Happy weekend! And thanks to the thousands of you who joined us last night for the CEA Telephone Town Hall on the Governor’s Education Bill No. 24. We appreciated receiving and answering your questions. Judging from last night’s Town Hall, a great many teachers are aware of the enormous negative consequences contained in the bill.
The challenge now is to get even greater numbers of teachers speaking out. Please take about a minute (literally) and watch this video on cea.org or YouTube to see how teachers already have reacted to the governor’s agenda that, according to at least one lawmaker, has stirred “angst” among teachers, parents, and other citizens.
Then please forward this video to a friend, so that your friend can join you in speaking up against ineffective sections of the governor’s bill.
In addition to Governor’s Education Bill No. 24, the Malloy administration has submitted other bills that pose a setback for teachers, especially in the area of health insurance, in House Bill (HB) 5016. Please contact your legislators and tell them to
· Protect retired teachers’ health insurance, since HB 5016 will reduce the state’s contribution to the retired teachers’ health insurance fund.
· Maintain retired teachers’ current premium share, since HB 5016 will shift a greater portion of the state’s share, resulting in retirees paying 26% more.
· Keep the Teachers’ Retirement Board independent—do not merge it with the State Comptroller’s Office—since HB 5016 will take away the Teachers’ Retirement Board’s authority to select the retired teachers’ health insurance plan.
Please call or email your State Representative and State Senator. If they are members of the Appropriations Committee, ask them to oppose HB 5016. If they are not members, ask them to speak to their colleagues who are members of the Appropriations Committee.
Link to Appropriations Committee members: http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/
Here is the link to identify your State Representative and State Senator: http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/
No comments:
Post a Comment