CONTACT: Nat T. Bender, nbender [@] aftnj.org, 908-377-0393
Union negotiated through summer to reach deal
GARFIELD…As teachers were returning to their classrooms last week, they received notification of a new tentative contract for their approval. “We reached a common ground with the district and members will vote to ratify the contract in September,” said Rob Barbier, a high school English teacher and president of the Garfield Federation of Teachers. “This agreement reflects almost two years of difficult negotiations between the Union and the Board for a contract that expired June 2014.”
“Earlier this year we declared an impasse in these contract negotiations because of the limits imposed by the board,” said Barbier. “Even then, we pledged to return to the table as soon as there could be forward progress and this agreement reflects a reasonable compromise reached the week before school started.”
“It is going to be a very busy start to the school year and I am proud we settled this contract without any interruption to the services we daily offer to the students of the Garfield School District.”