Contract Negotiations in Virginia

Essentially, the process of collective negotiations creates a way for your association and your school division to come together, reach mutually-acceptable solutions to problems, and reach a written agreement. It simply means that representatives of both educators and administrators sit down and negotiate fairly together.

In our public schools, negotiations also put in place an organized and transparent system designed to improve education and to help make sure that professional educators are paid a professional salary. When your local union and your school division can work out agreements about salary, benefits, and working conditions—which are also student learning conditions—it’s a win for everyone.

The process begins with both sides examining the current agreement and getting the feedback of colleagues to identify areas of concern or that need improvement. During actual negotiations, procedures are agreed on about how to propose changes and what subjects are legally permissible to discuss. Bargaining concludes when compromise is reached and the union holds a ratification vote. Management usually must get approval from the school board.

When the negotiating process is working best, it’s often because the union and school division are keeping in regular touch about the contract, perhaps in a monthly labor-management committee meeting.

Even though it is now the law of the commonwealth, change will not come immediately. First of all, the lifting of the ban on public employee contract negotiations was pushed back to May 1, 2021 because of the COVID crisis.

Leading up to that date, a lot of groundwork must be laid. Bargaining will not begin automatically.

Your district needs to pass a resolution agreeing to collectively negotiation with your local association. If they have not passed such a resolution, you will need to do the following:

1. Determine who will be in your bargaining unit. Will it be everyone (teachers, office staff, bus drivers, counselors, etc.) or just a specific group?
2. Then, 50%+1 of that group needs to fill our authorization cards indicating they want to be represented by your VEA local.
3. Your school board then has 120 days to consider your collective request to negotiate.
4. Keep up the pressure on your school boards. Your voice matters and in states where educators have a voice, we see an increase in funding, higher wages, and an increased focus on getting resources to the classroom and students.

Now that contract negotiations rights have been restored, VEA has begun the process of educating members, leaders, and staff about organizing to make negotiations happen. The February issue of the Virginia Journal of Education included an informative piece to guide members. UniServ Directors are being trained in collective negotiations, a webinar for local member representatives is planned, and there will be regional meetings around Virginia to help bring members up to speed. We also used our summer leadership training opportunity to build skills.

To take advantage of this new opportunity, we must gain membership and grow in strength. VEA and NEA are teaming up on a major initiative to support training and member organizing to help us do that and take advantage of the opportunity presented by bargaining.

Educate yourself. Attend a VEA negotiations training. Learn more about the bargaining process and the kinds of topics that can be brought to the table.

Help build our grassroots effort. Ask your colleagues to join your local association. Be an active part of the local campaign to start  negotiating with your school division.

Identify issues in your school that you’d like to see changed for your students or somehow addressed through negotiations. Consider becoming a building representative.

In short, be part of the movement to bring negotiations to your local, for both your students and your colleagues!