R Public Employees Overpaid - Part II

[dnf777]

Wow, I like most of what you say but teachers are the most over-worked people I know.
Their day does not stop when the kids go home. Their required continuing education for themselves takes a lot of theirSummer time.

Not to bust on teachers, but many of us have much more continuing ed requirements, and don't get all summer off to complete it!

Like any profession, there are some who are overworked and underpaid, and some who are underworked and overpaid.

On a related note, I don't think anyone's retirement wage should be based on the last year or two of padded, overtimed, stipened, inflated pay. A fair percentage of BASE PAY is how the military does it, and that seems fair.

We have bus drivers in Pittsburgh making more than they did most of their careers, except for the last two, when they pulled overtime to pad their retirement. No wonder the fund is going under.

[T. Mac]

More than anything, I think the salaries of public employees have become skewed, in part because of union envolvement and also based on public sympathy.

Consider
Teachers. Starting salary for Sacramento is around $41k per year. Requirements are possession of a valid teaching credential which requires a BA degree plus classes in education and a student teaching assignment all paid by the would be teacher.

Firefighters. Starting salary for Sacramento is $53.5k per year. Requirements are a 16 week acadamy training during which time they are paid $3,185 per month, and a high school diploma or GED plus 20 college units which include EMT courses. A EMT certificate is also required. Paramedic certificates add about $2500 /year to salary. Also get special retirement plans

Police cadet: Starting salary of $3680 monthly while going through the police acadamy. High scholl diploma or GED with 60 college units.

Police officer : Starting salary $56k. Requires graduation from ploice acadamy. Also get special retirement plans

Sanitation worker (refuse truck operator) Starting salary $41k. Requirements 3 years experience in the operation of trucks, tractors, or other types of public works equipment.

[Terri]

Personally I think teachers are way over paid. They have more days off, all summer off and a shorter work day.
I'm tired of busting my butt to pay for them. By the way my brother is a teacher in the Bronx and teaches ESL. I told him ESL is total BS and taxpayers should not be paying for that crap.

I would rather pay for some one to learn English than for me to have to learn another language. My mom told me the other day she went to the local Sears store, located in the mid west, and the signs were all in Spanish. When she told the clerk she did not understand the sign, she was told some people who come to the store only speak Spanish. When my mom told her she only speaks English the clerk found some one else to assist my mom. Also I was listening to the radio the other day. A painter called in and he told the host of the show that when he goes to look for painting jobs you have to be able to speak Spanish to get a job. When a person wants to learn English I think it is a good thing because I'm too old and too happy just speaking English. When someone want to learn English it shows that they want to adapt to our culture. Not all people in ESL classes are here illegally. Should we also be against legal immigration? I'm against illegal immigration, but I have no problem with legal immigration. Nothing wrong with the best and the brightest coming from other countries. My family came here for a better life, four generations ago. The first generation learned English and made sure their kids learned English. My grandparents, the first native born Americans, learned proper English at school, by the time my parents came along all they spoke in their homes was English. My grandparents could hardly remember a word of their first language when I was a kid. They wanted to get ahead and that meant learn the language and never look back to the old country. Be American and die for her if the need arises. My grandfathers both served in WWII, they were not drafted, both were in their 30's with wives and kids. The old countries, Germany and Italy, were our enemies.

Terri

[dnf777]

I'm against illegal immigration, but I have no problem with legal immigration. Nothing wrong with the best and the brightest coming from other countries.
Terri

It really needs to be limited to special skills and expertise nowadays. Its not like the 19th century, when we had vast open spaces. Look around at urban sprawl. WE'RE FULL!

Unless we want to see more and more wilderness fall to the dozer blade, we need to put the brakes on population growth, else we end up like Japan. Wall to wall development, crowding, and more leash laws.

[subroc]

http://www.federalnewsradio.com/?nid=35&sid=2055749

[TN_LAB]

This is the salary scale for sullivan county, TN. Try raising a family of four on this, without having to supplement family income during your "vacation" time.

yrs BS MA MA+45 ED. S ED. D
0 32,096 35,306 38,515 39,799 41,725
1 32,481 35,730 38,977 40,277 42,226
2 32,872 36,158 39,446 40,761 42,733
3 33,266 36,592 39,920 41,249 43,246
4 33,665 37,031 40,399 41,745 43,765
5 34,069 37,476 40,883 42,245 44,290
6 34,477 37,926 41,374 42,753 44,821
7 34,892 38,440 41,869 43,266 45,359
8 35,474 39,160 42,373 43,785 47,198
9 36,814 40,386 43,960 44,850 47,765
10 37,255 40,871 44,488 45,388 48,338
11 37,701 41,362 45,021 45,932 48,938
12 38,255 41,952 45,561 46,483 49,504
13 38,954 42,688 46,108 47,041 50,200
14 40,262 43,732 47,201 47,607 51,240
15 40,745 44,256 47,767 48,177 51,853
16 41,235 44,787 48,340 48,756 52,476
17 41,235 44,787 48,340 48,756 52,476
18 41,235 44,787 48,340 48,756 52,476
19 41,396 44,949 48,502 49,083 53,218
20 41,728 45,335 48,920 49,340 53,351
21 41,728 45,335 48,920 49,340 53,351
22 41,728 45,335 48,920 49,340 53,351
23 41,728 45,335 48,920 49,340 53,351
24 41,890 45,497 49,082 49,501 53,512
25 42,229 45,940 49,506 49,932 53,512
26 42,229 45,940 49,506 49,932 53,512
27 42,229 45,940 49,506 49,932 53,512
28 42,229 45,940 49,506 49,932 53,512
29 42,229 45,940 49,506 49,932 53,512
30 42,391 46,101 49,669 50,095 53,512

Folks working at the bank don't make this kind of money. Same goes for the accounting firm I used to work for. And let's not even go there with the benefits package.

[badbullgator]

Folks working at the bank don't make this kind of money. Same goes for the accounting firm I used to work for. And let's not even go there with the benefits package.

I agree. A laboratory technologist, with a lot more requirments than a teacher, makes about the same as do office managers, and many other professions. When did starting at 32K and going up to 52K become sub standard earnings for someone with a BA that only works 9 months? As far as teachers days not ending when the kids go home....come on the day does not end for most profession when they go home. Teachers love to tell you how much more they work when in reality it is the same in most professions with the exception of having the summer, Christmas, and spring break off..... boo freaking hoo

[luvmylabs23139]

. Should we also be against legal immigration? I'm against illegal immigration, but I have no problem with legal immigration. Nothing wrong with the best and the brightest coming from other countries. My family came here for a better life, four generations ago. The first generation learned English and made sure their kids learned English. My grandparents, the first native born Americans, learned proper English at school, by the time my parents came along all they spoke in their homes was English. My grandparents could hardly remember a word of their first language when I was a kid. They wanted to get ahead and that meant learn the language and never look back to the old country. Be American and die for her if the need arises. My grandfathers both served in WWII, they were not drafted, both were in their 30's with wives and kids. The old countries, Germany and Italy, were our enemies.

Terri

I'm first generation LEGAL immigrant. I moved here when I was 4 years old.
I think the big difference is that those who come here legally whether by their choice (an adult) or their parents' choice make a great effort to assimmilate ASAP to their new country. Or maybe that is the way it was 40 years ago.
We never expected anything special. The attitude was we moved here so we should do everything to conform to our new country not that the new country should change because we moved here!

[depittydawg]

I'm first generation LEGAL immigrant. I moved here when I was 4 years old.
I think the big difference is that those who come here legally whether by their choice (an adult) or their parents' choice make a great effort to assimmilate ASAP to their new country. Or maybe that is the way it was 40 years ago.
We never expected anything special. The attitude was we moved here so we should do everything to conform to our new country not that the new country should change because we moved here!

Most people who come here illegally are here for only one reason. A JOB. Take away their job, and they will quietly go back home. Simple problem, simple answer. It won't happen because the people who control the congress, WANT THE ILLEGAL LABOR IN THE COUNTRY.

[Terri]

I was not trying to get off topic with legal verses illegal immigration. That is a whole different can of worms. Just trying to make the point that ESL classes are a good thing. If you choose to come here to live I would love you to know how to speak English. At the schools they pay teachers to teach Spanish, German, French, Russian, and the list goes on at the University level, so what is so wrong with paying for people to learn English?

Terri