Representatives of the teachers’ union, Princeton Regional Education Association (PREA) and the Princeton Public Schools Board of Education (BOE) got down to business when they met with state-appointed mediator Kathy Vogt, Esq. last week to try to agree on a new contract.
The session lasted more than six hours.
Ms. Vogt urged members of both sides to keep “mum” about the details of the negotiations. “The mediator asked the parties to respect the confidentiality of the process and refrain from sharing details of our discussions with the press, or litigating open matters in public,” said Patrick Sullivan, the district’s chief negotiator. “We can say that the parties had a frank exchange of views, and while there are still open issues between us, we feel we are getting closer to an agreement.”
According to teachers’ union representative John Baxter, the two sides conducted talks with the two bargaining teams in separate rooms between the hours of 5 and 11:15 p.m. “Some progress was made by the end of the night but we remain far from an agreement on salary, benefits, and premium contributions,” he said.
Ms. Vogt is not new to the district. She helped bring both sides together during negotiations for the 2011-14 contract, which expired June 30 but continues in operation until the terms and conditions of a new contract can be agreed upon.
So far, the stumbling blocks to progress are health care and salary increases. PREA members have ceased to donate their time to non-paid extra-curricular activities and volunteer work.
The Princeton Public Schools Board of Education was due to meet last night at 8 p.m. (after Town Topics press deadline). Princeton parents have expressed their disapproval of the Board at previous meetings.
The next mediated session will take place Wednesday, January 14.
Mediator services are provided by the state at no cost to the district, but if no agreement is reached in mediation, a fact-finder would be called in at a cost of $1,500 per day. The cost of a fact-finder would be split between the two parties.