oh yea, that will work

Those who think this a 'stunt' merely wish to exploit teachers. If it is a good idea to extend the day, then obviously someone ought to pay for it. You'd never call Comcast and say 'Hey, give me HBO, but I don't feel like paying.' See what the teachers said in their flier: ************************************************************************* CITY HALL to Remain Open Until 6:00 Every Day as All Employees and Major Vendors Agree to Donate Services for 30 Minutes Daily; Mayor Urges Teachers to Follow Suit The mayor announced this morning that Boston City Hall, normally open until 5:30 PM, will now remain open until 6:00 PM every day. As a result, all 720 city hall-based employees have agreed to work an extended day without any additional compensation. In a surprise move, NStar, Verizon, and National Grid, all of whom provide utility service to the city, have agreed to donate their goods and services to the city for that half hour as well. Discussions with Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC) are ongoing, but a spokesperson has indicated that BWSC will most likely follow suit provided the city promises to conserve water. Added Pressure on Teachers Union to Follow Suit; Supt: "Teachers are Paid Enough" The teachers union and the school department have been at loggerheads for 21 months on the issue of whether the city's teachers ought to subsidize a 30-minute extension of the school day by working without any additional compensation. The school superintendent has repeatedly stated that "teachers are paid enough." She added that "we already expect them to buy their own supplies. Why shouldn't they work for free as well? I can't see why the BTU is being so unreasonable." Today's breakthrough places added pressure on the city's teachers to work a longer school day without any additional pay. State Street Bank Asked to Forego $29M in Interest Payments on City-Held Bonds; Mellon Bank Already in Agreement At the press conference today the mayor stated that there were a few loose ends still to be worked out as he attempted to re-negotiate with the city's major bondholders to forego interest payments for 30 minutes each day. The mayor expressed guarded optimism that State Street Bank would in effect donate $29 million in "lost" interest payments to the city each year. "They are working with us to help the city," the mayor said. A spokesperson for State Street Bank was unavailable for comment. Mellon Bank has already agreed to a waiver of 20 minutes per day in foregone interest payments, but the mayor is pressing for the full 30 minutes. FedEx, Mass General, Chamber of Commerce Each on Board for "Good of the City" Federal Express and UPS have both agreed to extend deliveries through 6:00 PM to City Hall with the understanding that there will be "no additional charge" for deliveries during that time. The mayor has also asked nearby merchants for the same accommodation. Mass General Hospital has agreed to w

You would be smiling to if your comp package was as generoues as this person's. I wonder what the the imputed value of teacher's comp package is when taking into account they are in the classroom about 8 months of the year. Two months off in the summer plus Christmas, February and April vacation weeks plus single day holidays. Yes, yes, they have to attend professional training days during some of ths peroid, but still.

In reality the union should stop the war on students and taxpayers. The cost per student is unacceptable and the achievements if any are unacceptable. If this was a company it would have gone out of business a long time ago. This union is worse than the old GM.

The economy has tanked. They must be totally insane.

If the teachers get the $1000 riembursemne for supplies will they not get the tax deduction? What a jokr

Must be nice to make $80k and have summer, holidays, and vacation weeks. It is a bad economy and most people are glad to work 9 hr days 50 weeks a year for $50k, so pardon us if we don'tfeel bad that you might have to be in the building for 7 hrs (they neglect to mention that they are required to get periods off during the day...way better than most of us who just get 30 min for lunch). By all means, come get some prospective in the private sector or really any other city job where we really work full time or equal or usually lesser pay.

Sam Tyler is clearly pushing a distorted agenda; it is the BPS which has stalled contract talks, not Richard Stutman. Anyone care to guess what percent of the negotiations Stutman has attended? (100%). Now care to guess superintendent Johnson's percentage? (0%)

if you were a teacher you would know everything you just wrote is complete rubbish. most days I don't get a lunch. I work Saturdays, after school and Summer school, and attend professional development regularly. I challenge you to spend 2 weeks as teacher, then run your mouth. Guaranteed it would be an eye opening experience!

mooselamont said: If the teachers get the $1000 reimbursement for supplies, will they not get the tax deduction? What a joke No, I itemize and the deduction I get back is only a small percent of what I spend, teachers don't get the full amount back. I spent well over $1000 in supplies for my class in a BPS turnaround high school. Instead of spending our turnaround money on school supplies and in direct services to children, the headmaster, unilaterally, decided to spend $180,000. on "leadership training" to an outside educational vendor. This "training" could, and should, have been provided by Court Street. They knew about it and did nothing, I guess because it meant less work for them. It is no joke, $180,000 would have given 90 teachers $2,000.for their classrooms, or a classroom printer with a years supply of toner and $1,000., or upgrades to the library, or 8 new computer labs for whole school use. I could go on and on but I think you get my drift…it's no joke.

I don't know why Sam Tyler would find the BTU Media Blitz odd. It seems like just yesterday…no wait, it was January 28, 2012, when Samuel Tyler co-wrote a Globe opinion piece "Getting To Yes On Teacher Contract." He called for the "urgent" resolution, while aggressively pushing the Boston Municipal Research Bureau big business and non-profit (and non-paying municipal services) group's agenda's, all which were detrimental to the children of Boston! Let me update everyone: Sam Tyler is the "president" of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau (BMRB) is a (not to be confused with charity) "non-profit" and self-ordained "fiscal watchdog" which represents big companies, corporations, real estate and seaport developers. Members pay to belong to the BMRB, the more money you can pay the higher up the food chain membership ladder you go. Business members are not interested in an educated urban population; they are interested in low paying, service sectors workers. They need a low educated population of workers to maintain their status quo. They need workers who can make change, greet customers, and will work 12 hours a day because they can't pay the rent if they work less. Tyler is interested in the mutual BPS/BTU contract because the companies he represents are under scrutiny by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to "maintain a lawful workforce." In the Boston area, 400 businesses have already "partnered" with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by joining the agency's "voluntary" employment compliance program IMAGE (ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers). The goal of ICE is to deport 100% of all deportable persons by the year 2012. Probably as punishment to Mayor Menino threatening to opt out of the ICE Secure Communities (S-Comm) program, ICE conducted 89 inspections in the Boston area during 2011 (they only inspected 54 in 2010), and found employees who were working or hired illegally and fined those companies. If ICE meets their goal, who will fill those jobs when these workers are deported? Who will serve the latte, who will make the beds in the Seaport hotels, who will wash the dishes in the hotel restaurants? These are jobs can't be outsourced! Boston area companies are trolling for low paid, service sector "lawful" workers, and where are they looking? The Boston Public Schools. Now if the non-profit groups, Tyler represent, who purport to care about "the children," and an educated population, they would have paid the City of Boston the 25% for municipal services, that Mayor Menino was requesting, all along! Then the city can pay teachers for their extra time, beyond the extra time we already volunteer, and we wouldn't be having this conversation. Boston Public School Parents need to Talk To Teachers!

The Contract between the Boston Public Schools (BPS) and the Boston Teachers Union (BTU) is a MUTUAL AGREEMENT, which is decided and approved by both parties to clarify working conditions, which keeps everyone safe and productive in our 138 schools. Dr. Johnson represents the BPS in the best interest of children; Mr. Stutman represents BTU Teachers and Staff in the best interest of children. Both sides get together, and come to consensus; everyone wins a little. Until this contract, it hasn't been an adversarial process. The Boston Public Schools is having a problem because the people that Dr. Johnson has chosen to represent her (she has abdicated her responsibility by not showing up), have misinformed the public, and use a technique referred to as "demonizing the opposition" in this case experienced teachers. It is ugly, and I am tired of it. I am tired of our parents being hoodwinked by some of our non-profit "community partners" who have their hands deep in the BPS trough. It has gotten to the point where some of our students are angrily spewing the rhetoric they read in the newspapers or on the BPS website. They are blaming good, hardworking, committed teachers for their academic failures. These are kids, and they do not understand that you have to come to school, and participate, in order to learn. The BPS has set this stage, and it is only a matter of time, before a student feels justified in assaulting a teacher. Boston Public Schools has lost site that Boston Public Schools Teachers are part of their team. WE HAVE BEEN WITHOUT OUR MUTUAL, BPS/BTU CONTRACT FOR 21 MONTHS! IT IS DISRESPECTFUL TO US! Many of the Administrators at Court Street received "overtime." I suspect it is "Administrative Overtime" (their hourly rate) and retirement worthy; I am not talking about a turnaround stipend here. In 2011, Michael Gore, BPS Deputy Superintendent received $3,308; in 2010, he was paid $3,212. Sam DePina, Assistant Chief Operating Officer made $5,843 in 2010 and $7,082 in 2011! Need more names? Check out the Boston Herald "Your Tax Dollars at Work." You will find, that in the Boston Public Schools, being "professional" means being paid for your time. Teachers are in direct service to Boston's children. Our work needs to be compensated!

Below is the link to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) I meant to include in my first post: "Boston-area businesses focus on 'IMAGE' in the community" http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1111/111109boston.htm