Teachers' Union Ratifies Deal To Save Most Custodians

Vote of union membership approved deal with administration to save 26 of 32 jobs targeted for outsourcing

The Wall Township Education Association, the union that represents the school district teachers and other school employees, on Friday ratified a deal struck with district administrators to retain the majority of custodial jobs previously targeted for elimination, union officials said. Joseph Martin, teachers’ union president, said a late afternoon vote among union members ratified the deal by a 2-to-1 margin. Martin declined to give more specific numbers. The district had targeted the 32-member custodial staff for elimination, under a tentative budget for next year. Schools Superintendent James Habel said the move could save the district at least $900,000. But negotiations between the 615-member union and the district produced a deal that …

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Letters to the Editor

No One Can Fill The Shoes Of Our Custodial Staff

Custodians should not be outsourced

Editor, Wall (N.J.) Patch: I am writing to as a parent, resident, employee of Wall Township, as well as a coach for the Wall Challenger Team.  I can’t express my feelings enough about the custodial staff we have at the Wall Township School District.   We know the reason why (the school district) are privatizing our custodians, but do you really know why you shouldn’t be doing this to our schools?   It is not just about the custodians being part of our family. As a mother, it is a great feeling to know that when your child leaves for school, that they will be in a safe, clean environment.   I stress safety because I have a child with special needs.   I know what is needed in a school building to make this possible.   Our custodial staff …

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Letters to the Editor

Letter To The Editor: Let The Voters Decide

Outsourcing custodial services should be decided in a public vote

Editor, Wall Patch: It has come to our attention that the Board of Education decided to hold a vote to privatize the 32 person custodial staff at a recent BOE meeting.  Was this posted on the (district) web site? Were the employees who currently have these positions ever given the courtesy to be made aware of these proceedings? Was this another decision made in the dark of the night without enabling the public to comment or develop alternatives? These questions are rhetorical. It seems that this decision is boiling down to pure financial cost analysis and directly corresponds to a decision delaying the closing of the West Belmar School. All the reports state that closing the school would save the district close to $1 million so when the …

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Letters to the Editor

Outsourcing Custodians Not Thought Out

Board of Education should reconsider ill-conceived plan

Editor, Wall Patch: The decision to outsource custodians by the Wall Township Board of Education is reckless and ill thought out. While the “math” may show savings, there are intangible costs that require it to be rethought.  Though it is positioned as a necessity, and the result of other decisions, the reality is we can’t endanger our children. If we protect them appropriately, outsourcing will not realize the expected financial savings. The myth of most outsourcing is that it saves money, but in fact it usually brings hidden costs offsetting paper savings. It usually has additional costs that aren’t reflected such as having to manage the contract, the services, and issues with the outsourcer’s personnel. Custodians have access to the …

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The Working Unemployed: Custodial Staff Not Told Before Outsourcing Vote

District voted last week to outsource custodial services without telling custodians, union presidents says

While throngs of Wall residents packed the Board of Education meeting last week to discuss the fate of West Belmar School and the upcoming schools budget, district custodian Dan Bosak went to work. It was a Tuesday, after all. And while Bosak, of Cottage Place, wanted to go to the meeting, it was held during his shift at the high school. So he finished his rounds, took care of that portion of the high school for which he is held accountable, and he went home. Another Tuesday down. But it was a Tuesday during the district’s budget season -- a time each year when custodians get a little nervous. When cash-strapped school districts are looking to save money, custodians start to worry about their jobs, Bosak said. It wasn’t until the next day …

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