Update on School Labor Contract Negotiations

Evan Lerner, Patrick Breslin and Lynne Hurley at May 3rd Board Meeting

At the May 3^rd post-election reorganization meeting of the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education, newly installed Board President Evan Lerner alerted the audience that on Tuesday, May 17^th, at the next meeting, the Negotiations Committee will update the full Board in closed executive session on the status of negotiations with the Bridgewater-Raritan Education Association. 

In a telephone conversation this evening, Mr. Lerner disclosed that although the Negotiations Team had not met with representatives of the BREA since the School Board’s reorganization on May 3^rd, that it had, nonetheless, "received a proposal" from the teachers’ union. 

Mr. Lerner was unable to disclose the contents of that proposal, but indicated that in its executive session next Tuesday, the full  Board will hear the specifics in closed session, will discuss it, and  “will be crafting a response for the Negotiations Committee” to bring back to the BREA. 

The Board may also consider the question of “whether or not to disclose the BREA’s offer” to the public, but there was no indication of what the sense of the Board might be on this issue.

As reported in prior posts, Mr. Jeffrey Brookner, previously Board President and head of the Negotiations Committee, had stated that the Board of Education does not have an agreement with the BREA that would prevent it from disclosing offers and counter-offers inherent in these labor negotiations.

Traditionally, however, the B-R BOE has not made public the contents of its discussions with the three labor unions until after a tentative agreement has been reached and presented to the Board in executive session.  The community usually finds out later when the School Board ratifies the contract in an open public meeting.

The Bridgewater-Raritan Education Association is the largest of three major bargaining units – the two others represent school principals and school supervisors, respectively.  A fourth bargaining unit covers school bus drivers directly employed by the District.

As to the principals and supervisors, Mr. Lerner confirmed that “we haven’t heard from supervisors and principals” since early this year, and that “we haven’t made a formal request” to meet with them, preferring at this time to concentrate on dealing with the BREA.

Lerner seemed pleased that the School District has a response from the BREA, and remained “hopeful” that the Board of Education will be able to put together a reply for the teachers’ union to consider.

A call placed Wednesday evening to Mr. Steve Beatty, President of the Bridgewater-Raritan Education Association,  was not returned in time for this post.

(Note:  Click on the image for an enhanced view.)