P'burg pact talks now at a premium Health care costs the only major issue left in talks with teachers. Wednesday, February 28, 2007 • By DANIEL HAUSMANN • The Express-Times PHILLIPSBURG | The school board's chief negotiator and teachers are confident that this round of mediation meetings can lead to a new contract. Both sides admitted there is only one issue up for debate: whether teachers should contribute toward their health care. The district covers premiums for 402 teachers enrolled in the health plan. The district paid $8.2 million in health care for all employees in the 2005-06 school year, which is slightly less than 14 percent of the district's budget.Negotiations Committee Chairman Kevin DeGerolamo said "more likely than not," the contract will be drafted in mediation. Teachers have been without a contract since last summer. DeGerolamo said a salary hike issue is easier to solve than it appears. The length of the workday presents a different problem. Under the last contract, teachers agreed to an extra hour for educators in kindergarten through eighth grade and were compensated. The last contract had an average annual increase of 3.87 percent, on top of a 3 percent hike for the extra hour. DeGerolamo said the question now is do the teachers give that compensation back if that extra hour is cut. He believes that issue still pales next to the healthcare fight. Phillipsburg Education Association President Barbara English agreed those were two fixable issues and has confidence in the March 8 mediation meeting. "Those two will work themselves out," English said. "I think it can be done next session." In what has become her regular address to the district, English reminded board members Monday that teachers haven't resorted to such tactics as limiting their role to the school day. She said they are still writing letters of recommendation and working with clubs. "The teachers are still going above and beyond," English said. "We're still doing what we need to do." Board attorney Don Morrow said mediation continues as long as the mediator thinks both sides are making headway. The next step after mediation is fact finding, but Morrow doesn't think it has to get to that. "I think if everyone uses their best efforts; each side has to give and take a little bit," Morrow said. Two weeks ago, the union held its first informational picket in front of the Early Childhood Learning Center. This past weekend they picketed again at Phillipsburg High School for Green Street Elementary School's performance of "Cinderella." Reporter Daniel Hausmann can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at dhausmann@express-times.com. © 2007 The Express-Times. Used by NJ.com with permission.