Princeton BOE Reaches Deals With Two Unions; PREA Contract in "Fact Finding" Process

The Princeton Board of Education announced that it has ratified new three-year contracts with two of the district’s three employee associations, representing roughly 236 of the district’s total 606 affiliated employees Wednesday night.

Both associations’ current contracts expire on June 30.

The board also released some details of its latest contract offer to the district’s third bargaining unit, the Princeton Regional Education Association (PREA), during its special meeting at the Valley Road district administration building.

The board and PREA last met on May 4, but were unable to come to an agreement. At that point, the state-appointed mediator referred the matter to the New Jersey Public Employees Relations Commission for fact-finding. The fact-finding process can take anywhere from six to 12 months.

It is similar to non-binding arbitration. The process involves a formal hearing before a neutral “factfinder,” who then eventually issues a written report and non-binding recommendations for settlement.

The board and the Princeton Regional Support Staff Association (PRESSA) reached an agreement on May 5. PRESSA ratified the agreement Wednesday afternoon.

PRESSA represents support staff including instructional aides, custodians and grounds crew, bookkeepers and secretaries.

The contract provides for 2.50% base salary increase for PRESSA employees in each of the three contract years.

Employees’ contributions to their healthcare premiums would remain at the highest “Tier 4” levels set forth in state law.

The Board will also provide some relief in the form of non-cumulative annual stipends to certain PRESSA employees in each of the contract years to offset their premium contribution increases.

The board also approved a new three-year contract with the PAA, its union representing principals, assistant principals and supervisors, but not including central office administrators.

The sides came to an agreement on May 4, and PAA ratified the deal on May 14.

Under that agreement, PAA members will receive a base salary increase of 2.39% in year one, 2.38% in year 2 and 2.37% in year 3 of the new contract, while longevity payments will remain flat.

The PAA also agreed to certain cost-saving measures in their healthcare plans. In exchange, the board agreed to share some of its savings from these changes in the form of “vacation day buybacks,” whereby administrators may opt to “sell” back to the district two unused vacation days per year at a per diem rate.