NORTH NORWICH – What’s good for the general is good for the troops.

That was the rallying cry Thursday night in the Chenango BOCES gymnasium as well over 100 area educators and school support staff representing their local unions organized with leaders from the New York State United Teachers union in a “show of solidarity” for a group of teachers who’ve been working without a contract for 820 days.

The Delaware, Chenango, Madison and Otsego BOCES Teacher’s Association have been in contract talks with administrators for nearly two years seeking improved salaries, health care packages and retirement incentives. As negotiations have been at an apparent stand still for over a year, BOCES educators are fearing continued wavering will impact morale.

“I’m tired of hearing the word ‘No,’” said BOCES therapist Lorrie Paul, an Earlville resident. “Negotiations are about give and take, we’re not getting any of that from the other the side. We’ve been professionals to this point, but I feel if this continues, morale will decline. It hasn’t effected the kids. Will it?”

The president of NYSUT and local unions from Sidney, Oneonta, Owego, Norwich and surrounding areas were in attendance.

Both City of Norwich teachers and support staff are also working without contracts.

BOCES contract talks began in May 2005. Since then, negotiations have not moved forward for what teacher’s representative Mark Lynch of NYSUT says is non-cooperation on the part of administration representatives and a lack of involvement from BOCES Superintendent Alan Pole.

“We don’t need to have the same health benefits as the administrators and the superintendent, but we need to improve them,” Lynch said at the rally last night. “We’ve tried to offer a balance. All we’ve gotten is forceful opposition.”