Tag: Teachers Union

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Teachers Union and Supporters Continue to Attack Ridgewood Residents

REA, ridgewoood teachers

Teacher supporter claims :

Average private sector wage increases for 2015 were above 3%. Pay raises for people with college degrees are fairing even better than that. Are there people who aren’t seeing wage increases? Yes. But perhaps that says something about the person or the job rather than the economy.
Teachers have been taking home less money each year for a number of years.
Teachers will never get bonuses, no matter how good the economy gets.
Teachers will never get company cars, club memberships, or any other perks that are seen in the private sector.
Teachers will NEVER get anything more than a mediocre pay raise because of the 2% cap.
So when teachers fight for the scraps from the table it shouldn’t be a surprise.

Do you really want to devalue the profession to the point that nobody will ever want to be a teacher? There is already a teacher shortage, which will only get worse.

But keep up with the lies about teachers who don’t care. Teachers who earn $200,000 a year. Teachers who won’t write recommendations. Teachers who only work 181 days a year. Teachers who only care about taking from taxpayers while doing nothing. Keep up with these lies and tell the potential future teachers that it is not the best career path. Why would anyone subject themselves to such outright lies and hatred?

Reader responds …..What planet are you on???? Private sector wage increases above 3%??? Please provide your source because no one I know got more 3%. I got 1.5% after 4 years of 0%. My wife got 2% after getting .5% last year and 0% fand additional 4 years. Really, name your source. Everyone is taking home less and bonuses have shrunken. There are no company car, club memberships, expensive meals, expense accounts, perks. Keep lying dear teacher. There is no teacher shortage in Ridgewood; I can assure you that you can be replaced on a moments notice.

Perks? I guess if you define 12-14 hour days 12 months a year, putting hours on the weekend, long commutes, conference calls with other parts of the world at 2am, being “penalized for taking sick or personal time, skyhigh contributions to marginal healthcare perks, then I am lucky.

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Reader says time to tell Ridgewood Teachers “Enough is Enough”

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file photo by Boyd Loving

Wake up teachers and your rotten unions. Time to pay more and your fair share. That is the real need here. You Gimme, Gimme, Gimmes are wrong and this why the intelligent BOE is right. Thank you BOE for doing your jobs and not rubber stamping these unreasonable demands. The parents and students should wake up and know these facts. When these reasons are known by all, the educated will support the students and the BOE. The upcoming meeting at BF will have bus loads of teachers wearing RED. While the BOE, Tax Payers should be SEEING RED! Enough is enogh, stop kicking the unions can and caving in. All contracts are shoot high and hope to reach a middle ground. No, not any more. Thank you to all o0n the BOE for standing up for us and the students. The teachers have ruined this year for all our students and we can’t get that back. Shame on the unions more than the lemming teachers. Not to be mean but to bring up an old statement. Those who can’t do teach….I’d like to add those who can’t negotiate for themselves stand behind their cowardly oh so powerful Unions…ugh, makes me sick

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Reader says We need to support the BOE and Ridgewood Students!

REA Members come out to greet our Board of Ed

We need to support the BOE and the Students. Everyone’s kids has suffered due to these teachers union this year. Class trips and after school programs are suffering. The private sectors healthcare is exploding also with no relief for us. Copays of $45, for each visit, teachers and all civil servants all need to pay their fare share and understand the pain and suffering that we are all paying more for. We are not getting raises to cover these increases nor should they. While we’re talking on this subject let’s move all to 401K plans. The system can’t handle all the retirees benefits. We will collapse soon, work 25 years then collect retirement for 35 years? Use them or lose them…no more taking $100,000s of dollars in unused sick time and vacation accrued, this is absurd. I support reasonable demands and expect our BOE professionals not to cave on unrealistic demands. Don’t get me wrong I do support teachers but can’t wait for those signs to go away!

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Ridgewood Board of Education to Vote on New Teachers Contract on Monday

Ridgewood EA teachers protest
June 3,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, After a long, drawn-out negotiations process between the village’s Board of Education (BOE) and the Ridgewood Education Association (REA) Ridgewood teachers may finally have a contract.

Ridgewood teachers have been working without a contract since June of 2015.The major hang up of the often heated discussions have been the teachers’ primary demand to reduce their healthcare premium contributions and the BOE’s reluctance to do so.

Joel M. Weisblatt, the state-appointed fact-finder, released his recommendations for an agreement between the sides on the evening of May 31.

The Ridgewood news is reporting that REA President Mike Yannone has told told them that his organization has accepted the recommendations of the fact-finder for a settlement, the BOE has not responded yet.

The Fact finder found :”The amount that teachers contribute to healthcare premiums will remain the same. Weisblatt explained there is an “absence of sufficient evidence” regarding the need to change the current structure, though he did recommend that teachers and secretaries who remain at the “top step” of the contribution level receive some compensation to defray the costs.”

For it’s part the BOE will discuss the report and recommendations at their Monday, June 6 board meeting. The members will then vote on whether to accept the recommendations or not.

“In accordance with New Jersey P.L. 2003, c. 126, the Board has made the May 16th Fact-finding Report and Recommendations public and has posted it to the District’s website.  At the June 6th Board of Education Public Meeting, the Board will discuss the report and the recommendations.  The Board will accept or reject the Fact-finder’s recommendations at that time. Click here to read the Fact Finders Report and Recommendations dated May 16, 2016..”

BOE Meets on June 6 at 7:30 p.m. at BFMS Auditorium
The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, June 6, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.

The Regular Public Meeting, originally scheduled to be held in the Board Room at the Education Center, will begin at 7:30 p.m., in the Auditorium at Benjamin Franklin Middle School.  Action will be taken at this meeting.

The public is invited to attend the meeting at BFMS or view it live via the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us using the  the “Live BOE Meeting” tab on the district website.

Click here to view the agenda and addendum for the May 16, 2016  Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the minutes of the May 2, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the 2016-2017 Budget presented at the May 2, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the Full Day Kindergarten Recommendation presented to the Board at their March 7, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

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The Public Shows Little Interest in Ridgewood Teachers Contract Talks

REA Members come out to greet our Board of Ed

May 3,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Despite lingering contract talks the public does not seem to be engaged in the Board Of Ed contract dispute with the teachers union, the REA.  Since so many things in Ridgewood seem dependent on the quality of education of the Ridgewood public schools ,the public’s lack of interest is to say the least surprising. In the past education issues have loomed large on the blog ,this time not so much.

“shouldn’t our schools and our teachers, one of THE biggest selling points of this town, be a top priority? that one sign says it all…’no contract = no future for ridgewood’. not feeling optimistic about any of it frankly”. Marata Maas (it takes a village Facebook page)

“May 10th is very, very important to Ridgewood, thus these topics are all particularly hot items right now. Voter turnout is always very low, so every vote becomes very important. Next, consider the environment that half of the students who will ultimately populate our high school will be subjected to if we dont get the right solution to the Valley Hospital expansion. Perhaps you are unaware of the other near misses Benjamin Franklin Middle School had with Valley which were resolved in the students’ best interests because of resident involvement. The high density housing issue could crowd up the schools and place an even heavier burden on taxpayers. And the safety and aesthetics of our downtown are certainly an important part of our village. And last, but certainly not least, we can directly influence the destiny of these issues with our votes on May 10th. We do not have that power in the case of the teachers’ contracts.” Laurie Bender (it takes a village Facebook page)

The Village is faced with what many perceive rightly or wrongly as even bigger issues that could potentially harm the quality of life and the quality of education in the Village of Ridgewood . So it looks like until May 10 the focus will be else where.

BOE-REA Negotiations

Click here to read a Letter to the Editor of The Ridgewood News, published on April 8, 2016.
 
Click here to view the Ridgewood Board of Education’s Post Hearing Fact Finding Brief and attachments.

Click here
to view an analysis of “Unused Funds’ identified by the REA during Fact Finding Proceedings, presented at the March 7, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to read a Letter to the Editor of The Ridgewood News, which appeared in the paper on March 4, 2016.

Click here to read the Ridgewood Board of Education’s Fact-Finding Presentation with The Ridgewood Education Association.

Click here to view the backup for the Ridgewood Board of Education’s Fact-Finding Presentation with The Ridgewood Education Association.

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The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, April 4th

BOE_the ridgwoodblog
BOARD UPDATES

BOE-REA Negotiations
Click here to view an analysis of “Unused Funds’ identified by the REA during Fact Finding Proceedings, presented at the March 7, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to read a Letter to the Editor of The Ridgewood News, which appeared in the paper on March 4, 2016.

Click here to read the Ridgewood Board of Education’s Fact-Finding Presentation with The Ridgewood Education Association.

Click here to view the backup for the Ridgewood Board of Education’s Fact-Finding Presentation with The Ridgewood Education Association.

BOE Meets on April 4 at 7:30 p.m.
The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, April 4, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.

The public is invited to attend the meeting at the Ed Center, 49 Cottage Place, Floor 3. The meeting may also be viewed on FiOS channel 33, Optimum channel 77 or from computers via the “Live BOE Meeting” tab on the district website.FiOS channel 33, Optimum channel 77 or from computers via the “Live BOE Meeting” tab on the district website.

Click here to view a revised agenda for the March 21, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the 2016-2017 Preliminary Budget presented at the March 21, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the minutes of the February 22, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the minutes of the March 7, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the Full Day Kindergarten Recommendation presented to the Board at their March 7, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

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Reader Insists Ridgewood Teachers are a good Deal for Baby Sitting our Kids

RHS_BEST_theridgewoodblog

Teachers’ hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year! It’s time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do — babysit!

We can get that for less than minimum wage.

That’s right. Let’s give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked; not any of that silly planning time, or any time they spend before or after school. That would be $19.50 a day (7:45 to 3:00 PM with 45 min. off for lunch and plan– that equals 6 1/2 hours).Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children. Now how many students do they teach in a day…maybe 30? So that’s $19.50 x 30 = $585.00 a day.

However, remember they only work 180 days a year!!! I am not going to pay them for any vacations.

That’s $585 X 180= $105,300 per year. (Hold on! My calculator needs new batteries).

What about those special education teachers and the ones with Master’s degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage ($7.75), and just to be fair, round it off to $8.00 an hour. That would be $8 X 6 1/2 hours X 30 children X 180 days = $280,800 per year.

Wait a minute — there’s something wrong here! There sure is!

The average teacher’s salary is $75,000. $75,000/180 days = $416./per day/30 students=$13.80/6.5 hours = $2.13 per hour per student — a very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even EDUCATE your kids!) WHAT A DEAL!!!!

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Voices heard at podium during Ridgewood BOE meeting

BOE theridgewoodblog.net

FEBRUARY 12, 2016    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

RIDGEWOOD – A large number of teachers once again took the stand during Monday’s Board of Education (BOE) meeting, enumerating the various reasons why they feel a fair contract must be reached between the BOE and Ridgewood Education Association (REA).

Despite protracted negotiations, an agreement still has yet to be hammered out, causing much concern on both sides.

Although the BOE has continuously said that it values its educators and recognizes the necessity of their work, many teachers remain unconvinced.

Some, like Kim Casey, of Travell Elementary School, said they still feel like they are only figures on a spreadsheet.

“To you, I am merely a number,” she stated. “To you I am merely … the numbers of years I have before retirement, when you can fill my position with a younger teacher who won’t cost the taxpayers as much money.”

Others, like teacher Andrea Petron, of Ridge Elementary School, said they feel like teachers are an indispensible part of Ridgewood schools, and that the BOE has not treated them fairly.

“After pouring our hearts and souls into the district, it is important to know that we are appreciated and respected for the work we do,” she said. “Education is not a business, and it should not be treated as such.

“Teachers literally create every profession in the world,” she continued. “Teaching is the fundamental basis of every facet of society. It is time for you to start treating us like the rest of the world could not go on without us, including Ridgewood.”

https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/voices-heard-at-podium-during-boe-meeting-1.1510977

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The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, February 8, 2016

BOE_theridgewoodblog
BOARD UPDATES

BOE-REA Negotiations
Click here to read a Letter to the Editor of The Ridgewood News, which appeared in the paper on January 29, 2016.

BOE Meets on February 8 at 7:30 p.m.
The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, February 8, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.

The public is invited to attend the meeting at the Ed Center, 49 Cottage Place, Floor 3. The meeting may also be viewed on FiOS channel 33, Optimum channel 77 or from computers via the “Live BOE Meeting” tab on the district website.FiOS channel 33, Optimum channel 77 or from computers via the “Live BOE Meeting” tab on the district website.

Click here to view the agenda for the January 25, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the minutes of the December 21, 2015 Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the minutes of the January 4, 2016 Reorganization/Regular Public Meeting.

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Christie: Teachers union ‘single most destructive force’ in education

Chris_christie_theridgewoodblog

By Bradford Richardson

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) says real education reform is impossible as long as teachers unions remain a powerful force for the status quo.

“The single most destructive force for public education in this country is the teachers union,” Christie said at a Jack Kemp Foundation panel discussion in Columbia, S.C., on Saturday. “It is the single most destructive force.”

The Republican presidential candidate called the labor groups an “absolute subsidiary of the Democratic Party.”

“In New Jersey alone, the teachers union has 200,000 members, and they collect mandatory dues of $730 per person per year,” he said. “That’s $140 million that the teachers union just in New Jersey collects a year, and they pay nothing toward teacher salary, teacher pension or teachers healthcare.

“It’s a $140 million political slush fund to be able to reward their friends and punish their enemies,” he added. “Now imagine that kind of force and it’s replicated in state after state after state in this country.”

Christie said Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton is “bought and paid for” by the unions. Clinton has been endorsed by the National Education Association, the largest labor union in the nation.

The governor also called the current mode of education “obsolete” and said schools need to incorporate innovative technologies into the classroom.

 

https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/gop-primaries/265324-christie-teachers-union-single-most-destructive-force-in

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Do it for the Kids :NJEA dumps $750k more into Super PAC

group_njea_logo_300x143

All trick, no treat: NJEA dumps $750k more into Super PAC (for the kids)
By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog

You and I both know that the NJEA doesn’t give a damn about the kids, Save Jerseyans.

It’s a business. A big money business. Keeping the money train rolling requires spending big money to keep the Democrats in power all while our state’s most vulnerable kids get left behind.

They’re setting records this election cycle. The General Majority PAC,smearing GOP candidates all over the state, is on track to spend close to $4 million this cycle, or roughly 20% of all spending, direct and independent expenditures, throughout the Garden State in key legislative districts. The NJEA is helping bankroll it.

https://savejersey.com/2015/10/njea-general-majority-pac-elec-new-jersey/

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Ridgewood teachers rally as contract talks continue

Ridgewood_BOE_theridgewoodblog

OCTOBER 30, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

A teachers’ rally took place Monday outside the Education Center.

The event occurred just before Michael Yannone, president of the Ridgewood Education Association (REA), entered the building to commence the second and potentially final negotiating session with a mediator present between the REA and the Ridgewood Board of Education.

“This is a sign of unity for the negotiating team that’s about to walk in there,” Yannone said at the event. “As a member of that team, I greatly appreciate this.”

Ridgewood Board of Education President Sheila Brogan said while a settlement wasn’t reached at the meeting, “The board understands the teachers’ wish for a settlement. We too want to settle the contract.

“We had a positive dialogue, but were unable to settle the contract,” she said. “The fact finder spent the evening talking with both sides and decided to move the process to a formal fact-finding hearing.”

According to Brogan, the fact finder is scheduled to return to Ridgewood on Feb. 3.

“At the hearing, he will listen to both sides and issue a non-binding opinion in an attempt to settle the contract, she said.

“Moving forward, the board’s negotiating team is willing to meet with the REA’s team to resolve issues and settle the contract.”

https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/rea-rallies-as-talks-continue-1.1444781

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With General Majority PAC Contributions, NJEA Leads The Charge in Spending

group_njea_logo_300x143

The New Jersey Education Association has been the driving force behind the General Majority PAC’s roughly $2 million campaign effort on behalf of Assembly candidates in the first and second legislative districts, contributing $3 million to the independent group. JT Aregood, PolitickerNJ Read more

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Ridgewood Board of Education Meets on Monday September 21st

BOE_theridgewoodblog

BOE Meets on September 21

The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, September 21, 2015 at 7:30 p.m.

The public is invited to attend the meeting at the Ed Center, 49 Cottage Place, Floor 3. The meeting will be aired live on FiOS channel 33 and Optimum channel 77. Or it may be viewed live via the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us using the “Link in Live” tab.

Click here to view the agenda and addendum for the August 24, 2015 Regular Public Meeting.

BOE Announces Vacancy, Seeks BOE Applicants

The Ridgewood Board of Education is seeking qualified applicants to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Michele Lenhard on August 1. The application deadline is Tuesday, September 15 at 4 p.m. Click here for details.
Click here to view the application..

Board of Education Releases Statement on Negotiations
Click here to read a statement by the Ridgewood Board of Education on the status of negotiations with the Ridgewood Education Association.

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Nothing like a 100 Million dollar Ridgewood School Budget

BOE_theridgewoodblog

Do it fer da kidz

September 11, 2015

Dear Parent or Guardian:

In July, the Ridgewood Board of Education (RBOE) announced that contract negotiations with the Ridgewood Education Association (REA), which began in February 2015, were moving from official mediation through the NJ Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) to the fact-finding stage, also through PERC.  Our first fact-finding session will be held on September 16, 2015.

During this time, the teachers and secretaries continue to receive their full salaries and benefits and work under the terms, conditions and protections of the expired contract that began on July 1, 2012, and ended on June 30, 2015.

It is important to remember that our teachers and secretaries are working within the contractually specified hours listed below and that drop-off and pick-up times at our schools must be followed:

Elementary schools:  8 a.m.-3:35 p.m.

PLEASE DO NOT DROP YOUR CHILD OFF PRIOR TO 8:35 A.M. AND PICK UP AT 3 P.M.

Middle schools: 7:45 a.m.-3:20 p.m.

PLEASE DO NOT DROP YOUR CHILD OFF PRIOR TO 7:45 A.M. AND PICK UP AT 2:55 P.M.

Ridgewood High School:  7:40 a.m.-3:15 p.m.

DROP OFF AND PICK UP WILL BE THE SAME

In addition, please understand that during this stage in the negotiations, teachers may decline to do some activities that fall outside of the contract.  For example, they may decline to chaperone overnight/after school field trips, decline to participate or volunteer in activities that they had in the past, or may adhere to the 7.5 hour daily contract hours by arriving and leaving on time each school day.  If any such actions occur that result in changes or cancellation of certain activities, school principals and other administrators will explain the reason why.

Many parents have offered to volunteer and take over these responsibilities.  Some activities can be sponsored or supervised by parents, while others can’t for various insurance and personal liability reasons.  Please see your principal for guidance.

While changes to activities may be an unfortunate reality during this period, it is important to stress that the RBOE and REA are working towards an agreement that satisfies both parties.  Throughout the State of New Jersey, negotiations are taking place between teacher associations and Boards of Education.  The vast majority of contract negotiations, almost 80 percent, are not completed prior to the expiration of the preceding contract.

Finally, if the fact-finder is unsuccessful in mediating an agreement, both parties will present their “case,” and a written report will be prepared that will be made public 10 days after they receive his non-binding findings.

Thank you in advance for your understanding as the RBOE and REA work through this process and complete the negotiations in the shortest time possible.

Sincerely,

Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools