Schools

School District Continues to Explore Potential Agreement With Teachers' Union

District has also looked into sharing services with borough, township.

Superintendent Jim O'Neill said the School District of the Chathams is continuing to negotiate with the Association of Chatham Teachers and Secretaries in an attempt to reach an agreement that would save the district costs.

"Both sides are trying to finalize the three to five things important to them," O'Neill said at a Board of Education meeting earlier in the week.

The Board of Education had been attempting to reach an agreement with the association that would have frozen teacher salaries for next year. Other unions that represent district employees—such as the union that represents administrators and supervisors—have agreed to such freezes.

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The issue became a hot topic leading up to Tuesday's Board of Education election, when Gov. Chris Christie encouraged people to vote down budgets in districts where teachers had not agreed to a salary freeze. Chatham's budget passed regardless.

Attempts to contact the teachers' association have been unsuccessful. After the Board of Education meeting, O'Neill said he was not allowed to discuss the specifics of the current negotiation process, but said he hoped the two sides would eventually come to some sort of agreement.

Find out what's happening in Chathamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I think, becaue of the economic environment we're in, and everything we've been through the last few months, that we would be going into the process with some mutual concerns and goals that respect the economic environment," O'Neill said.

O'Neill also reported the district has explored sharing services with the borough and township in an attempt to save money.

He attended a Borough Council meeting earlier in the month, during which the two sides discussed the possibility of sharing services. O'Neill said those services could include custodial services, and said the two sides could also potentially share athletic fields.


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