West Virginia Teacher Strike

[GMDino]

(03-02-2018, 10:27 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: I think something a lot of people don't consider with regard to public employees is that many are living paycheck to paycheck. Many of these employees, and this is especially true of teachers, are entrusted with things we place a high value on. Our children, our families, our resources. When you have an educated professional that you say "I want you to take care of this thing I value a ton" but you aren't willing to ensure those professionals are at least financially stable then you are risking the well being of what you have entrusted to the professionals.

When people come to work with the added stressors of not being sure how to pay the doctor's bill they just got, not being able to properly maintain their vehicle to come to work, not being able to have a balanced diet because processed food is cheaper and easier to make (which is important because they may have to work more than one job), etc., etc., then they are not able to put everything they can into the job. You get lower job performance when people are not compensated adequately.

I'm not saying we need to be wealthy, and I don't think any of the teachers striking would say that either. All that's being said is that if you want to improve the job public employees, including teachers, do, then you need to be willing to show you value what they do in taking care of the things you value.

As a more general point that is why I support a change to our healthcare system here.  My wife got prescribed a cream for a rash that would have been $700 for a ten day supply.  With our insurance it was $75.00.  But how do people do it with no or worse coverage?  We're killing people with the cost of even the simplest things in this country.