Princeton Public Schools Technology Workers Unionize With Local 32

Today, unrepresented Technology Workers at the Princeton Public School District unanimously submitted a petition to the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission to unionize with OPEIU Local 32. This follows the refusal from the School Board to grant the workers voluntary recognition of their union. The group, which calls itself the Princeton Public Schools Technology Association (PPSTA), had requested voluntary recognition on October 23, 2023.

In their petition to management, the group noted that “for some time, we have struggled to effectively service the Princeton students and staff. We believe we can better address our job responsibilities once our concerns with staffing levels, budgetary constraints, and workplace conditions are reviewed and resolved.”

One of the major reasons for this filing have been the repeated calls for adding more technology staff that have gone unanswered by district administration. Since the pandemic, when the district was asked to go one-to-one with devices for students, the technology department has been imploring administration to add more support to the staffing levels. With only 1 technician for Princeton High School, serving around 1550 students and close to 300 staff members; and Princeton Middle School with 1 technician for around 830 students and close to 175 staff members, the technology department is unable to meet the needs and expectations of the district administration. The community needs to know that PPS students and staff deserve better.

The members of the PPSTA, which represent the entirety of the non-union represented technology staff at the district, had hoped that voluntary recognition of their union would be in the best interest of the district and its students. They note that “forming this union will promote transparency, ensure equity, increase staff well-being, and add to the long list of reasons why staff members are proud to work at Princeton Public Schools. Each of us feels a deep sense of gratitude for the work that those in senior leadership have done to build this institution and make it a place that inspires us, our students, our faculty, and our community.”