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June 5, 2002
Teaching assistants gain respect, and a contract
Nyack SRP chapter shows its tenacity
PICTURED: Left to right - Elaine Petersen, Margaret MacCartney and Marie DeSimone. Photo by Maria R. Bastone.
See also: NYSUT School Related Professionals
When teaching assistants formed a chapter of the Nyack Teachers Association in the late 1970s, the issues boiled down to respect.
"We made $2.25 an hour and were bringing papers home to correct them," said Marie DeSimone, the first president of the chapter. "We went in to ask for a raise and got nothing. So we decided to organize."
What was a desire for a voice in working terms and conditions soon turned into steely determination when an elementary school principal vowed to fire any teaching assistant who joined a union.
"That strengthened us," said DeSimone. Teaching assistants in the Rockland County district joined the Nyack TA, led by Howard Kasen; and its statewide union, New York State United Teachers. While it took almost five years, they gained their first contract, the respect they wanted - and more.
"We got paid for when we were sick and we got a grievance procedure, which I don't think we ever used while I was president until 1991," DeSimone said. "But I think just the fact that we had it helped."
Recently, the chapter held a dinner to honor the three chapter presidents and celebrate recent gains at the bargaining table.
Margaret MacCartney served as president from 1991 to 1997. She recalled the struggle of gaining benefits for employees who were hired for four hours of classroom work, then two hours each day as lunchtime or playground aides. The district had refused to grant these employees the same benefits and salaries as teaching assistants who worked a full day in the classroom.
"It took a lot of tenacity, but we finally got it," MacCartney said.
When MacCartney was hired by NYSUT in 1997 to be its liaison with the growing ranks of School-Related Professionals, Elaine Petersen became president. "Nyack is a strong local because of strong SRP advocates like Elaine," MacCartney said.
Petersen in turn credited past presidents DeSimone and MacCartney with setting the stage for recent contract wins that recognized teaching assistants for the professional jobs they do.
Essentially, this contract requires that teaching assistants who cover classes for absent teachers be paid the rate of a substitute teacher. Previously, the contract provided that teaching assistants were paid their salary plus half a substitute rate. Since the district would not get substitute teaching assistants, there was a distinct financial incentive to exploit teaching assistants.
"We simply were not being given the recognition we deserved," Petersen said. Also, the contract bans parents from performing instructional work.
"Parent volunteers are extremely necessary for children and schools to be successful," Petersen said. "But the issue is: When the district tries to use volunteers like this, it's not fair to the program or to our members."
- Betsy Sandberg
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