West Windsor-Plainsboro Teachers Denied DP Benefits

June 1, 2005

WEST WINDSOR — The local chapter of the NJEA teacher's union sold out its gay and lesbian members in the West Windsor-Plainsboro school district by agreeing to allow domestic partner benefits to be lopped off from the three-year contract recently approved by the Board and the union negotiators, according to this article in the Trenton Times.

The union agreed to the plan, as part of a switch to the State Health Benefits Plan, reportedly in order to bring the two sides together.

For teachers in the school district who have registered their domestic partnerships and who, unlike their married colleagues, are otherwise unable to provide health or pension benefits to their partners or their partners' dependents, there will be no opportunity to revisit this issue until at least the third year of the contract.

Shame on the WW-P Board of Education for its failure to respect its gay and lesbian employees and shame on the union's representatives, and the NJEA, for their failure to fully support all of its members.

To express your opinion on the union's failure to respect its GLBT members, you may contact the NJEA.

To let the school district and board members know what you think, you may contact them at the following address:

• Hemant Marathe, President
• Patricia F. Bocarsley, Vice President
• Other Board Members
• Dr. Robert A. Loretan, Superintendent