A Timely Call

For Tough Negotiations

To the Editor:

As a candidate for the Board of Education (BOE) in the November election it was with great interest that I have read, several times, your editorial published on September 19, 2003, entitled “Leveling The Bargaining Table.” It is most timely since the Board of Education is now in the process of negotiating new labor agreements with some of the public employee unions that it deals with. In a larger sense it is very timely in that it identifies the travails encountered in our BOE having an equal power position in the negotiations. The editorial pointed out that “The state’s binding arbitration law supercedes even a community’s rejection of a public employees union contract and assigns an outside arbitrator to settle the issue.” This is indeed powerful stuff.

In our current town budget, education salaries and benefits are $39.9 million and 80 percent of the total education budget. Salaries and benefits this fiscal year are 10.8 percent higher than last fiscal year. Of course part of that increase is the result of having more students. But only a part. Additionally, at $39.9 million educational salaries and benefits are fully 50 percent of the total town budget. It is very clear that this subject is most important and another reason why the lead editorial is timely.

I have consistently advocated a superior school system, which is value driven and responsive to the taxpayer. Your editorial pointed out that we are facing a situation where, for some families, we have “property tax increases [that] are outpacing their own ability to pay.” This is not in the best interests of the students, educators, or taxpayers.

Our school district is dealing with five unions representing the teachers, administrators, secretaries, nurses, and teacher’s aides/paraprofessionals. In business, I have had considerable experience dealing and negotiating with local and national unions. I have read each of the labor agreements and can say that these agreements were negotiated by professionals who did a superb job for their constituents. They are the work of people who are most capable in drawing up labor agreements. One of these agreements (secretaries) has expired and is being negotiated now. The teacher’s agreement expires next year. Your call for “the town to be more aggressive in its contract talks” is most pertinent and timely.

Our BOE should be looking now at the impact of all costs on our upcoming and future budget submissions. This past year of budget defeats is a message to those who can and should make a difference.

A superior school system can coexist with good dollar value. In fact it must, to serve the interests of the students, taxpayers, and educators.

Paul Mangiafico

15 Kent Road, Newtown                                      September 22, 2003