THE WESTFIELD LEADER the Leading and Most Widely Circulated Weekly IS'euspaper in Union County
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o o o * o -" *" THE WESTFIELD LEADER The Leading and Most Widely Circulated Weekly IS'euspaper In Union County :; LTV.; , H.J. Second Cl»*i Tctlift P»ld Published EIGHTH — NO. tt Vfitrte'.d. N. i. WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1978 Every Thumdiy 2G Pages—15 Cents Teachers Win 13V4 % Hike, Schools Reopen With the Board of Educations 5-4 preliminary ap- er walkout, are these: Binding Arbitration - the board and Ihe VVEA accepted proval of a two-yearcor.traci for teachers Tuesday hieht. Salary - both negotiating teams agreed upon a wage said this: ten months of 3 controversial negotiation process came hinding arbitration on terms expressed in the contracl "The Westfield Education Association is happy lhat packet of a 6.25 per cent increase in the first year U978- only Grievance procedures will remain the same with to a close The board is expected (o ratify the formal, 79' and 7 percent the second year (1979-80) including the negotiations have been satisfactorily completed. We do completed contract at its regular meeting in October. the board deciding on issues that are brought to its at not wish to enter into a discussion of viclory or defeat. We annual normal teacher increment. tention through the normal teacher grievance procedure. have achieved a settlement that includes a broader Teachers had voted overwhelmingly early Monday Length of the Elementary School Day - 20 minutes will Work Year - the work year will be 183 days as is morning to ratify the new contract, effective until June be added to Ihe instruction time, beginning next Sep- definition of teachers' rights, binding arbitration, a two- 30. !9Sf> They returned to their classrooms at 10 a m. that scheduled in the 1978-79 school calendar. In the past, yearsalary package of 13.:j percent, an elementary day, tember. Students and teachers will have one full hour for teachers had 185 work days which included two days for to begin in 1979. that includes 20 additional minutes of day lunch This year's elementary school day and lunch hour inservice training. The issues, finally agreed upon after extensive remain the same. The additional 20 minutes will amount instruction without change, in the parameters of the negotiation, fact-finding mediation and a two-day teach- WEA President Sally Vejnoska. greeted by applause traditional day. the deletion of two in-service days from to 12 additional days of teaching time. and affection from her peers after Monday's ratification the calendar and an increase in special grants. Now that the agreement has been reached, the teachers are happy to concentrate on what they do best - teaching the children of Westfield." Board members, however, were not overwhelming in their support of I he proposed contract, with even some of the affirmative vote-casters registering overall disagreement with the settlement. "I think we were hopelessly naive if we thought we were dealing with an association lhat cared about kids," said Joan Corbet, chairman of the board's negotiating team. She voted in favor of the agreement because, she said, of her "obligation to continue to provide education lo children in this district." She added that she felt "steamrolled into signing." Marilyn Gulotta, also a yes vote, said that she agreed with Mrs. Corbet but fell that further delay would just bring more upheaval. Negative votes on the agreement were cast by Richard Barker, Lenore Kalbacher. Betty Kopf and Holland Van Valkenburgh. Barker read a lengthy statement, describing the negotiation process as "abominable." He cited several adverse effects of the agreement, among them, increased class size, closing of one or more Kathleen M. Dix, mathematics lenchcr at Hi>osevt"ll, pickets uilh co-uorkers. schools, increased chance of budget defeat in February and difficulty for the Town Council in bargaining with its employees. Both Carmen Vitale and Dr. William Liggitt asserted Strike First their belief in the fairness of collective bargaining in the public sector. The strike was "a clearly illegal, un- warranted job action." said Dr Liggitt but, "the In Town History education of children is in part dependent on the healthy relationships between professionals in ihe system," he Schools uere closed Thursday and last week's walkout. continued. Friday for Ihe first time in Uestfields According to Sullivan, the board had Vitale. after commending Board President Thomas history', because here teachers went on reservations on the I wo recom- Sullivan for his extensive efforts in the negotiation, WEA strikers get the support of Cranford teachers at Sunday's rally outside Board of Education offices. strike. mendations concerning these issues. He stated, "the agreement reached was in the best interests Pickets appeared ihroughout the said the board would accept the of tho kids." Both he and Sullivan reminded board and district early Thursday, forcing the recommendation on arbitration on audience members that the TCVs sole purpose! la to Are You Registered? closing of schools because, according to contract language- only, but thai it i-ep.-vsent teachers while'Ihe board has multiple Extended periods of must be 18 years of age on or a Board of Education statement issued rejects the recommendation of Ihe fact- obligations, registration for the Nov. 7before Nov. 7. and must that morning. "«c ore not going to finrler that the length of (he elementary Sullivan didn't (hink anyone in the community would General Election have been have lived in New Jersey 30 conduct 'token education' without ;i school day remain the same. thank him lor possibly saving $100,000 (!hc approximate scheduled by the Town days by Nov. 7 in order to professional staff in this school district " The WEA favored binding arbitration increased salary monies needed to •.iccomniodate the Clerk's office. Residents vote in the General Election. "I think it is unfortunate that teachers on contract differences and felt Ihe I!1 i percent incn.-ases) after three weeks of a strike like may register through Oct. Those who have changed chose to disrupt the educational length of the elementary school da> Ihe one in Bridgeport, Conn. He said projected declining 10.' an address, may notify "the! program in a community lhat places should remain the same. In its statement enrollments would help to offset the salary expense. The Town Clerks office County Board of Elections. I education as a high priority, respects the to the public issued Thursday, the WEA Though "happy with the settlement." he said there will be open for registration 208 Commerce PI.,' accomplishments of students and stafl. said. "We are willing to negotiate these are "no winners in Ihe settlement but that there are a lot from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. as well Elizabeth. Change of ad- i has an outstanding package of benefits items. We want only to bo treated fairly. of losers/' as the normal 9 a.m. to 5 dress cards may be obtained S for employees and pay^ us teachers the We don't want to he dictated lo We hope Sullivan and other board members were addressing p.m. office hours on Oct 5. 6 from the Town Clerk'sj second highest salary in Ir.ion County." you understand." some 50 audience members at the special meeting and 10. Office, or voter registration) continued Board of Education President WEA spokesman Bob Broderick Tuesday, many of whom spoke in opposition to the set- To register, residents cards mav be used. \ Thomas F. Sullivan. outlined the three issues for media tlement. Teachers carried signs reading. present at the high school during Thurs- Jack Daly of 543 St. Marks Avc. said he appreciated the "Fight Board Apathy." 'Support Vnur day's walkout, as strikers were not "anguish" "of the board but that it was, "doing the wrong Teachers" and "We Demand a Fair authorized to comment. thing for the wrong reason." He was particularly op- Dems Name Longo Contract." Teachers had been without a Teachers continued to strike on {Continned on poqe 4) Koberl 1.. Kjre. Knglish teacher at the high school, lets contract since June 30 Friday. The hit»h school attempted to his sign do the talking. Negotiations, begun last November. open at 7:30 but classes were cancelled As Mayoral Aspirant continued into this school year Teachers when only two teachers reported for returned to their classrooms on opening their first period class. Marie Longo has been Strike Leaves Students day because of the delayed arrival of An injunction, requiring teachers to selected by the Democratic fact-finder Julius Malkin:s report. return to their posts, was served on VVEA Party of Westfield to The details of that report were President Sally Vejnoska at 2 p.m. on replace Thomas A. Kelly as Upset, Parents Opposed disclosed last week. The board was Friday. its candidate for Mayor willing to accept Ihe fact-finder's While negotiations continued through For ten months, al Roosevelt, felt that it was the weekend, teachers, with support Kelly has withdrawn as a negotiating teams unfair for students to have recommendation of six per cent in- candidate because of creases for each of two years. Teachers from their counterparts in other area representing the Board of to make up the days since districts, rallied outside Board of Educ- changes in his business Education and the Westfield they were ready and willing would receive an average S1US0 increase which may require the first yearand Si.100 the second year. ation offices Sunday. WEA handouts Education Association have to attend classes as encouraged citizens to state their sup- relocation. attempted to settle their scheduled. WEA members demanded a seven per Mrs. Longo is a graduate contract differences.