A couple of months ago a Haverhill Education Association member created the following charts to compare teacher salaries among some of the largest school districts in Massachusetts.
Together, they show how the average Haverhill teacher makes far less than those in other districts in Massachusetts of similar size. Today, we’d like you to consider a new chart. It compares the average Haverhill teacher’s salary to those in other districts of the Merrimack Valley.
In the last contract, which took several years to negotiate, Haverhill teachers accepted a raise of 4.5% over 6 years, with three years of raises at 0%. That agreement ended in June of 2014. A year has since passed and the School Committee has given raises to administrators at virtually every level (see our previous post regarding the FY16 Budget for more information) yet is offering Haverhill educators 0% for the year which is now nearly over and a paltry 1% for each of the next two.
At the top level of experience for each pay scale (based on education) Haverhill is already at the bottom when compared to our closest neighbors, the same districts which are Haverhill’s competition for highly-qualified teachers to fill open positions. If Haverhill School Committee members want to attract and retain the best teachers the region has to offer, they must provide better compensation to Haverhill’s teachers. These figures clearly demonstrate that the teachers with the most experience and the highest levels of education simply make more money almost anywhere else.
Please contact the Haverhill School Committee and City Council and tell them that you value education and you value Haverhill educators! Let them know that you think Haverhill educators deserve a better contract that keeps them in Haverhill and in front of Haverhill’s students! Let them know that you will remember how they respond when some of them are up for re-election this November!
The Action Team has organized two events this week to demonstrate our resolve and bring more awareness to our cause. We are asking all stake-holders – educators, parents, students, voters and property owners – to join us at both the City Council meeting on Tuesday, June 9th, and the School Committee meeting on Thursday, June 11th at 6:30 pm each evening. Please join us in support of a new, fair contract for Haverhill’s educators. We will have signs for people to hold but we encourage you to make your own. Below are examples of what members have already done at previous standouts at City Hall and in front of school buildings across the district. Feel free to copy these or come up with your own unique message – most importantly, don’t forget to CALL CITY HALL! Use the links above to get email addresses and phone numbers for all members of city government and let your voice be heard!
Value Educators = Value Education