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OPEA, House Speaker Agree on Pay Raise, Merit Raise for Teachers

(what follows is a press release sent by OPEA, followed by Speaker Cargill's response)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                           

CONTACT: BUD ELDER

January 25, 2008                                                          

 

OPEA Supports Market Based Pay Plan

 

Responding to the House Republican leaders’ performance pay plan for teachers announced Thursday, the Oklahoma Public Employees Association offered its support for Cargill's plan while calling for an aggressive effort to bring state employees to market level salaries.

 

“State employees have had performance based pay in law since 1999 and have utilized it in past raises,” said OPEA Executive director Sterling Zearley.  “The Speaker’s pay plan to make teachers’ salaries more market and performance based is in line with recent efforts by OPEA to move state employees to a market-based system that pays our state employees accordingly.  Studies from a private and public sector coalition have documented the 12% disparity between public sector and the private sector market.  The state must begin to close this gap if we are to retain a quality workforce.”

 

OPEA cites data provided by the Office of Personnel Management showing that the turnover of state employees costs tax payers $85 million per year as evidence that market pay is the key.

 

“We have some of the best state employees in the country, and we want them to be rewarded financially for going the extra mile,” said Zearley. “Teachers’ salaries should also be more market-based so their performance is taken into account and rewarded as well.  It’s a simple matter of trying to make government as efficient as possible.”

 

Zearley says that all state government including common and higher education should be accountable to the taxpayers and state employees have led the way.

 

“Teachers have received the lion’s share of pay raises in recent memory while state employees have taken substantial steps to improve efficiencies in state government and waited quietly in line for their turn for a pay raise.  It’s time for education to look for ways to improve performance and efficiencies before receiving additional funding.”

 

OPEA has asked legislative leaders to fund a $2,700 pay raise for state employees.

 

- End -

 

House Speaker Lance Cargill released the following statement about the OPEA endorsement of the House Republican performance pay plan for teachers:

 

“We applaud the OPEA for recognizing that market-based pay is the compensation model of the future of this state, for both our wonderful state employees and our excellent educators. For three years in a row, Oklahoma teachers have received significant raises while state employees have kindly waited their turn. This year, our state employees, who have embraced market-based pay, are due a raise and House Republicans plan to take a strong stand for them this session. We know we have fantastic state employees, and we think it is essential that those who go the extra mile are compensated for doing so,” said Cargill, R-Harrah.

 

Posted on Saturday, January 26, 2008 by Bud Elder

18 comments (Add your own)

1. Phillip wrote:
Finally, someone in leadership is talking about state employees. I agree with Sterling that it is time for education to get with the program and take some steps towards getting their house in order. Its state employees turn! GO OPEA!

January 26, 2008 @ 3:32 PM

2. Ken wrote:
Yea buddyI am sick and tired of hearing about teachers and how tough they have it. We at the Dept. of Transportation brave the snow, work overtime and do we get a tax break? Hell no! We need a an OPEA rep to come to Dunca ODOT for membership. We are ready!

January 26, 2008 @ 3:36 PM

3. Barbara wrote:
Here is what the House Democrats are going for

McPeak discussed another goal, to bring teacher pay up to regional standards. He said the Democratic Party supports performance, or merit pay, but only after Oklahoma teachers make as much as their regional counterparts.

“Let’s say what we said we’d do,” said McPeak.

State Rep. Bill Nations, D-Norman, echoed McPeak’s remarks.

“If we can’t afford the average, how can we afford merit pay?” he asked.

Nations said the party supports differential pay for disadvantaged schools and educators who teach math and other subjects for which teachers are hard to find.

Among the other items on the House Democrats’ agenda are health care, public safety and building a strong economy


WHY CANT WE GET SUPPORT FROM THE PARTY THAT SAYS THEY ARE FOR THE WORKING CLASS??????? NO MENTION OF STATE EMPLOYEES! TEACHERS TEACHERS TEACHERS!

January 26, 2008 @ 6:32 PM

4. LJM wrote:
Mcpeak is an idiot and so are all the demo's for supporting teachers. let them move to texas, probably raise our iq!

January 26, 2008 @ 6:34 PM

5. John Ballard wrote:
The Democratic party claim to support the workers and the common folk. But what have the realy done for Oklahoma over the years, Coruption, Impeachment of Governors, Croupt Auditor, Gene Stipes, Discrased Insurance commisioner, oh yes even Jim Crow laws.

We as State workers have back the Democratic party blindly and now is time to open our Eyes and see the truth that the Democratic party only care about Teachers and feathering thier own nest of broken promises.

I am glad to see a party has stepped up and picked up the mantle of State workes and is willing to give the state worker a fighting chance, of which we will never see in this Governor who keeps promoting more raises for teachers and the Teachers causes on the back of the rank and file of the State Workers.

The Democrats have filed 3 bills that are aimed ar reducing the number of Classified positions in several agencies and the Benifit allowance for the dependants State workes, all to give the Darn Teacher another $1200.00 per year raise while state workers are eating dog food to pay off student loans.

We as State works have to send word to the Democrats that we have had enough and change parties to Independant or even Republican, and be even form a third party to support the causes of the State Workers !!!

January 27, 2008 @ 1:44 AM

6. JS wrote:
I'll believe it from Cargill when I see it. What I suspect will happen is that he'll forget that statement just as sure he forgets to pay his taxes. As bad as the Democrats have been do you really believe that Republicans as a whole are going to take up our cause? These are the same folks who seem to believe every piece of garbage that spews from the OCPA. About the worst thing possible that could happen for state employees and retirees is for the Republicans to take over both houses of the legislature and the governor's mansion. These people think that we are the problem and when they are unchecked they will do everything in their power to make life hell for us. You won't have to worry about a pay raise because you will either be laid off or privatized. I don't know what the solution is to get the Democrats to pay more attention to us, but voting Republican is not the answer.

January 27, 2008 @ 2:19 PM

7. PJ wrote:
In response to JS, I think I remember that when the democrats had the House, Senate and Governors office we were 50th in the nation in pay. Walters cut the state workforce by 6% and gave us nothing for a pay raise. Do you remember the "Year of the State Employee"? Pull your head out of the sand and stop thinking that either one of these parties is going to take care of us. WE ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN DO THAT and state employees seem to content to even pay dues.

January 27, 2008 @ 3:45 PM

8. JS wrote:
PJ, I'm not saying the Democrats have done us any great favors. But, do you actually listen to the rhetoric that comes from most Republicans? WE are the problem to them. Forget being 50th in pay, they want to get rid of us or privatize us to pay for all of their tax cuts. You're right, the Democrats aren't much better, but voting in a bunch of Republicans would be disaster for us in my opinion based on what they state they believe.

January 27, 2008 @ 4:21 PM

9. Michael wrote:
Try being a Department of Corrections Case Manager who works 6-10 hours overtime per week and does not get paid for it. Then, on top of that, they cut your staff in half and hire auditors to audit your caseload. Payraise? I'll believe it when they fund it.

January 27, 2008 @ 6:04 PM

10. Brent wrote:
Trust but verify. The staff at OPEA has asked that we as state employees attend the state employees lobby day on March 11th. We need to show up by the thousands to send a clear message- enough is enough. Call, email, write your elected officials now and every week and demand that they support and indeed will work diligently to pass the OPEA pay plan. Then show up on March 11th and look them in the eye and tell them again. We must stand together to get their attention.

January 27, 2008 @ 7:59 PM

11. Ken wrote:
We as State employees all need to stand up for ourselves on March 11, 2008 we all need to show up in full force for Lobby Day and let our Congress people know that we desperately need and deserve a pay raise and not just the left over bread crumbs from the teachers.

I challenge every State employee to show up for Lobby Day at the State Capitol even if your not a member of OPEA.
OPEA members bring fellow co-works, car pool, rent a bus, airplane, train, boat what ever it takes. The more of us that show up the more our Congress will see we are united and mean business.

Folks Congress is not going to just give us a pay raise we have to stand up for ourselves and let them know enough is enough.
The last five years teachers have received substantial pay raises and now it's the State employee's turn.

See everyone at the State Capitol on March 11.

January 28, 2008 @ 12:10 PM

12. Shonna wrote:
Why do our pay raises have to be voted on and shot down yearly, why immediately almost every year are the legislators able to vote themselves a payraise? Shouldnt we have some say in that issue.

January 28, 2008 @ 12:25 PM

13. Ken wrote:
I just have to make a comment about our teachers.

I have children in the public school system. One of the new practices is the student having to provide a red pencil with the supplies at the beginning of the year. This is so the teacher can have the students grade other students tests.


1. Is this not what we pay our teachers for, how can a teacher know the level of comprehension the student has if teacher is not even seeing the type of performance that child has or areas that need more attention.

2. This is a invasion of privacy and opens the door to other students ridiculing another and making fun of them if they don’t comprehend the lesson.

3. How well is that other student grading that paper, what if there is a problem between two students and intentional false scoring occurs.


There are other things the teachers are pawning off on the students these days but, this one in my opinion takes the cake.

A teachers workday is 6 hours with a one hour planing period. They still owe the tax payer two more hours, time that could be spent grading papers.
What teachers are getting away with these days is just wrong.

Funny teachers are doing less, receive a summer vacation and are getting paid more.

January 28, 2008 @ 12:49 PM

14. Jo wrote:
We have waited long enough. State employees deserve a raise this year. Please continue to plead our case to the legislators. I am glad Cargill agreed that state employees need a raise also. The teacher system needs some overhauling itself. I defend teacher's as my mother is a teacher. However, I believe that state workers strive to give their best and deserve a raise. And don't mess with our benefit allowed.

January 28, 2008 @ 2:19 PM

15. Darryl wrote:
I agree with Ken we have to start supplying a red pen so that students have to grade other students papers. My kids have told me they have seen kids eraise other kids names and put there names since they didn't do the home work when they have to check other kids papers. This has happened to my kids 3 times that I've known about so I tell them to write there name in "pen" not with a pencil.
The teachers usually do not see homework turned in because other kids or even teacher aids which is usually 1 or 2 years older to grade the papers. That means if a kid do not like a kid then the paper will get an "D" or "F" marked on it.

Also, I don't like the idea of always buying so many school supplies school is no longer free anymore. My kids also has so much homework sent home and that material is not cover in class and they tell me the teacher said your parents is supposed to help you learn it. Plus no book is usually sent home because there is not enough books to be sent home. So, The teacher gives a website to go too to learn about it at home but not everyone has the internet.
We as parents expect the teachers to teach especially now with them getting so many pay raises.

January 29, 2008 @ 11:45 AM

16. JA wrote:
I understand and agree that state employees need and deserve a raise. As a retired state employee, I am wondering if there is going to also be a COLA raise for retired employees. We are having the same difficulty paying our bills as goods continue to go up in price. Remember what you get today, you will also live with tomorrow.

January 29, 2008 @ 10:14 PM

17. Calling Out all State Employees wrote:
EVERYONE AIM TO BE AT THE MARCH 11 LOBBY RALLY BETWEEN 11:00 TO 12:30 THAT IS WHEN THE MEDIA WILL BE THERE. YOU WANT THE STATE EMPLOYEES TO GIVE A STRONG SUPPORT FOR OUR CAUSE TO LET THE LEGISLATURES AND THE GOVERNOR AND THE PEOPLE AT HOME WE ARE TIRED OF NOT GETTING WHAT WE DESERVE AND THAT IS A PAY RAISE AND TO NOT TOUCH OUR BENEFITS.

I LIKE THE IDEA SOMEONE GAVE WE SHOULD POST ON BULLETINS BOARDS HOW WE ARE BEING IGNORED HOW BAD OUR PAY IS TO THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY THAT I BELIEVE WE ARE NOW LAST IN THE UNITED STATES IN STATE WORKERS PAY. LET THEM KNOW THAT SOON THERE WON'T BE ANY STATE WORKERS TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA BECAUSE WE WILL BE GONE TO THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY WITH OUR EXPERIENCE ON THE JOB.

IF ANYTHING IMPROVE OUR BENEFITS THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE IN A WHILE.

*RETURN OUR 90 BACK TO 80 THAT IT USED TO BE.
*INCREASE THE STATE CONTRIBUTION OF $25 TO OUR SOONER SAVE. MOST PRIVATE INDUSTRY HAS THE 401K WHICH MATCH WHAT YOU PUT IN BUT THE STATE ONLY PUTS IN $25.
*INCREASE OUR LONGEVITY THAT HASN'T BEEN IMPROVED SINCE IT STARTED.
*GIVE US AN EXTRA 1 OR 2 HRS A MONTH TOWARD OUR SICK OR ANNUAL.
*TRY TO LOWER OUR HEALTH INSURANCE COST WHICH IS OUTRAGESLY HIGH COMPARED TO THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY.
*IMPROVE OUR RETIREMENT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO RETIRE SOONER BEFORE WE ARE DEAD.

February 27, 2008 @ 4:20 PM

18. larry wrote:
why can't the teacher OEA and OPEA unite and form one group to support all state workers?

March 6, 2008 @ 4:06 PM

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