BREA President Provides His Views

Following my telephone discussion with Board President Evan Lerner described in the previous post, I was able to also have a telephone discussion with Steve Beatty, President of the Bridgewater-Raritan Education Association (BREA).

BREA President Steve Beatty speaks at the July 26, 2011 School
Board meeting, where the topic of contract negotiations was discussed.
(Image/Dick Bergeron)

Mr. Beatty confirmed that the BREA had “finally got our first mediation,” and that it was scheduled for December 8, highlighting the impasse between the teachers’ union and the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education (BR-BOE).

Beatty underscored that when the 2011/2012 school budget was presented in the first quarter of this year (one which provided for a zero percent pay increase), it was his understanding that, although the School Board and Administration explained to the public that the budget was extremely austere and left no room for salary increases, that if there subsequently were “found money,” the issue would be revisited by the Board.

Asked what his expectations of the BR-BOE now are, Mr. Beatty was not overly specific, but provided the BREA’s three points for an agreement:  a) That it be “fair,” b) “A three-year contract,” and, c) in response to a question about what level of percentage salary increase the BREA is seeking, Beatty was non-committal, except to say that the negotiations team is “looking for a (salary) guide that structurally is strong and provides for short-term and long-term money that is good for the Board and the BREA.”


Concerning my question about the BREA’s reliance on guidance from the state-level NJEA, the parent organization, Beatty responded that “We have been fairly independent, don’t have our hand held (by the NJEA), and have always been able to make up our own mind.”

He said that the BREA’s decision to declare an impasse and to seek mediation was the mutual decision of 9 people from the staff.  It was prompted, he explained, from a “frustration” with the slow progress, and that it was now “better to go to mediation.”

He felt that, “Though we made strong offers, the rug was pulled out from under us by the Board.”

Mr. Beatty stated that he “has never gone through mediation before,” and that he expected it to be like “shuttle diplomacy,” in that the parties “will not be in the same room . . . the mediator will go back and forth” with information and proposals.

Furthermore, he explained, “mediation is non-binding on the parties.”

Nonetheless, the BR-BOE and the BREA are committed to at least three mediation sessions according to Beatty, and the parties will split the cost which, he says, is about $2,000 to $3,000 per day.

Summing up, Beatty supported the teachers, saying that they “are doing a great job. People are tired; want to settle, get it out of the way.”  He is “hopeful that the (mediation) meeting goes well.”

Thanks for reading. Stay well.