Minnesota’s unfunded public pension obligations are not a new problem. And reform is difficult when government unions oppose necessary steps to fix the broken system and refuse to consider savings options that offer real retirement security for employees. If the TRA pension fund is not appropriately reformed, Minnesota educators may not get the retirement benefit they have been promised.
Educators in the classroom today have tremendous responsibility, and due to the unpredictability of the school environment, it is important they are protected. It is also important teachers know they have options for this coverage; it is not something only provided through union membership.
Education Minnesota's refund request hotline details out the complicated process to get a $30 refund.
Each year Education Minnesota charges teachers $25.00 for its political action committee or “PAC.” There is also a $5 charge for the union’s Educational Foundation, donations to which are not tax deductible. If a teacher wants to get a refund to protect his or her constitutional right not to fund…
Dear Fellow Educator,
Have you heard? The Supreme Court made a big First Amendment decision this summer that affects all public employees, including teachers. The Court said that we can no longer be forced to financially support a union without first giving “affirmative consent.” This means that we do not…
By any measure, Nathan Strenge is an outstanding teacher. Accepted into the Gate’s Foundation’s Teacher Advisory Council, he’s won national teaching honors and been nominated as Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year. But the enormous skill and dedication that earned such recognition were not enough to move the union Nathan financially…
Linda Hoekman loves teaching and says she can’t imagine doing anything else. As a high school physics teacher, she loves seeing the joy in students’ eyes when they finally grasp a challenging concept. She assumed that’s what motivated every teacher but learned that not all teachers are determined to give their…
Because of a recent Supreme Court ruling, government unions have an opportunity to reboot for the better, but they are faced with a choice: Will they continue prioritizing a political agenda unrelated to meeting the needs of their members? Or will they be more attentive and responsive to professional interests?
We are pleased that the paper reported that rating agencies continue to warn Minnesota that it has much more work to do on pensions, and that if it does not reform pensions, Minnesotans will pay more to borrow money for building schools and building roads. But it would be better if reporters did not rely on biased sources for articles, especially union officials and politicians who cut the deal.