Teachers to review deal in January.
By: Josh Appelbaum
The school board and teachers union have agreed to a tentative contract following a Wednesday night session that lasted until 4 a.m. Thursday.
Both sides representatives of the school board and the Cranbury Education Association, which represents 60 teachers and support staff signed off on the settlement, according to school board President Joan Rue.
The CEA will review the contract with its members Jan. 6, at which time it could ratify the deal, said Steve Baker, associate director for communications for the New Jersey Education Association.
If the CEA ratifies the deal, it will go to the school board for final approval.
Neither side would comment on the specifics of the contract. The details will not be released to the public until it is ratified.
Mr. Baker said the union is happy with the settlement and feels the new contract is ideal for all parties in the Cranbury School district. Tom Stinson, president of the CEA, was unavailable for comment due to family obligations.
Ms. Rue said she hopes the board can vote on the contract in early January.
"I’m glad we’ve reached an agreement," she said. "It is up to the union at this point; they are working on the document."
Cranbury teachers and support staff have been working without a contract since their three-year deal expired July 1. The union and school board have been negotiating for almost 10 months.
Negotiations went to mediation after the CEA declared an impasse, citing salary and benefits as sticking points. The state Public Employment Relations Commission appointed mediator Tom Hartigan to help both sides reach an agreement in August. He conducted five mediation sessions.

