Persistence pays off

NEA Today, Apr 1999

With a November ratification vote, two years of hard struggle came to a welcome end for the 240 members of the Wayne (New York) Teachers Association.

Making it happen were WTA President Lynda Young, chief negotiator Marcia Standera and her team, and local members, who never stopped demonstrating and publicly fighting for a better contract.

"When we started this process, the community and the school board were not cooperative," says Young.

"But in April 1998, NEA-New York President Greg Nash came out to speak, our local began to picket and put out flyers, and we started to feel things turning around. Parents became supportive because some very special teachers left for better salaries and benefits elsewhere."

The settlement means good salary increases-3.5 percent for each of the first three years and 3.75 percent for the last year. Plus, teachers with master's degrees will get significantly higher salary rewards.

WTA also negotiated retiree health insurance that includes a $1,000-ayear premium payment by the district-about 50 percent of the total premium-for up to 10 years. "So now," boasts Young, "every member who retires gets health care."

What's next? "We'll work on keeping the concern and support of the parents, and we'll get involved in community politics," Young pledges. "And we'll maintain the unity we've built. Believe me, we plan to keep alive the memory of those 240 banana yellow T-shirts."