By Danny Robertozzi with Kimberly Crane
Dr. Danny Robertozzi is the superintendent of Clifton Public Schools. With Lori Lalama as the president of the Clifton Education Association, the district and the local association are actively engaged in labor-management collaboration. Robertozzi recently responded to a series of questions from NJEA Communications Consultant Kimberly Crane concerning collaboration between district leadership and the association.
How did Clifton’s LMC journey begin?
Unofficially, our collaboration began prior to my appointment as superintendent in July 2019. Lori Lalama had just become the Clifton Education Association (CEA) President. We met for lunch and immediately found that we had similar philosophies about working together collaboratively to solve problems.
Later that year, we went for formal training at the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations. At Rutgers we learned about research indicating that collaboration can improve academics. We then began formalizing our district LMC by creating a Districtwide Collaborative Team and School Based Collaborative Teams. Our focus was to engage the people closest to a problem so that we could improve the quality of solutions. Our biggest challenge was getting people to believe that we should work together and not be adversarial. This was a major philosophy shift that people weren’t used to.
What positive LMC results has Clifton experienced?
We have created a more open environment where people are not afraid to voice their opinions and become part of the solution. We have built more trust among stakeholders and have better communication and information sharing.
“Easy wins” include purified water fountains—easing traffic/parking issues—new teacher desks—and a district calendar and snow day staff survey.
“Larger victories” include passing a $168 million referendum to fund facility improvements—negotiating a 1,200-member contract in two meetings, easing teacher workload, revising elementary schedules, revising end of semester exams, half days at start of year, lunch on half days for all students and free credit recovery summer school for grades 9-12.
Our team also presented a program titled Building Bridges: A Collaborative Journey of Union/Management Partnership in Clifton Public Schools – From Water Fountains to Report Cards at the 2024 California Labor Management Institute Conference.
What LMC practices are embedded in Clifton?
We have quarterly district collaborative team meetings led by a principal and a teacher, not the superintendent and the association president. The team consists of representatives from each category of employee in the district.
Employees receive a quarterly LMC newsletter on district collaboration. Each school has monthly LMC meetings that include the principal, a union leader, and representatives from grade level and content areas.
We have a five-point decision-making model to determine how collaborative a decision is going to be addressed prior to our teams working together on solutions.
What is the future of LMC in Clifton?
We have created and are evolving SLAM Teams to get work done in a more efficient manner. SLAM teams are self-organizing lean autonomous and multidisciplinary.
We will continue to prioritize evaluation and feedback, celebrate achievement and enhance communication.
Kimberly Crane is an NJEA Communications Consultant and the vice president of the Highland Park Education Association. She can be reached at kcrane@njea.org.
For information on the New Jersey Labor Management Collaborative, email Mike Ritzius, NJEA liaison to the New Jersey LMC, at mike@LMCparternships.org
”For Labor Management Collaboration to succeed, true partnership is essential, along with a willingness to embrace diverse perspectives. Establishing strong collaborative frameworks is just as crucial as the people involved, ensuring that the work can endure well beyond our time.” – Danny A. Robertozzi, Clifton Superintendent of Schools
“A successful Labor Management Collaborative Team envisions a proactive partnership between labor and management, built on mutual respect and shared responsibility, to enhance student success through open communication, data-driven decisions and collaborative problem-solving for the benefit of the entire school community.” – Lori Lalama, CEA President
