Board & Teachers’ Union to Begin Mediation

Negotiations between representatives of the Bridgewater-Raritan School District (B-R BOE) and those of the Bridgewater-Raritan Education Association (BREA) have not seen meaningful progress since June.  As a result both parties are scheduled to begin formal mediation sessions as of tomorrow, December 8.

Superintendent Dr. Michael Schilder and Board President Evan
Lerner at the July 26, 2011 School Board meeting where the topic
 of contract negotiations was discussed.  (Image/Dick Bergeron)

A brief recap:  The current 3-year contract for BREA members, which includes all teachers and certain other school employees, expired on June 30, 2011.  That agreement had provided for a salary increase of slightly below 13% over the contract period.

Although discussions for a new contract had begun well before the beginning of the current 2011/2012 school year which started on July 1^st, complications entered into the negotiations between the B-R BOE and the BREA when the State of New Jersey enacted legislation which affected the negotiations in progress.

When no agreement was reached by early summer, the BREA negotiations team declared an impasse and proceeded to apply for the assignment of a mediator.


However, several weeks after that decision, on July 18^th, Steve Beatty and Dave Doheny appeared at a School Board meeting indicating that despite the declaration of an impasse they still would like to avoid that process.  

Both offered to meet face-to-face with Board President Evan Lerner and Board Member Jeffrey Brookner – no other lawyers present – to informally discuss areas of possible agreement.

That meeting subsequently occurred, and further discussions were scheduled for after school began in early September.

Current Status:  Although there is no reason to think that the last series of meetings were not entered into with goodwill intentions, the fact is that no tentative agreement was reached, and the mediation process is expected to begin tomorrow.

On November 8^th, in a discussion with Evan Lerner, I was able to confirm that “no deal has been struck,” with the BREA, and that this situation is “applicable to all three (bargaining) groups.”  The other two units represent school principals and school supervisors, respectively. 

Mr. Lerner also confirmed that “we are still talking to the union,” and “we are going to a mediation session,” indicating that the BREA “has formally filed (mediation) papers.”

Since the outcome of these negotiations could have a major impact on the upcoming 2012/2013 school budget, I inquired of Lerner about the status of the budget process. He responded at the time that “no draft of the budget” had yet been distributed, and that he “hasn’t seen one yet.”  That was in early November.

Typically, the preliminary budget is presented to the communities of Bridgewater and Raritan in mid-December.  Last year, although a budget was prepared in December, it was not presented to residents until January, 2011.

Thanks for reading.  Stay well.