Teachers plan statewide protest at legislative offices

The unions are demanding that the pension reform bills be eliminated. The reform bills only pertain to future employees. If the Unions win and those bills are not passed then Sweeney and others like Buono will not back the budget bill if it contains the early retirement package. That package is worth $91 million in savings. If Corzine can't get 2,000 workers to leave through early retirement then he might just have to ask for layoffs. The Unions might win a battle and lose the war. Pension reform is needed. These bills will not hurt a single current worker. However a layoff will hurt thousands of workers. The Unions better think before they act. Sweeney lost big in 2006, if he loses this time it will be at the expense of the budget agreement. The Teachers don't have to worry about layoffs. Corzine did not include them in the 2,000 cutback. So today when they are off from school anyway and protesting, the regular state worker must be concerned with the outcome of their protests. Teachers are not State Workers and do not speak for state workers. However their actions might hurt state workers.

lies to all teachers and claims their benefits are being taken away. Not one teacher will lose any benefits. Not one other current school employee will lose benefits either... they are all grandfathered in. The rank and file should prtest a leadership that is out of control and lies to them and whose actions will make it more and more likely the pension system will collapse.

Does anyone know what a union is??? Unions protect current workers and future ones as well. Do you wanna know why???? If the union sells out their future workers to protect those today in 15 years the majority of union members will be under a different system and they will blame the union!!! I mean, come on people and get a clue! What you all should be arguining about is why our government is following the lead of the private sector in a "race for the bottom." For over 200 years Government has been the "model employer." It was the Army that desegrated in the 1940's, it was the gov't that developed pension systems and workers rights for their employees that stand up as a model.

Would you be able to get one of your teachers out to protest if it wasn't on a school day?
I am still trying to figure out why teachers need to have workshops and their annual teacher's convention during the school year?
Can't they do this in July or August when they are off?
Oh, I forgot unless it was during the school year they won't attend.

Democrats have been appeasing the NJEA for decades and now the NJEA is an 800lb gorilla who forgets all that Democrats did for them.

The people are tired of being ripped off by hack teachers who couldn't survive 10 minutes in a real job!

Lifetime employment. 100% pensions and health benefits for the marginally employable?

Maybe Corzine will realize these people just use kids to get what they want. You know the old saying, "those who can't do teach, and those who can't teach, teach gym"

Vote Column - All the way!

You are missing a point. All but a half dozen Republican Legislators have the NJEA Endorsement. The NJEA owns our Legislature, but this protest might be just the straw to break the camel's back. NJ Taxes are the highest in the Nation, the people are fed up. People are ready to revolt and Corzine and the Legislators all know it. Let's hope the protest gets as ugly as possible, makes the news and starts the revolt. Let it be our modern-day Concord.

"We will have peace when they love their children more than they hate us" ~ Golda Meir

By and large the problem with state pensions are not teachers, firemen, and police. It is city, county, and state employees that have non-essential positions that were created for them and elected officials that tack the hell out of the system. I have no problem with teachers getting a fair pension.

Let teachers' salaries and benefits be determined by what the consumer is willing to pay for them . . . just like a loaf of bread. This is the most rediculous over simplification I have ever read. As a consumer I am only willing to pay $1,000 per year for a police officer, since their are fewer fires than crimes I will only pay $500 for a firefighter, and since I dont have children in the school system I dont want to pay anything for teachers. The free market doesnt work for public investment. GOvernment is not business and should not be looked at as business. Teachers, firefighters, police, emts etc...are employees that all and i stress all citizens benefit from. They should be paid fairly and and their benfits should be exceptional.