MEA, board accept fact-finder’s report

By Eileen Oldfield Staff Writer
   MANVILLE — The Board of Education and Manville Education Association are a step closer to a new teaching contract, after both accepted the state-appointed fact-finder’s report.
   ”While I don’t anticipate either side begin totally happy with these recommendations, I do believe that they make a reasonable, affordable and workable package,” fact-finder Thomas D. Hartigan stated in his report. “I believe that they are responsive to the board’s budget situation while positioning the district within the marketplace that is needed for the district to retain and recruit high quality staff.”
   The Board of Education unanimously accepted the report, after discussing it with their labor negotiator in an approximately 20-minute executive session Tuesday night. At a MEA general membership meeting Sept. 11, 160 members voted to accept the report.
   ”It was in line with what our school district and our board set as our priorities,” board President Andrew Zangara said. “We definitely want to work on getting this contract settled.”
   ”The Manville Education Association is ecstatic to learn that the Board of Education chose to accept the fact-finder’s report,” Cathie Miskov, MEA president, said Wednesday. “We are pleased the board also saw the urgency of the situation and applaud their efforts to expedite the process so we can all get back to what is most important.”
   Mr. Zangara said developing salary guides will be the next step. Before a formal contract is accepted, the New Jersey Education Association and New Jersey School Boards Association salary experts will develop salary guides for the districts, and formalize a guide to be distributed to the MEA and the board for ratification.
   ”The MEA looks forward to working with the board on the last piece of this negotiations issue, the development of salary guides, and hope they will be developed just as quickly so we can ratify the contract,” Ms. Miskov said.
   According to NJEA representative Christy Kanaby, the fact-finder’s report recommended a 4.5 percent increase on the total amount budgeted for teachers’ salaries in 2007 to 2008. The increase would be distributed according to the salary guide, with individual raises depending on where a teacher falls on the guide.
   ”It is a misconception to believe that each teacher will receive a 4.5 percent increase,” Ms. Kanaby said.
   The report recommended a 4.3 percent increase on the total amount budgeted for salaries in the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 school years, which would be distributed according to the new salary guide.
   The fact-finder also recommended several changes for the 2008-2008 and 2009-2010 insurance plans, including an increase in the copay MEA members pay on the Point-of-Service or HMO insurance plans. Copays would increase from $10 to $12.50, though members on the traditional plan would see no change.
   Other recommended changes include a cap on the money the district will spend toward teachers’ graduate classes.