Warren, WHRHS Not Alone in Troubled Contract Talks

Negotiators in Bridgewater, also facing difficult talks.

As negotiations between local education associations and their respective boards of education stretch on, residents may find cold comfort in the lack of agreement in several surrounding districts as well. Negotiations for new contracts for teachers at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, whose contract expired at the end of June, and for faculty members at Raritan Valley Community College have hit the same roadblocks as local negotiations. At Bridgewater, negotiations have entered mediation—putting the talks at about the same point as negotiations at Watchung Hills Regional. According to statements by the BRRHS board, the two groups are split on salary increases in the second and third years of the contract being negotiatied, with the …

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WTEA, Board Meet With State Fact Finder

Both sides agree to withhold comments until after report.

Representatives of the Warren Township Education Association and the Board of Education met with the state-appointed fact finder Thomas D. Hartigan Dec. 7, who will report his conclusions within 45 days. As part of the meeting, the representatives agreed not to discuss the state of negotiations, or particulars of the meeting, until after Hartigan's report has been issued. The groups reached an impass in contract negoatiations in the spring, with the union requesting salary increases the board says it cannot provide because of the recently-imposed 2 percent tax levy cap. The WTEA says the cap applies to the tax levy and could allow for the requested increase. At Monday night's Board of Education meeting, Board President Gregory Przybylski …

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Poll: Are You a Honker or a Hater?

Warren Township teachers will be marching before tonight's Board of Education meeting.

The Warren Township Education Association has called for another rally ahead of tonight's township board of education meeting at Mt. Horeb School. In a statement issued earlier today, the WTEA said: "The 341 members of the Warren Township Education Association (WTEA) which represents secretaries, paraprofessionals and teachers will rally Monday, November 28 just before a scheduled negotiation between the WTEA and the Warren Township Board of Education.  The two parties have been negotiating for over two years and declared an impasse this past spring.  A state-appointed mediator will oversee the session. "In addition to showing up to support their negotiations team, WTEA members also plan to collect donations to support Watchung Hills …

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Teacher Contracts Drag On After Legislation Complicates Talks

Negotiators grapple with a changing landscape.

It used to be there were certain expectations school boards and teacher associations representatives had when sitting down to negotiate new contracts. Teacher associations would have recently concluded talks in nearby towns to use as a basis for talks; school boards would have an understanding of the public sentiment and recent elections to guide them. But now that contract negotiations in both local school districts are officially stuck—talks at Watchung Hills Regional are at an impasse and both sides have requested a mediator, while the Warren Township negotiations are awaiting a fact finders report due at the end of December—everyone seems to be looking for a way out through a fog of complication due in no small part, to recent changes …

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Township Education Association Issues Statement on Talks

Plans to present new offer to school board Nov. 28.

The Warren Township Education Association released the following statement Tuesday: Warren Township community residents have been hearing a lot about negotiations between the WTEA and WTBOE these last few months.  While the board would like its constituents to believe that they have been fair and agreeable throughout this process, the members of the WTEA know otherwise. It’s time for the truth. The truth is, the WTBOE has the funds available to reach a fair settlement. When we worked to help pass the school budget last year, we assumed the WTBOE wouldn’t delay negotiations any further. But they did. Warren is the only district in Somerset County that didn’t use at least some of its additional state aid from this past summer for the budget…

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Letter To The Editor

Teachers Picketing Disgusted Some Parents

To the editor

On behalf of many Warren parents, I submit this email to voice our disgust over the Warren teachers callous actions last week. As we all know, many communities were hit with an unexpected and disastrous storm which downed our power lines for many days. Most of us didn't have power or water and struggled to find a warm and safe place for our families. We expended money day after day not knowing when we could return to our homes. Friends and families opened their doors and offered support in our time of need. The teachers, however, saw fit that they should picket when we resumed school on Thursday and brandish their signs as a reminder that they didn't have contracts but "still cared." Are you kidding me? Anyone with a conscience would have …

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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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