NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE
TO: APEA Membership
FROM: John Napolitani, President
Sean Hamilton, Vice President
DATE: November 20, 2009
The APEA Negotiating Team had a meeting on Monday, November 16, 2009, at 3:30pm in NJEA Headquarters in West Long Branch. This meeting was held at the request of our mediator, Greg Franklin, who seems to feel that the APEA and APBOE can reach an agreement on our contract.
Several items were discussed, including, prioritizing issues that are important to both the Board and the APEA. The Board finally cut down some of their issues, which will be discussed at greater length at the next meeting. In our opinion, some items are relatively easy to discuss and come to an agreement; while others may require a more lengthy discussion. At this point, we are cautiously optimistic that the Board does not want this to turn in another “Marlboro” situation, where they are poised to go on strike.
However, we are also prepared implement any actions via our “Action Team” that we deem necessary to see to it that we receive a fair and equitable contract for the next three years if we cannot make any progress at the next meeting. As a show of good faith on the part of the Association, we will not take any actions until we feel as though we have exhausted every avenue in negotiations.
As promised, we are keeping the membership informed of our progress step by step. This quote by Ben Franklin is more important now more than ever: “We must hang together, gentlemen…else, we shall most assuredly hang separately.” This is truly a time for the APEA to stand together.