There's a lot that goes into salary, but just looking at the range doesn't give you an appropriate view on how they're actually paid. A large number of teachers are cat 4 or 5, so they're already in a smaller bracket, with very few making above 50k (explanation coming). In the new system you can get to 5+ easier if you do a separate undergrad, as teacher training will give you a full second bachelor degree. but cat 6 you need a masters. Also you can't start going up your "steps" until you're on a continuing contract (the loophole that keeps many teachers in the low pay brackets), and how quickly you move up the steps depends on how what your contract is for (.7, .8, 1.0, etc.). Some teachers can spend years without a continuing contract, stuck at the lowest pay scale.
Also, teachers from the older system can be stuck in an even lower category that doesn't exist for new teachers. My Mom did her teaching undergrad in the 70's, and was able to get a teaching certificate after three years of university. So that meant she doesn't even have a degree at all (which was fine and normal back then). She made under 30,000/year many times, even with 20+ years experience. Extremely unpaid.
Supply and demand. There is an oversupply of teachers, and lowering their pay is the logical solution to this. The fact that teachers are unionized is the only reason that this hasn't been allowed to work itself out already. If they want to be considered professionals (in the same category as doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc), they need to drop the union and negotiate individually. This would allow districts to promote based on competence rather than on years and # of pieces of paper hanging on the wall.
And say what you will, but most teachers I know put in 60+ hours a week. People love to argue this point, and I know some teachers don't, but I've seen it first hand more often than not.
Average that over a 12 month year. Most salaried folks I know average at least 50 hrs per week, 12 months a year. 60 hrs a week 9 months per year isn't jack shit.
Regarding the BCTF - who only really speaks for a small percentage of teachers according to my sister, I've seen what she pays in union dues, they're definitely not getting their money's worth.
Unions are an outdated drain on society. They should have been eradicated long ago.
That's the problem with cities, they're refuges for the weak, the fish that didn't evolve.
I don't want to google this - sounds like a thing that NSMB will be better at.