MNEA Wants More Negotiation Regarding Pay Incentive Program

After a week of public criticism, Nashville’s teachers union wants to renegotiate a pay incentive plan targeted at two low-performing schools. However, it’s unclear that would do any good.

Union members rejected the 400-thousand dollar bonus plan last week. But the School Board asked them to reconsider because of low voter turnout.

The original plan agreed upon by union leadership, the Metro School Board and the Nashville Alliance for Public Education, created bonuses based on gains in student achievement. They would have ranged from 2 to 6-thousand dollars for teachers, up to 10-thousand dollars for principals.

Metro Nashville Education Association president Jamye Merritt maintains the union doesn’t oppose incentive pay plans altogether. She says in this situation, teachers have too many hoops to jump through.

“It’s just like when I was a kid, my mom said if you cut the grass and you wash the dishes you’ll get a new dress. Well, you cut the grass and you wash the dishes and she would say, well you know if you would behave. So there are all these stipulations out there. Everything needs to be released, everything put on the table so we can bargain in good faith.”

The Nashville Alliance for Public Education says it’s not creating additional work for teachers, but offering pay for performance simply to reward hard work.

Merritt says MNEA still wants all parts of the deal up for negotiation, but that’s highly unlikely. The deadline to either accept or reject the money is today.