MRTA Protests Contract Negotiation Stalemate [VIDEO]

A large group of teachers from the Matawan Regional Teacher's Association (MRTA) marched on the front lawn of Monday night before the Board of Education meeting in protest of the ongoing contract negotiations.

At the beginning of the meeting, Board of Education President Charles Kenny addressed the crowded school cafeteria and provided an update on the process.

The board negotiation's committee and the MRTA had a total of five mediation sessions, the last of which was Nov. 15, Kenny said. Since the two parties did not reach an agreement, they filed for an impasse and a fact finder was assigned to the case. The first fact finding session will take place on March 5. According to Kenny, the board and the MRTA have met three times since Nov. 15.

"The board and the MRTA negotiation sub committees have met on three occasions, Dec. 7, Feb. 14 and Feb. 22, and have a fourth meeting set for Wednesday Feb. 29. The board will continue to meet with the MRTA and negotiate in good faith in an effort to resolve this contract as soon as possible," Kenny said.

The MRTA represents Matawan Aberdeen Regional School District teachers, instructor's assistants, clerical staff, bus drivers and maintenance staff. The contract expired in June 2010.

"If we go to fact finding, which we obviously are, we are looking at coming back and starting the negotiating process over again in eight months, nine months," MRTA President Carl Kosmyna said.

Matawan Aberdeen teachers also , carrying the same large signs that read "Working every day for your children," "Negotiate not stalemate," and "Dignity will not be negotiated."