Bridgewater-Raritan Teacher Contract Still Not Settled

Bridgewater, NJ -- Teachers and parents continue to pack the room at the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education meeting, hoping to sway board members to get a teacher contract settled.

However, no settlement was achieved at last night’s meeting.

Due to the high volume of attendance, the Dec. 15 board meeting was held at Eisenhower Intermediate School to accommodate everyone.

This is the fifth time the board meetings have been packed with Bridgewater-Raritan Education Association members and parents. The majority of people were sporting black shirts that said “Unity.”

The number of lawn signs are popping up more and more on properties in the township asking the BOE to settle now.

Teachers have been working without a contract since June and have since stopped all service on district-wide volunteer committees.

“Talks had been progressing until they broke down over the proposed third year of the three year deal with the board citing costs resulting from the so-called Cadillac Tax on health care,” said Steve Beatty, President of the BREA and social studies teacher at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.

The next proposed mediation meeting will be held on Jan. 13.

Ann Rock, middle school counselor and chair of the BREA action team read a prepared statement saying “if mediation on January 13, 2016 is not successful, and there is not a contract settlement, all non-stipend activities, clubs, and teacher participation in PTO activities will cease immediately until there is a settlement.”

Additionally, Beatty said BREA members are willing to “stay all night to get a deal.”

(Photo 1 by Alexis Tarrazi: Lawn signs sprouting in Bridgewater-Raritan.)

(Photo 2 by BREA: A packed house at last night’s Board of Education meeting).