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Teachers' union leader urges board to bargain in good faith ahead of March mediation
Summary
Carla Russo, president of the High Point Education Association, told the board the district has worked under an expired agreement since June and urged readiness for a March 18 mediation; the board said negotiations must occur outside public meetings and reiterated willingness to continue bargaining.
Carla Russo, president of the High Point Education Association, told the High Point Regional High School Board on Feb. 25 that staff have worked under an expired contract since June and called for serious bargaining at the March 18 mediation.
"We have been working under an expired agreement since June," Russo said, adding that staff have gone "eight months without a raise" and have continued to "bring our very best to work every day." She accused the board of proposing settlements below the county average and said the union declared impasse and requested state-appointed mediators. "Stop playing these games, and let's get it done," Russo said.
The union leader outlined routine extra work by teachers — covering classes, tutoring during lunch, volunteering for field trips and running a student food pantry — and said that, given that record, staff deserve a competitive contract.
The board chair responded that bargaining is not conducted in public forums. "It is not the position of the board to negotiate in public," the chair said, and also stressed that the board includes current and former union leaders and several educators, adding the district remains willing to negotiate and is prepared to attend the March 18 mediation.
A member of the public who identified himself as Ben Cowper later said union and district lawyers have remained in communication and that both sides are close to agreement. "We're not that far away," Cowper said, urging completion of the process.
Why it matters: The union’s remarks and the board’s reply put a March mediation date in focus and make clear the dispute centers on wages and contract terms affecting district staffing. If mediation fails, the union and district may face further state-directed steps under New Jersey labor law.
What happens next: The board and union are scheduled to meet with the state-assigned mediator March 18, 2025. The district stated it remains able and willing to continue negotiations in good faith.
