66% of our union's members surveyed said they had considered leaving their jobs in the past year.

COVID-19 has exposed and exacerbated issues that educators and school staff have faced for a long time. And it’s contributing to worrying trends of employees quitting public education. Alief ISD staff don't want to leave their jobs. They love what they do. But they don't feel like they have a choice. Take our salary and working conditions survey today. Share your thoughts on how Alief ISD can respect its employees. And sign up to show your support by wearing our campaign button every Tuesday.

Retaining Teachers & School Staff

When asked what would help our public school employees to stay in their jobs, our members told us several things that all boil down to being treated with respect — by our district and by our elected officials statewide.

Respect means fair pay & reasonable workloads

• All teachers, nurses, bus drivers, counselors, and other school employees want to help students succeed. But they work in education for the income — not just the outcomes — and some in our district have a hard time even affording to live in the district in which they work.
• 35% of our members surveyed in November said their No. 1 workplace concern was salary.
• 45% said pay incentives like raises or retention bonuses would make them stay in their jobs.
• 24% of members surveyed in November said their No. 1 workplace concern was their workload.
• COVID-19 and the recent Omicron surge have made the problem of rising workloads even worse, with every available staff member now covering multiple classes, bus routes, or other duties.

Respect means Alief ISD employees are provided a real pay raise — anything less is a pay cut!

Our union — which is comprised of teachers, counselors, nurses, librarians, custodians, bus drivers, food service works, etc. — is advocating for a living wage for all Alief ISD employees.

• $15 minimum wage for all hourly workers.
• Hourly workers already making over $15 per hour, receive an additional base increase to make up for inflation that also includes a cost-of-living adjustment.
• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in the Houston area are 8.32% higher in 2022 versus 2020.
• Inflation and increases in healthcare costs have eroded any gains made to educator salaries. We are asking for an adequate salary increase that provides a net salary increase — making up for the salary losses over the past couple of years.
• Alief ISD has been provided millions in federal dollars to invest in employees. We have to do more than the "business as usual" penny increases. It is time that employees receive a real pay increase, and not a pay cut.
  
• Educators who have worked in Alief ISD for 10-years or more have seen their salaries grow far less than new employees hired as our district continues to add more dollars to hire people vs. to retain those who have dedicated years to our schoolchildren. Educators working in Alief ISD for a consecutive 10-years or more receive an additional $1,000 stipend.
  
• Educators with a master's degree receive a $500 annual stipend. Educators with a doctorate degree receive a $1,000 annual stipend.
  
• Educators who have completed and are accredited as a National Board Certified teacher receive at $2,000 annual stipend.
• Stipends for educators PreK-4 where the district has been granted a permit by TEA to remove the 22 students to 1 teacher (22:1) class size cap. A $100 stipend per student above the 22 class size cap be provided to the classroom teacher.
  
• For any elementary level classroom above 25 students, an educational aid/paraprofessional be assigned for assistance.
  
• District provide funding to offset any increases in employee healthcare insurance costs. Employees deserve a real pay raise, and offsetting any salary gains with additional out-of-pocket insurance costs is a pay cut.
• School Board to audit paperwork requirements. Under the Texas Paperwork Reduction Act, a school board may audit paperwork requirements to eliminate unnecessary work and/or delegate others to assist. Our elected school board members conduct an audit to eliminate paperwork requirements, adjust educator workloads, and give our educators more time to work with students and their families.
  
• Additional uninterrupted planning and preparation time be provided to educators to complete assignments during work hours. This also includes an across the board enforcement of an educators right to an uninterrupted planning & prep time period each day. Give our educators their time provided under law.
• Reduce meetings allowing employees to focus on completing their work during regular work hours. Many updates can be provided in an email instead of having extra mandatory meetings. Employees deserve to have a healthy work-life balance.

Join our campaign to win respect. Join Alief AFTSE - "Together we have a voice; together we make a difference."

We need your help to win respect, to win a real pay raise, and to improve the working conditions of all Alief ISD employees. Joining Alief AFTSE means that you and your family will have the power and tools to advocate for a better future.

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