OCTOBER 23, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
As has become a pattern over the past few weeks, Monday’s Board of Education (BOE) meeting featured a bevy of speakers, most of whom were demanding a resolution to the contract negotiations between the BOE and the Ridgewood Education Association (REA).
Although this week’s meeting featured debate from the public, there was some potentially favorable news given by trustee Sheila Brogan.
“Jim (Morgan) and I did sit down on Friday with (REA chief negotiators) Laura (Grasso) and Mike (Yannone) and had a really positive conversation,” Brogran said, adding that they were set to meet again Oct. 21.
“We are working at it,” Brogan told the public at the meeting. “I know it’s not at the pace that you are wishing for.”
Yannone, president of the REA, confirmed the meeting via e-mail, and said he “thought it was productive in that it was the first time the REA felt we were able to talk one-on-one with the board members on their negotiating team. We left that meeting believing we articulated our position regarding our health contributions and we listened to their concerns regarding their budget.”
https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/progress-reportedon-talks-1.1439403
My healthcare costs went up too. We cannot shelter teachers from that fact of life.
Hey teachers, your benefits need to be diminished, let’s all face reality. Look at Illinois pension funds, which are already struggling with a more than $100 billion shortfall and only 39.3% of assets needed to meet promises made to retirees as of 2014… This is our future if you don’t contribute more and diminish benefits.