Benefits of Being a Member Recap of the work done to support educators
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s a member of the Maine Education Association you receive dozens of tangible benefits that impact your daily work. Some of those benefits come in the form of advocacy on your behalf at both the state and federal level.
Over the course of the recent legislative session, leadership and staff of the Maine Education Association along with hundreds of MEA members advocated for dozens of bills that became law, supporting the profession and Maine students. The MEA has your back, and here are some of the successes you can attribute to the work of the Association.
Addressing Dangerous Behaviors Against Educators Nearly 64% of MEA members told the Association in a survey they had been hit or physically hurt by a student. The number was startling and MEA looked toward a solution for its members and the students in crisis. A new law now allows educators to call for an internal investigation any time they experience dangerous behavior from a student. Administrators are also now required to investigate any dangerous behavior and work with the educator and the union representative to prevent such behavior in the future. In addition, because members told the MEA they had missed work, and were forced to use sick days due to dangerous behavior involving students, the MEA worked to ensure this new law did not require an employee to use his/her sick days if time is missed due to an injury caused by a student. Several other bills also passed specifically addressing the needs of our students that prioritizes social and emotional learning.
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School Funding Improvements Public education funding increased by $40 million for this school year and that figure will nearly double in the following school year. The State share of education funding is still short of the 55% requirement voters asked for, but MEA’s efforts have now resulted in three years of consistent, sizeable increases in State aid for our schools.
Increase in Minimum Teacher Salary to $40,000 The minimum teacher salary will increase from $30,000 to $35,000 on July 1, 2020, and then $37,500 on July 1, 2021, before finally reaching $40,000 on July 1, 2022. This is not the timetable MEA advocated for, but this is progress. MEA is working with local Associations on a plan to help increase all salaries to reflect this change and create equity across the board.
Pay Averaging for Hourly Employees MEA understands the hardship hourly employees face when schools close due to weather and school vacations. This new law requires all districts to offer pay averaging to employees and gives the union the ability to bargain locally over how best to implement this program.
Teacher Evaluation-Due Process Protected Under the current teacher evaluation system, effectiveness ratings are not grieveable. However, under a law passed with MEA support, teachers will now have the ability to grieve effectiveness ratings, if they impact discipline or other personnel matters. 26
Maine Educator • September 2019
