Hartford School Board in “Cooling Off” Period

After several months of contract negotiations broke down over salary increases, the Hartford School Board and its support staff union are in a 30-day “cooling off” period. That’s according to Superintendent Tom DeBalsi. The Valley News reports mediation and the hiring of an independent fact finder failed to fully resolve the differences between the district and the union, the Hartford Education Association.

School leaders say voters have forced the district to take a hard line on negotiations, while both the union  says the district needs to pay its staff more over the next three years in order to match raises offered by other districts.  Hartford’s two other employee groups — administrators and teachers — are renegotiating their contracts this year as well.

The district’s teachers, who also are represented by the Hartford Education Association, still are in discussions with the school board, while the administrators’ union already has agreed to a contract, according to DeBalsi.