Lindy BOE Moves to Mediation in Talks with TAL

The Lindenhurst Board of Education has declared as impasse in its contracts talks with the largest collective bargaining unit: TAL.

This comes a year after the current teachers' union contract with the  expired on June 30, 2011.

However, the impasse - and the motion declaring it that was on 's BOE agenda and unanimously passed by the Board - doesn't mean contract talks have come to a complete halt.

Behind the Impasse
According to BOE President Donna Hochman and Vice President Ed Murphy, Jr., it's a step that lets the negotiation process to continue while now allowing a third-party mediator to come in, review things objectively and suggest things to both sides to further facilitate talks.

"First, we're always open to talking. This doesn't close the door on that," Hochman told Lindenhurst Patch.

"But when one side determines they've come to a point where things aren't going as well as they would've liked after a certain amount of time, declaring an impasse allows you to bring in help from outside," she explained.

"The third party comes in, and one side gives a list to that party and the other side does, as well, and it goes from there," Murphy added.

However, whatever ideas are suggested by the mediator aren't binding, they clarified.

"This mediation isn't binding for either side, but it does help move things along a little bit quicker," noted Hochman. "They're able to look at things more objectively, listen to both sides and offer advice."

The decision to declare an impasse and open the door to non-binding mediation came after the continued meetings among the District, the Board, the attorneys and TAL brass didn't appear to show movement for a period of time.

And this isn't the first time an impasse has been declared. Several years back one was declared when talks slowed with TAL during previous contract negotiations, she said, though she didn't recall exactly when it happened.

"We're always open for a dialogue with TAL - we've always been and always will be - and I know they know that," Hochman said. "But this step this time allows for a neutral third party to come in, and it kind of diffuses things because sometimes people can get stuck."

Tough Decisions
This is especially key considering TAL isn't the only bargaining unit in contract talks with the district. The other five units are also in negotiations: aides, clerical, nurses and administrators.

In addition, the Board is faced with not only settling with TAL and the other employee units, but also with continuing to make additional tough financial decisions - including program and staff changes and cuts - in the coming school year and following years as the New York state tax cap continues to stay in place for five years.

"We made to some electives in the people didn't like, and doubled up on some other programs, but without extra money coming from the State, without mandate relief and without contracts, and with the tax cap, we're running out of options," the new BOE president said.

"We're very mindful of the economic issues [in this community]. We don't want to give more than what the community can afford. It's a fine line we're walking. TAL is the largest bargaining unit, and it's a big chunk of change. We can't bind a future board, and we're trying very hard. But the door is always open to talking," Hochman added.

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