Governor Continues Incentives for Teacher Wage Freeze – Web Extra

Gov. Chris Christie announced on Tuesday that he would extend until June 30 the incentives to school districts where local teachers units agree to wage freezes.

The initial deadline was April 5 for school districts to receive an incentive for agreeing with their unions to a one-year wage freeze. Christie offered the aid incentive, generated by the savings the state would receive from Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes as a result of the wage freezes. Districts could see more than 7 percent of the value of the wage freeze savings. The governor’s office has said that a district that saves $1 million as a result of keeping wages flat could receive about $75,000 in extra aid.

At a news conference in Boonton Town this week, Christie said school staff members in 115 districts throughout the state have voluntarily agreed to a wage freeze or wage reduction – although most of those concessions came from administrators and support staff. Teachers unions in approximately 16 districts have agreed to wage concessions, according to news reports.

Christie chose to make his announcement in Boonton Town, as it was one of the districts where administrators and the local teachers union agreed to a one-year salary freeze, saving 25 jobs.

NJSBA Survey  NJSBA will be disseminating a survey this week to all school districts to gauge how many school boards have asked staff to reopen contracts, and the outcome of any negotiations that have occurred. 

The results from such surveys assist NJSBA as it advocates on behalf of school boards throughout the state.

A previous NJSBA survey, with 323 responding school boards, found the proposed state budget cuts would mean 92.8 percent of school districts will lay off staff, with 85.4 percent of districts laying off teachers. That survey also found 64 of school boards expected to ask their local teachers union to reopen contracts.

NJSBA Survey  NJSBA will be disseminating a survey this week to all school districts to gauge how many school boards have asked staff to reopen contracts, and the outcome of any negotiations that have occurred.  For information on the survey, contact Ray Pinney , NJSBA membership advocacy coodinator.

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