B-R Board and School Unions Keep the Door Open

In the second week of August, representatives of the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education (B-R BOE) and those of the Bridgewater-Raritan Education Association (BREA) met to discuss the status of contract negotiations. 

Evan Lerner and Patrick Breslin, President and Vice-President, respectively, and Peter Starrs, Board Secretary,  discuss a point prior to start of  the 7/19/11 meeting where disposition of $1.3 million of additional state aid was taken up. (Photo/Dick Bergeron)

That meeting followed requests made by BREA representatives Steve Beatty and Dave Doheny, both of whom had spoken at previous Board meetings, suggesting publicly that the parties should sit down and have a face-to-face discussion without hired negotiators present. 

Earlier in the summer, the BREA had declared an impasse to negotiations and requested the appointment of a mediator. In an apparent change of heart since then, both Messrs. Beatty and Doheny seemed to feel that it would be better if both groups could come together informally to discuss their current views.  That meeting took place  August 11^th.

Reached by phone Sunday afternoon, Bridgewater-Raritan Board President Evan Lerner confirmed that the Board’s negotiations team did meet with the BREA.  The outcome of that meeting, at least from my phone discussion with Mr. Lerner, seems to have attained its purpose, which was to clarify positions and to establish what is still at issue between the Board and the BREA.

Lerner indicated that the issue of health benefits “was taken off the [negotiations] table [with the BREA] due to legislation.”  He was referring to the New Jersey State Budget which was passed at the end of June.  It contains legislation which legally mandates that workers in public unions increase contributions to their health care plans, thereby effectively eliminating that item from local contract negotiations.

A second item pertaining to work day rules was also removed from negotiations.

This leaves the question of staff salary increases as the major unresolved issue.  When voters approved the budget on April 27^th, it contained no provision for raises in the 2011-2012 school year. 

Mr. Beatty in a tete-a-tete at 7/19 Board meeting. (photo/Dick Bergeron)

However, Mr. Beatty had previously expressed his view that because additional funds have become available since the B-R BOE School Budget was approved in April, the Board should consider this in its thinking and allocate some of that “found money” for pay increases to teachers and others members of the BREA. 

When asked about this on Sunday, Mr. Lerner stated that “savings are savings,” and that “there is no rule of thumb which says that [such] savings go to raises.”

Although Lerner indicated that the informal fact-finding of the August 11^th Board/Union meeting “didn’t resolve anything” and that he “has no idea when we will come to a resolution,” he still remains “cautiously optimistic,” underscoring that even though “no proposals were exchanged,” the parties were able to “flesh out some of the issues.”

With regard to the possibility of a third party mediator being brought into the negotiations mix, Lerner indicated that this matter “was not discussed,” his assumption being that this strategy is being “put on hold” by the BREA.

I was unable to reach Mr. Beatty in time to obtain his comments for inclusion in this post.  Nonetheless, he did indicate to me previously that he is merely seeking a “fair” agreement for his constituency. 

Lerner further indicated that although no other meeting with the BREA is currently scheduled, he anticipates that the parties will reassemble in the “first few weeks of September,” and emphasized his view that he is “in favor of the parties talking.”

A closed session update for Board members on the status of negotiations appears on this Tuesday’s agenda.  No formal announcement or press release is expected to be released that evening.

(Click on any image for an enhanced view.)