The Georgia Teachers Organization
The Georgia Teachers Organization (GTO) is an organizational body that desires to create better work
conditions and environments for all educators in the state of Georgia. The
objective of this organization is to bring together all Georgia educators into a sole state organization which can talk out in behalf of the gains that
they should get. Among the matters that they talk out, higher salaries is one of the main
concerns. In addition to that, abolition of the state salary step structure by which the older teachers are discriminated is one of other
principal concerns where they also stress on better retirement benefits. Through The Georgia Teachers
Organization, they could effectively communicate with the members and coordinate actions on important issues that concern Georgia educators.
It is All about Volunteering
The Georgia Teachers Organization runs under the minimal resources and they do not even have a proper office space to carry out their
functioning. It is run by a group of volunteer members of the organization that work in order to accomplish better
benefits for all teachers, faculty and staff members in the state of Georgia. The Georgia
Teachers Organization also tries to educate the educators on various issues, concerns, 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
applicable matters. The organization advocates every Georgia educator to join the organization by paying a $25 annual membership fee to strengthen their efforts.
Spirit Bulding for Educators
The GTO promotes any lawmaking that would gain the educator benefits and spirit. 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 comes out for
several other movements 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
step-up the retirements gains 3% per every service year. After 25 years of service, an educator will receive 75% (25 x 3%) of a retirement salary contrast to
the current 60%. At present, Georgia state employee receive 90% of the salary in their retirement plan and The Georgia Teachers Organization argues that it should be same for the educators.
The Opportunities
When one joins the Georgia Teachers Organization one gets several benefits such as being included in an action list
which advises who to contact when critical issues break and also receiving email notifications about pending legislation
concerning the profession. The names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of those who should be
reached to help pass significant lawmaking would be given to the members. In addition to that, the educators attached to The Georgia Teachers Organization will get opportunities to move with the rest of the educators from other states and learn how they accomplished their rights.
