Contract negotiations between the Manville Education Association, the Board of Education, and a state-appointed contract mediator remain on hold, despite the three months since the groups’ first meeting in September.
By Eileen Oldfield Staff Writer
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”Unfortunately there has been no change in the contract negotiation situation in Manville,” said Christy Kanaby, the New Jersey Education Association consultant handling the negotiations. “At this time, the parties are working to schedule an additional mediation session, which is not yet determined.”
”We are dependent upon the mediator, and there is nothing we can do until we hear from him,” said Manville Superintendent Donald Burkhardt at Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting.
Dr. Burkhardt said the board is scheduling a meeting between its negotiator and a representative from the district’s insurance company, but does not anticipate the meeting occurring until after the upcoming holidays.
The meeting would allow the board to get information on the total cost of various benefit packages; however, Dr. Burkhardt could not comment on whether the package costs would affect negotiations.
The teachers have been working under last year’s contract since its June 30 expiration. Mike Yaple, public information officer at the New Jersey School Boards Association, and Dawn Hiltner, the NJEA’s associate director for organizing and coalition-building, both said long periods between mediation sessions can be normal.
”It can take a while, depending on what’s happening in the district, and how tight the finances are,” said Mr. Yaple. “Both the teachers and the school board are at the mercy of the mediator’s schedule. They might meet every week or every few weeks.”
State-appointed mediators handle various districts through out the state, and various duties in districts’ mediation processes, said Ms. Hiltner. Sometimes, the time between mediation sessions can depend on the three negotiating parties’ schedules.
”It’s also a matter of finding some mutual dates,” said Ms. Hiltner. “It does end up being a lengthy process.”
According to Mr. Yaple and Ms. Hiltner, long time periods between mediation meetings can be a method of getting administrators and teachers to negotiate new contracts themselves.
”Sometimes, scheduling can be a mediator’s strategy,” said Mr. Yaple. “The one element that puts pressure on both sides is time. As time goes by, teachers start urging their union leaders to reach an agreement.
”Often, the public starts urging their school board to reach an agreement,” he added.
”It’s not unusual to have a board and teachers attempt to meet on their own to broker some sort of settlement without the mediator,” said Ms. Hiltner.
If a school district fails to reach a contract through mediation, they can go on to fact-finding, a process that involves a second mediator, said Ms. Hiltner.
During the fact-finding process, the new mediator can attempt more mediation sessions, but typically has both sides present their views, and compiles a report from those presentations. The report includes recommendations on a contract, which the teachers and administrators can accept or reject.
If the report is rejected, the parties go into “superconciliation” with a third mediator. During superconciliation, the mediator can impose certain circumstances, including daily or 24-hour bargaining sessions, aimed at producing a contract.
Of New Jersey’s 593 school districts, 208 entered the 2007 to 2008 school year while negotiating new contracts, said Mr. Yaple. Branchburg school district reached a tentative contract, but the Bedminster remains in mediation.
”It is very common to see a lot of these contracts not being finalized until November, December, or even later,” said Mr. Yaple.

