Two More School Unions Agree to Wage Freezes

The wage freeze that was requested from all Madison Public Schools union groups has been agreed to by two new parties.

The Madison Administrator's Association and the Madison Supervisor's Associations have agreed to the freeze, joining the buildings and grounds group.

Although buildings and grounds has not officially signed off on the freeze, it was the first union to convey it would agree to the request. On multiple occasions since the April 13 Board of Education meeting, the board has referenced Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Joseph Trause's verbal agreement on behalf of the group.

This was the first time in a month that the board was able to report on other unions which were joining in that agreement.

"I would like to thank those two groups immensely for stepping up in this time of need for us," Board of Education member Linda Gilbert said during Tuesday's board meeting.

The freeze applies to the 2010-2011 school year and is effective on July 1 through June 30, 2011.

As part of the agreement, both groups have provisions from the board regarding the possible 1.5 percent medical coverage contribution requirement Gov. Chris Christie is trying to pass. The agreements say that in exchange for the salary freeze, if the state requires union members pay the 1.5 percent increase during the 2010-'11 school year, the board will provide the employees with a 1.5 percent salary increase to cover the contribution.

Superintendent Dr. Richard Noonan had already agreed to a freeze for the second straight year even before the administrator's association agreed to the freeze.

The supervisor's association includes the positions of English, math, world languages, science, social studies, special services and guidance supervisors.

The teacher's association remains a union which hasn't stated a decision on the freeze request. The board and that union remain in negotiations for the upcoming school year's contract, the current of which ends at the end of this school year.

Amidst the contract negotiations is the defeated school budget proceedings, which continue Friday night at 6 at Bayley-Ellard, Room 320. There the Borough Council will host a special meeting for the public to make its comments heard. The council has until Wednesday, May 19 to give a new budget number to the board. The council will also join the board for a joint meeting on Tuesday, May 18 at the board's normal meeting.

That meeting will go toward finalizing the budget.