The Georgia Teachers Organization
The Georgia Teachers Organization, mostly known as GTO, is one of the prominent organizations
that stresses on producing an better environment and benefits 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 objective to do what is missing behalf of
the educators who are in the state of Georgia. Among the matters that they speak out, high salaries is one of the key
concerns. In addition to that, abolishment of the state salary step structure by which the older teachers are discriminated is one of other
fundamental worries where they also emphasize on improved retirement benefits. Through The Georgia Teachers
Organization, they could effectively communicate with the members and coordinate actions on important matters that concern Georgia educators.
Volunteering
The Georgia Teachers Organization runs under the minimal resources and they do not even have a proper office space to carry out their
procedures. The organization is purely 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. One of the goals that GTO hopes to achieve is that to educate all
Georgia educators about the essential issues that concern their profession and seek the required action when it is needed. Using an email communication network, the organization will expand 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 beef up their movements.
Morale Bulding for Educators
The GTO encourages any legislation that would increase the educator gains and morale. The Georgia Teachers Organization mentions 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 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 organization also state that the retirement benefit for each year of service should be increased to 3%. As a result 25 years of service would provide
75% (25*3%) salary upon retirement in contrast to the presently offered 60%. At present, Georgia state employee get 90% of the salary in their retirement plan and The Georgia Teachers Organization argues that it should be same for the educators.
Constructing Opportunities
There are many advantages of joining The Georgia Teachers Organization as the organization always keeps the members in the loop
regarding the latest growths in the front and information resources. The names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of those who should be
contacted to help pass critical legislation would be given to the members. Moreover, members would get 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.