Contract Negotiations Between The HEA & BOE Remain Unsettled
The negotiating teams of the Hillsborough Education Association (HEA) and the Board of Education met tonight with a state-appointed mediator in a final effort to negotiate a settlement. This meeting marks the third mediation session between the parties, with little to no movement. The HEA, who represents over 1,000 teachers, secretaries, custodial and maintenance staff, bus drivers, paraprofessionals and other education support professionals, have been bargaining with the Board since the spring and have been working under an expired contract since June 2019.
HEA: “We eagerly await fact finding, where the truth will be revealed”
HEA president, Henry Goodhue, points to the quality staff Hillsborough currently maintains as evidence why a settlement is long overdue. “Our members remain committed to providing students with educational excellence,” he said. “Sadly, the Board chooses to claim this success while making decisions that erode it.”
Last month, the Hillsborough faculty at all nine district schools were ranked No. 1 in Somerset County, while the district itself was ranked No. 3 in the county and No. 15 out of 243 school districts in New Jersey, according to niche.com, a website which analyzes the quality of public and private schools, colleges and universities. The 2018 County Teacher of the Year, Viktoria Wargo, and the current Somerset County ESP of the Year, James Cox, are among the staff there.
“Unfortunately,” Goodhue continued. “as our ranking has consistently risen, so has the disrespect from the board.”
At the root of the issue is the HEA’s steadfast determination to negotiate a fair contract while protecting the high-quality education provided to our students.
The HEA has been vocal about their concerns, recently hosting a community forum where they outlined their reasons for remaining steadfast in their position. There is clear evidence that the Board of Education budgeted enough funds for the 2019-20 school year to achieve a settlement. Surplus monies also exist that call into question their recent decision to impose student fees, eliminate courtesy busing and layoff teachers.
“The fact that this board would willingly choose to build surplus while ignoring the opportunity to maintain our community's great public schools is simply despicable,” declared Goodhue.
Contact:
Henry Goodhue, HEA President
boroteachers@msn.com
