East Orange teachers picket outside BOE meeting for new contracts
Teacher contracts for the five-year term between 2022 and 2027 have been stalled, awaiting an agreement between the school board and East Orange Education Association.
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Dozens of teachers within the East Orange School District are fighting for higher wages following mass layoffs in December.
They were seen demonstrating ahead of the school board meeting, where their contract was discussed.
The school board voted unanimously on their side of the proposal on Monday night, but it has to be reviewed by the union before those terms can be released.
Teachers and staff showed out in numbers to voice their concerns during demonstrations.
"I'm currently making the same amount of money in April of 2025 as I started the school year in September of 2021," said physical education teacher James Watkins.
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Teacher contracts for the five-year term between 2022 and 2027 have been stalled, awaiting an agreement between the school board and East Orange Education Association.
The school board made a proposal in November, but it was rejected by the union. "We are trying our best, in difficult times, to be able to come up with a resolution while still navigating financial challenges," said Superintendent Dr. Christopher Irving.
At Monday's meeting, Dr. Irving shared that their new proposal is almost $1 million more than what they offered before.
In a statement, the EOEA told News 12, “We will continue to demonstrate for a fair and reasonable contract every morning before work until a settlement is made."
"It's not just teachers working, its family, its community. It's who we are. These are our kids. So we come here to support our kids each and every day and we just want the same support," said first grade teacher Alma Cosmeus.
The EOEA says it has a meeting scheduled with school district leaders on Friday, where they will continue discussing the terms of the contract.
