Contract talks between Jersey City school district, teachers union nearing end

By Terrence T. McDonald | The Jersey Journal The Jersey Journal
April 24, 2015 at  5:58 PM

JERSEY CITY – After two years of negotiations, school and union officials are inching closer to a deal that would cement a new teachers' contract.

Teachers for the public-school district, the second-largest in the state, have been working under an expired contract since August 2013, and negotiations have been contentious.

At last night's school board meeting, according to two sources who were at the meeting, Schools Superintendent Marcia V. Lyles said the proposed deal, which has yet to be approved by rank-and-file union members, came despite the two sides being "quite far apart on money."

"We could not responsibly afford $15 million a year," Lyles said, referring to an offer she says union officials made during negotiations. The union, the Jersey City Education Association, has denied making that offer.

JCEA President Ron Greco told The Jersey Journal today that he thinks Lyles made that statement last night "to stir the pot."

Read more:  http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... city_school_district.html