Letter To The Editor

WTEA: Board 'Demonizing' Association Members

To the editor

The constant attempts of the Warren Township Board of Education to demonize the members of the Warren Township Education Association are inappropriate and disrespectful. With their continual attempts to negotiate in public, the Board fails to honor the bargaining process and, at the same time, violates the law. Additionally, under the guise of being "transparent", the Board puts out erroneous information that is purposely intended to mislead parents, community residents, and the media at large.    I must set the record straight: the Warren Township Board of Education is NOT offering salary increases that are in line with other towns in Somerset County. Instead of making a fair and reasonable offer that can be negotiated which includes …

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Talks Underway, But No Word on Settlement

Township and WTEA negotiators meet ahead of fact finder visit.

UPDATE: The Board of Education issued the followed statement on last night's talks at 3:50 p.m.: "The Board of Education met last night with the WTEA and with a state-appointed fact finder in a continued effort to bring the negotiations process to a successful conclusion.  Unfortunately, no settlement was reached.   The WTEA is asking for a salary increase of 10% over three years. The Board has offered a proposal which includes a salary increase that is more consistent with other district settlements. Given the Board's commitment to maintaining high quality education for Warren students, the WTEA request is not viable. The Board values the district's staff and believes that they have offered a fair salary increase. The Board is limited by …

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Heather Trumpore

12:42 pm on Thursday, December 1, 2011

The captions on both pictures state they were taken BEFORE the meeting started not during the meeting.   more ›

WTEA 'Outraged' By Board President's Remarks

Association reacts to Przybylski's public statement regarding ongoing contract negotiations.

Warren Board of Education President Greg Przybylski's willingness at Tuesday night's public meeting to reveal information on the ongoing contract negotiations between the district and the teachers union has "outraged" the Warren Township Education Association. In a statement released Wednesday night, Fran Blabolil, president of the WTEA, said Przybylski "continues to antagonize the impasse situation between the BOE and the Warren Township Education Association with the remarks he shares with the public." Przybylski provided a summary statement at Tuesday night's meeting that described the board as offering 3.5 percent increases over two years and acceptance of the medical plan. He said the WTEA was seeking 3.5 percent increases over three …

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Warren Board, WTEA Step Up Responses

As contract talks stretch out, both groups vie for public attention.

After the Warren Township Education Association updated its homepage with a list of "Facts About the Negotiations," Board of Education President Gregry Przybylski responded at Monday's meeting by reiterating comments made at the June meeting and posted on the board's website. "The WTEA made some comments about some of the materials in that publication," Dr. Przybyski said. "Having been a member of the negotiations team at that time, I would like the public to really understand what was discussed at one of those meetings." In response to the WTEA's post that an offer including a 10.25 percent increase in salaries over the three-years of the contract term was not made (The website label's the offer as "FALSE: During one negotiation session, …

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Troy

5:02 pm on Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Wearing black shows solidarity among the group. Not decorating bulletin boards is their decision to focus solely on teaching, and not the extra items they do outside of their required job descriptions. Teachers, while you point out are not underpaid when you consider benefits, etc., are not able to move to other districts as easily as private sector people. If you are a salesperson, you can find …   more ›

Contract Talks On Top of Residents' Minds

Several parents used board meeting time for public comment to ask about state of negotiations.

Residents at Monday's Board of Education meeting concerned about the ongoing negotiations with the Warren Township Education Association dominated Monday's public comments. Most expressed a desire for more information, or sought clarification on how teachers can speak to students about the negotiations. Parent Allison Angelini, of Smoke Rise Drive, asked about buttons some teachers are wearing regarding the lack of a contract. "The buttons, from (the teachers') perspective, urge parents to ask the board to settle—the board is willing to settle," Superintendent Tami Crader said. Dr. Crader added the teachers are allowed to "wear anything they choose to" (she noted many are wearing black this year to signify the lack of a contract), and can …

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No Contract, But Schools Ready to Start

As teacher contract talks languish, both sides promise to continue to work for students.

Parents nervous about the state of labor relations ahead of tomorrow's school opening can rest assured teachers will be ready to do their jobs, but some other tasks may be limited. In response to queries, both Warren Township Superintendent of Schools Tami Crader and Warren Township Education Association President Frances Blabolil said the teachers are ready for tomorrow's opening day. The teachers have been working without a contract since June 2010. After the two sides were able to agree to new terms, a state-appointed fact finder reviewed the offers. A second meeting has been scheduled for October, after which report from the fact finder—which can either prompt a settlement or impose one—would follow. "I...know that we have a highly …

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Education Association Says Workers Are Being Devalued in Reform Measure

Warren Township Education Association head notes pension fund's unfunded liability largely caused by Trenton, not workers.

While politicians are hailing the passage of the pension and benefit reform for state workers in the New Jersey Senate as a rare moment of bipartisanship, workers are noting the reform is intended to reduce an unfunded liability caused by both parties using money from the pension fund. And in response to the recent publication of  teachers' salaries, Warren Township Education Association President Frances Blabolil said that's only a "partial story," adding Senate bill S-2937 "will cost each NJEA teacher member thousands of dollars every year." In a statement released Thursday, Blabolil points out that as costs of living increase, "the salaries of professional educators will continue to drop in value." We ... have consistently paid our way …

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Average Warren K-8 Teacher Makes $66,429

State lists superintendent's salary at $168,000.

The average Warren Township School District teacher makes $66,429, according to data released by the state Department of Education late last week. The average Warren school administrator makes $130,452. The salary information, part of a yearly disclosure by the state, also specifies pay rates for each individual certified staff member—including teachers and administrators. For instance, it states Superintendent Tami Crader makes $168,000. Curious how the figures compare to other nearby districts? See Colleen O'Dea's column on the school salaries for comparissons to pay in Sussex, Morris, Somerset and Passaic counties.

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Column: Know How Much Your Teachers Make

You can be nosey, or you can use the data to become a better citizen.

Last week, the New Jersey Department of Education released its database of school salaries. This has become an annual rite, usually at the end of or soon after the end of the school year. The information includes years of experience, educational degrees, job titles and, of course, the salary for every professional public school employee in the state. That means teachers, principals, superintendents, librarians, guidance counselors and others. It provides fodder for news stories. It gives citizens specifics about how tax dollars are being spent. And it ticks off more than a few educators who are appalled that their salaries are being publicized for their neighbors, friends and all the world to see. Used to be, pre-Internet, newspapers would…

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Stacie Bohr

6:15 pm on Sunday, September 16, 2012

Nice to meet you, John!   more ›

WTEA Responds to Board's Statement on Contract Talks

Say no 'firm offer' was made before talks reached mediation.

In response to Warren Township Board of Education President Gregory Przybylski's update on the state of contract talks made at Monday's board meeting, the Warren Township Educaiton Association says no offer of 10.25 percent salary increases was made. "Quite the contrary, the first night of mediation held in September was the board’s first official offer of 1 percent, 0 percent and 1 percent for each year of a three-year agreement," a statement by the WTEA said. "That offer would have our members working for less money than they are presently making in Warren and was therefore rejected. "The next official offer came on the first night of fact finding on June 8, 2011," the statement added. "Again, the offer would have our members making far …

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