The Georgia Teachers Organization
The Georgia Teachers Organization, mostly known as GTO, is one of the outstanding organizations
that focuses on producing a better environment and gains for the educators in the state of Georgia. Since there was no single body for speak out for the educators in the state of Georgia, GTO has its goal to do what is missing behalf of
the educators who are in the state of Georgia. Among the issues that they speak out, high salaries is one of the key
worries. In addition to that, abolishment of the state salary step structure by which the older teachers are discriminated is one of other
main worries where they also stress on better retirement benefits. Through The Georgia Teachers
Organization, they could effectively communicate with the members and coordinate actions on critical issues that concern Georgia educators.
It is All about Volunteering
The Georgia Teachers Organization runs under the minimum resources and they do not even have a proper office space to carry out their
functioning. The organization is strictly run by the volunteers who wish to do some service behalf
of the educators who are doing an outstanding service for the state of Georgia. The Georgia
Teachers Organization also tries to educate the educators on various issues, worries, and rights, so the educators know what they are
eligible and take required steps when required. Using an email communication network, the organization will extend and notify their member of all the
relevant issues. The GTO is requesting the educators in the state of Georgia to join the organization by paying $25 annual fee.
Motivating the Educators
The
Georgia Teachers Organization is activily working towards establishing legislations for better educator benefits, so it will uplift the
morale of the educators The Georgia Teachers Organization notes that all the states that border Georgia have educators
retirements plans that does not include any early retirement penelties, but Geogia does not have it yet. In addition the Georgia Teachers Organization also appears for
several other causes such as ending the salary step caps which stops the salary increases of master teachers after 20 years of service and higher salaries for educators who
posses educational qualifications including masters, specialist and doctorate degrees.
The Georgia Teachers Organization pushes the authority to
increase the retirements gains 3% per every service year. After 25 years of service, an educator will get 75% (25 x 3%) of a retirement salary contrast to
the current 60%. Furthermore, GTO maintains that since there are Georgia State employees who get 90% of their salary at retirement, the educators should also
provided the same benefit.
Constructing Opportunities
When one joins the Georgia Teachers Organization one receives several gains such as being involved in an action list
which notifies who to contact when critical matters arise and also receiving email notifications about pending lawmaking
pertaining the profession. The contact details of the individuals, parties, and
organizations are given to The Georgia Teachers Organization’s members, so they can directly have a dialog with the parties who are working to improve the standards for Georgian
educators. Moreover, members would receive the chance to attend local, regional and state gatherings and meetings to gain first-hand knowledge about
the ideas that other teachers might present to improve the working conditions.