SALEM TOWNSHIP — Another attempt to settle the three-year contract dispute between Regional School Unit 58 directors and the teachers’ union failed Thursday evening.
The school board met in executive session to discuss the current proposal. After reconvening, the board listened to union representatives who said teachers could not accept the offer.
Throughout the process, union representative Adam Masterman said, teachers have tried to find acceptable compromises that would meet mutual goals. Negotiating under a salary freeze had not been a positive experience, he suggested.
Since the board has frozen salaries for three years, the district has saved approximately $80,000 per year, he said.
“The board’s last offer was rejected unanimously by the teaching staff,” Masterman said.
Under the new proposal regarding salaries and benefits, according to union representative Sally Bean, some teachers will see a 50 percent increase in their insurance premiums, while others will see more than a 20 percent increase.
“Thirteen teachers will pay 50 percent more,” she said.
Union representatives ended their presentation by suggesting that if the board was willing to sign a tentative agreement Thursday, they would take the offer back to union members for a vote.
“Are we at an impasse?” board Chairman Dan Worcester asked Masterman.
“We are not,” Masterman said.
The board declined to take action on the offer.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
