Signs supporting the settlement of a new contract for Brick teachers and staff. (Photo: Daniel Nee)
The Brick Township Board of Education approved a new pact with its teachers and staff who are members of the Brick Township Education Association on Thursday night.
At its monthly meeting, the board approved a three-year contract. The deal was reached after months of negotiations that led to mediation following the district’s declaration of an impasse with the teachers’ union.
The contract calls for a 10.6 percent raise for teachers over three years. Business Administrator James Edwards said teachers will receive a 3 percent raise retroactive to July, then 3.3 percent increases for the following two years. In exchange, the union agreed to switch to a health insurance plan known as Direct 20, which requires $20 copayments for doctor visits. The salary increases were accounted-for in the district’s 2019-20 school year operating budget, which was also approved Thursday night.
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Edwards said the contract also includes language that allows teachers to save money in an account so they can receive an income during the summer. The contract also removes a program that awarded bonuses to teachers with perfect work attendance over the course of the school year. The bonus program cost the district about $70,000 last year.
The contract approval garnered positive comments from board members as well as the leader of the teachers’ union.
“We both care for the students and we both love Brick Township,” said BTEA President Tim Puglisi, who attended the meeting.
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