N. Bellmore teacher contract negotiations at impasse

The North Bellmore School District and and the North Bellmore Teachers' Association have been at an impasse in contract negotiations since April 12, Superintendent Arnold Goldstein announced at last Thursday's Board of Education meeting.

The administration and the teachers' association have met 14 times since May 2009, during which they seemed to make progress, but then encountered deadlock, Goldstein said. During negotiations this April, the teachers' association called for increases of more than 5 percent for tenured teachers; Goldstein said that is not economically feasible.

"We cannot afford the same generous increases we have given in the past," he said. "I wish we could because you deserve it," Goldstein said of awarding teachers raises comparable with previous years.

Goldstein also noted that teachers currently contribute 12 percent toward their health-insurance premiums and have not offered to increase that amount, while administrators contribute over 20 percent toward theirs. While negotiations have reached an impasse, Goldstein stressed that he feels North Bellmore has the highest quality teachers, but that it is not "business as usual."

North Bellmore Teachers' Association President Randee Colter said that she would like to get back to negotiations and reach an agreement as quickly as possible. Goldstein agreed. "Let us find the common ground on which we can both stand," he said.

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