Hillsborough Teachers, School Unable To Reach Contract Settlement

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — After six meetings and five months of negotiations, the Hillsborough Education Association (HEA) and Hillsborough Township Board of Education (HBOE) were unable to reach a contract settlement on April 1.

Negotiations fell apart between the HEA and the HBOE over workload concerns, salary and benefits, lengthening of the work year, scheduling for part-time staff and tuition reimbursement, according to Kia Bergman, spokeswoman for the Hillsborough Township School District.

"The Board has offered competitive salary increases in consideration for the contract changes it is seeking. The Association declared an impasse," Bergman said.

The HEA on the other hand points to the board for the failure of negotiations.

"It is disappointing that the Board rejected the Hillsborough Education Association’s request to issue a joint statement that adequately reflected the status of negotiations and the circumstances and outstanding issues that resulted in impasse," the HEA stated. "Regretfully, the Board’s negotiations team chose not to move forward in a spirit of collaboration and thus a third-party mediator is required by law."

A mediator, appointed by the state's Public Employment Relations Commission, will be called in to handle upcoming negotiations. If an agreement is still not reached the state will appoint a Fact Finder to come in, issue a report and make a recommendation for a settlement.

In the meantime, Hillsborough teachers and staff will continue to work at their current salaries and benefits under the existing contract agreement, which is set to expire on June 30.

"The Board is committed to maintaining a quality educational program and competitive salaries and benefits in Hillsborough Township at a cost it can afford in light of the serious financial challenges it is facing for the 2019-2020 school year and beyond," Bergman said. "As this process moves to mediation, the Board is committed to working cooperatively with the Association and, with the assistance of the mediator, it is hopeful that a voluntary settlement can be reached before the new school year begins."

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