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Teachers union president urges action on HVAC, toilets and unpaid training; warns of grievances
Summary
Rachel Bloom, president of the Newark Teachers Association, used public comment to press the board on failing HVAC, plumbing and building maintenance, criticized unpaid training for substitutes and said the union will file grievances and Williams Act complaints if promised repairs and contract commitments are not met.
Rachel Bloom, president of the Newark Teachers Association, used her allotted public-comment time to press the board for faster action on facilities and working conditions, and to warn that the union would pursue grievances if contractual promises are not met.
Bloom told trustees she often brings basic supplies to classrooms because HVAC systems sometimes fail (rooms reported "down to the 50s" or "super cold") and that some sites require insect repellent, flood boots and umbrellas to deal with leaks and plumbing problems. She said the district promised to gain savings by closing and repurposing sites, but that surplus sites (identified as Music and Snow elementary properties in her remarks) have sat unused while the district discusses possible consolidation.
Bloom said she will escalate concerns about unpaid training time and substitute teacher expectations. "When educators are not paid the stipends they are promised, I will take action. I will file grievances, complaints, or use any other tools at my disposal to help my people," she said. She also threatened Williams Act complaints for prolonged unsafe classroom conditions (nonworking toilets, lack of supplies in special-day classes) if those items were not fixed.
The union president repeatedly used the phrase, "I will not drop the ball," to describe her commitments to follow up on repairs, evaluations and contract obligations. Board members acknowledged the concerns; members asked staff for follow-ups on the referenced surplus properties and for better communication with the community.
Bloom also criticized expectations placed on guest teachers who must complete unpaid online trainings, saying it is unreasonable to expect substitutes to work additional hours without pay and that this contributes to staffing shortages.
Ending: Bloom closed by urging the board to prioritize repairs and community trust while promising union follow-up if conditions do not improve.
