Phillipsburg teachers picket for new contract ''It's been several months and we don't think a lot of people know that we've been without a contract for so long.'' ARKY DeSTEFANO Phillipsburg High School history teacher Board, union disagree on health benefits premium, raises. Friday, February 09, 2007 • By Harley Rissmiller Special to The Morning Call About a dozen members of Phillipsburg's teachers union gathered in front of the district's early childhood center Thursday night to draw attention to their lack of a contract. ''We thought it would be a way to let people know,'' said Phillipsburg High School history teacher Arky DeStefano, one of the teachers who came out to carry signs and talk to parents at the center's monthly literacy night. ''It's been several months and we don't think a lot of people know that we've been without a contract for so long.'' Mobile News | Subscribe Online | Order Reprints Lehigh Valley Local Links The teachers wing of the Phillipsburg Education Association, an umbrella union covering all the district's employees, has been without a contract since July 1, 2006, the day after the previous contract expired. The education board and the association are split on the issues of raises and whether union members will make a contribution to their health benefits premium. Currently members don't pay, although a small percentage of the union does make payments if they opt for an alternate plan. A nonbinding session with a state appointed mediator is scheduled Tuesday. Although the union has 420 members, the union tried to keep the event small, said association President Barbara English. She said the union did not want to startle the children coming out to the monthly event that encourages kindergarten students to read. ''We don't want to scare people away. We want them to come and enjoy the evening,'' said English. ''But we want them to understand the situation.'' Union members carried signs reading ''No contract since July 1 2006 is not negotiating in good faith,'' and ''Help us settle our contract'' and other slogans and handed out leaflets to parents. ''Now that we've told them, maybe some of them will come out to the board meeting on Monday and let the board know that the community is behind us as well,'' English said. Kevin DeGerolamo, Phillipsburg Board of Education member, said that he respected the association's decision not to picket immediately after school and conceded their right to a peaceful demonstration. He claimed, though, that it would do little to change the board's decision-making process. ''It's not going to be a major impact on what's going to happen Tuesday. I look forward to that and getting it done,'' he said. ''It's in the mediator's hands now. We have our position on the [raise] and health premiums and they have theirs and no amount of parents coming out is going to really change that.'' Harley Rissmiller is a freelance writer.