Education commissioner to town officials: Ask teachers to take one-year wage freeze
THE RECORD
STAFF WRITER
New Jersey Education Commissioner Bret Schundler encouraged town officials Thursday to call on local teachers unions to take one-year wage freezes.
Schundler said that sometimes a third party can help facilitate a discussion between two parties, just as in a marriage. “There are times when I’m discussing something with my wife and we disagree” and getting another perspective is valuable, he said.
Schundler encouraged municipal officials to reach out to union leadership in districts where school boards have failed to win concessions, because “there are times when a third party can be constructive to, if you will, facilitate the parties to look at the other side” when they’re “having difficulties in the heat of the discussion.’’
His comments came in a noon conference call with roughly 700 school and municipal officials seeking help in revising defeated school budgets.
In an historic vote on Tuesday, New Jersey voters rejected 58 percent of the budgets in the state, defeating
Schundler said that sometimes a third party can help facilitate a discussion between two parties, just as in a marriage. “There are times when I’m discussing something with my wife and we disagree” and getting another perspective is valuable, he said.
Schundler encouraged municipal officials to reach out to union leadership in districts where school boards have failed to win concessions, because “there are times when a third party can be constructive to, if you will, facilitate the parties to look at the other side” when they’re “having difficulties in the heat of the discussion.’’
His comments came in a noon conference call with roughly 700 school and municipal officials seeking help in revising defeated school budgets.
In an historic vote on Tuesday, New Jersey voters rejected 58 percent of the budgets in the state, defeating