1980- $43,0001980- $43,000

1991- $165,0001991- $165,000

2004- $380,000+2004- $380,000+

USE OF TRANSFER MONEYUSE OF TRANSFER MONEY City took in $600 City took in $600

million in million in additional real additional real estate transfer estate transfer taxes in 2003 taxes in 2003

An unrealized An unrealized gaingain

Use money to Use money to better fund fire, better fund fire, police, and police, and teachers’ teachers’ salariessalaries

COMMUTER TAXCOMMUTER TAX Taxed people Taxed people

who worked, but who worked, but did not reside in did not reside in NYC. NYC.

Rescinded by Rescinded by Mayor Giuliani Mayor Giuliani and Governor and Governor Pataki in better Pataki in better financial times. financial times.

REINSTATEMENT OF REINSTATEMENT OF COMMUTER TAXCOMMUTER TAX

Commuters have Commuters have protection of police protection of police and fire and fire departments. departments.

Sept. 11, 2001- Sept. 11, 2001- City workers saved City workers saved all people, not only all people, not only New York City New York City residents. residents.

POLITICAL STANCESPOLITICAL STANCES Governor Pataki:Governor Pataki:

Eyeing 2006 re- Eyeing 2006 re- election, does not election, does not want to upset Long want to upset Long Island and Upstate Island and Upstate voters. voters.

Mayor Bloomberg:Mayor Bloomberg:Has no votes to Has no votes to lose because those lose because those affected do not live affected do not live in New York City. in New York City.

STATEN ISLAND FERRYSTATEN ISLAND FERRY

Currently free of charge. Charge Currently free of charge. Charge between $1 and $1.50 per ride. between $1 and $1.50 per ride.

Pleasant ride from Manhattan to Pleasant ride from Manhattan to Staten Island and vice versa. Staten Island and vice versa.

Use Metro Card for efficiency. Use Metro Card for efficiency. Better than paying $8 to sit in traffic Better than paying $8 to sit in traffic

on Verrazano Bridge. on Verrazano Bridge.

LACK OF CONTRACTS LACK OF CONTRACTS EFFECT ALL NEW YORKERSEFFECT ALL NEW YORKERS

Children are innocent victims of Children are innocent victims of teachers who do not care. teachers who do not care.

Firefighters and police officers Firefighters and police officers protect us everyday. What would we protect us everyday. What would we do without them? do without them?

We all have interests in New York We all have interests in New York City for the future. City for the future.

NYC is our home and place of NYC is our home and place of business. business.

REFERENCES:REFERENCES:1. 1. http://www.finfacts.com/costofliving.htmhttp://www.finfacts.com/costofliving.htm

2. http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/oct2002/fire-o15.shtml2. http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/oct2002/fire-o15.shtml

3.http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/community/3.http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/community/firefighter_compensation.shtmlfirefighter_compensation.shtml

4. http://www.nypd2.org/html/recruit/salary.html4. http://www.nypd2.org/html/recruit/salary.html

5.http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/crime/5.http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/crime/20020901/4/21020020901/4/210

6. http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/_nydn-solving.htm6. http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/_nydn-solving.htm

7. http://www.thegunzone.com/mos/nypd-gripe.html7. http://www.thegunzone.com/mos/nypd-gripe.html

8.http://1010wins.com/topstories/8.http://1010wins.com/topstories/winstopstories_story_288121153.htmlwinstopstories_story_288121153.html