B-R Teachers’ Union President Issues own Version of Stalled Talks

BREA officials Joe Krenetsky & Steve Beatty at 3/22/11 Board Mtg., among other observers.  (Bergeron Images)

Yesterday, immediately following release of a statement by the President of the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education concerning the status of the negotiations between it and the teacher’ union, the BREA issued its own press release, outlining its view of offers, counter-offers, and of why talks have stalled.

On Saturday, June 25^th this blog was first to report that discussions between the two parties had broken down on.

The full text of the BREA’S comments issued by its President, Mr. Steve Beatty, appears below without further comment:

 “Board rejects BREA offer of health care concessions, wage freeze; impasse declared.”

The Bridgewater-Raritan Regional board of education has inexplicably rejected two offers from the Bridgewater-Raritan Education Association that would see millions of dollars in savings realized by the district through a wage freeze and health care concessions and accomplish their stated goal of changes to health benefits and a “0%” wage increase in the current budget year.

Having extended their own hard deadline of May 15^th to May 25^th, the board decided that the two offers made, both having the Association agree to significant concessions in their health care plan by changing providers and joining the State plan, a savings of several million dollars based on the board’s current projections. The BREA had originally proposed a six month wage freeze, and then finally a full year’s salary freeze, in response to the boe’s counterproposal received after May 25^th.

With the expiration of the contract between the two sides looming at the end of June, active negotiations began earlier this year.

However, from the onset the process was slowed by the board’s choice to move away from the win-win style employed over the past six years, and instead bring in a $160/hour lawyer to work and speak on their behalf.

Both sides did exchange proposals, the board presenting a twenty page, 112 item list of demands including everything from adding significant time to the work day, to cutting tuition reimbursement in half.

In it was also the demand for health care give backs and a salary offer of 1% increase over the next year. There was also attached a hard deadline of May 15^th to respond which the BREA team was told to have requisite time to switch health plans on July 1. To this, the BREA agreed to the switch in health care, but countered with a salary guide that would have everyone move to the next step and would add $2,500 to each step.

“Our initial response to them was equally unreasonable, our intent to make it clear that we weren’t being fooled by their games and would not be bullied by their tactics.” Said Joe Krenetsky, Math teacher and negotiations chair. “From there, we then made what I call the first real proposal, one that was fair and reasonable. It seemed like a no-brainer. Health care concessions. Wage freeze. What more could one ask for?” he went on to say.

Each side seeing that we they had made unreasonable requests, the BREA was invited to make a counterproposal, which they did on April 19^th, well ahead of the boe’s deadline. In it, they agreed to the boe’s proposal to switch health care providers, and presented a six-month wage freeze at which time each member would move to the next step on the guide; an increase of only 1.4%.

Responding on May 14^th, the boe asked to extend their deadline to May 25^th. They finally responded on the 25^th, but instead of an answer, asked to set up a meeting which was finally set for June 17^th. There had been hope that the board would have realized what a great deal they’d been offered and the mood amongst the BREA’s team was optimistic that they would come to this conclusion and put the kids first and agree, but this was not to be. At the June 17^th meeting, they presented a new proposal, asking for further health care concessions, as well as a salary offer of 0%, 1%, and 1% over the three years of the proposed deal.

Still hoping to reach an agreement that was fair before the expiration of the contract, the BREA offered to make the switch in health care providers, and agreed to a one year freeze, and then increases of 3.62% and 3.72%, but with a codicil that the boe must agree by June 21^st so that both sides could ratify before imposition of new pension and benefits legislation.

This offer was also rejected.

“It seems that no matter what we offered, the board and their team had no interest in settling” said Dave Doheny, BREA high school representative to the negotiations team. “They first presented a 20 page, 112 item list of demands, but the big things were the switch to the State health benefits, and an offer of a 1% raise for the year. But when we responded with almost the same thing well ahead of their deadline, they came back with something completely different and insulting. Still, we offered more, and still they said ‘no’. What more could they want? Last year we gave back close to $2 million in concessions when we didn’t have to. And this year a 0% isn’t enough.”

With the rejection of the BREA’s last proposal of health care concessions and a one year wage freeze, the Association has declared ‘impasse. Impasse is a procedural stage taken in the negotiations process as determined by PERC. It means there are irreconcilable differences between the sides and that one or both parties is requesting a mediator be assigned from the state agency to help broker an agreement.

There was a true sense of disappointment among the staff.

“Strange that healthcare savings was their pre-eminent consideration,” said Steve Beatty, president of the BREA, “they lamented in every budget presentation about increasing health care costs and the hopes of negotiating savings through concessions to be enacted by July 1^st. They said time and again if there was to be a raise above the budgeted 0%, it would have to come from somewhere. Well, we found it. If you combine the health care concessions, the savings from retiree-new hire salary differential (breakage) and other monies from various sources, it’s into the millions; More than enough to settle reasonably and maintain an overall 0% increase as passed by the voters overwhelmingly.”

 “We thought we made them an offer they couldn’t refuse if it was truly about the kids. I guess we were being naïve. This board feels a sense of empowerment to really go after and break the Union despite the negative impact on the kids and the classrooms.”

With the declaration of “impasse” a mediator from the state PERC will be assigned to assist the two sides in brokering a deal. However the process takes significant time and it is now almost certain that the staff will begin the year working without a contract for the first time in nine years.