Education Association Expresses Dismay at Status of Negotiations

The statement below by representatives of the Bridgewater-Raritan Education Association was released last night.  It is presented in its entirety, and follows the Board of Education’s own statement also released yesterday on the status of negotiations.   

Talks have been ongoing since early last year, and both sides still appear to be deadlocked.  The board and the union are scheduled to enter into a fact-finding session in about three weeks, according to a statement made by BR-BOE President, Evan Lerner at last evening’s board meeting.

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Bridgewater-Raritan Education Association, Excellence in Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:               Steve Beatty                                                                       March 27, 2012
                               (908) 672-4325

Mediator Sends BREA & BOE to Fact-Finding
As the hour got late at the last mediation between the negotiations teams representing the Bridgewater-Raritan Education Association and Bridgewater-Raritan BOE, the state appointed mediator at last declared that the two sides would not be able to settle and would be referred to a state appointed fact-finder.

“Sure we’re disappointed in this fact because we were cautiously optimistic after our face to face with the board a few weeks prior where we had a great chance to settle” said Steve Beatty, social studies teacher and president of the BREA.



 “We thought this because we had again made another proposal to the board which included changing our health care to the state plan (a savings of over $80,000 a month) and which added significant pupil contact time at the High School level. All we needed was for the board to come back with a reasonable and fair raise and we would be finishedBut again, this was not to be as the board and administration came back time and again with insulting offers that did not take any bit of reality or fact into consideration.  In fact, their last offer was less than their previous offer!

Conservative estimates have the board holding onto at least $10 million in "found money" over the past year: $3.7m from state aid increases, $2.5m from breakage (retiree vs. new hire salary savings), $2m from employee health care contributions, $1m from electricity savings, $600K from health care changes and over budgeting, and a carry over of $1.5m from the firing of the custodians.

“It was clear to us that the board was the party unwilling to show good faith by compromising and settling this now. Over the nearly five hour session the mediator was with our team for about 15 minutes total. What does that tell you?” posed Dave Doheny, science teacher and member of the BREA negotiations team. “They clearly have enough money to offer a fair settlement and still show a net 0% on the line item increase. They have never denied this, but have made it clear they just don't want to pay us any more, and don't think they have to pay it.

Teachers and ESPs have been working without a contract in B-R since the last one expired in June of 2011. There have been three main sticking points holding up the process: benefits, time, and money. “The boe asked us to change to the state plan. We agreed over a year ago. Then they asked us to add significant pupil contact time at the HS. We agreed to do so. Then we asked for a fair increase. They refused to do so” said Joe Krenetsky, math teacher and chair of the BREA’s team.

“Some thanks to our members for agreeing to open up the contract two years ago when they (the board) asked for help and we voluntarily agreed to pay 1.5% towards health care and give back tuition reimbursement totaling $1.5m. Even with a reasonable settlement this year, most staff members will be going backwards in salary with the health care premium sharing increasing dramatically over the next two years. Morale has really hit an all time low”

The next official step in the process is fact-finding, but it will be several months before the first session with the fact finder and as such, the staff is likely to return to school in September without a contract and with no end in sight.

“It’s really discouraging. Time and time again we made concessions, worked with the board’s team and time frame, and they keep moving the goalposts on us” remarked Beatty. The rank and file is really down; they’re still working as hard as ever, but you can definitely feel the air come out their sails. It’s very sad. How do you put kids first when you put teachers and staff last?”