(Larry, It seems to ne that you always have a very negative spin about teachers.) You'll note that I have pointed out here (and not for the first time) that teachers earned 18% less, adjusted for average wages, than the national average -- and far less than the rest of the state. Search for a New York Times article from 2001 "Our Children are Losers? Ask Albany" that made the same point. My issue is with the union, and its willingness to accept lower wages and limited support with large class sizes in exchange for fewer hours worked per day and pension enrichments/incentives. Your union just signed a contract just before the CFE money bacame available with wages that are unacceptably low. At the same time, it convinced the legislature to pass, without a single no vote, legislation to allow those over age 53 to retire at 55 or later over the next two years. Which choice -- higher pay or richer pensions -- do you think would help the children? That push for early retirement really turned me against the UFT. Most underpaid, as I've said, are those working with disadvantaged children, with larger class sizes, etc. No extra money for them in the contract either. Not to mention no additional money for those working longer hours volunarily. I say reject the contract. Demand an 18% catch up, mostly distributed in form of non-pensionable bonuses for those with more difficult jobs, with tougher to educate children, with longer hours, in middle school, in tougher to recruit fields, etc. If you are doing your job and aren't looking for an early exit to Florida, and are in a lower pension Tier and have been victimized by other multi-tier contract provisions, no one is more on your side than I am. Including the UFT.