Advocating for Collective Bargaining in ACPS

Forward Albemarle

On Thursday, February 9, Albemarle County public school employees will be asking the School Board to once again consider collective bargaining. The Albemarle Education Association will be presenting an updated resolution, amended from the resolution rejected by the Board last spring. We urge the Albemarle County School Board to accept the Collective Bargaining resolution presented or, at the very least, agree to work with employees to draft a joint resolution.

When the Board was last presented with a collective bargaining resolution in May of 2022, they voted not to approve it, opting instead for a “Meet and Confer” method of negotiation. This method falls significantly short of collective bargaining because there is no accountability holding the division responsible to actually Meet and Confer with employees. The division has the authority to decide which issues are brought to the table and when. Even in the best of circumstances, the power lies with the division and, unfortunately, ACPS employees have not experienced the best of circumstances. Since Meet and Confer was approved last spring, there have been no negotiations forged. Our employees deserve better.

Charlottesville City Schools recently passed what is being hailed as one of the strongest collective bargaining resolutions in the state (read them here). Now it’s our turn! Sign the open letter urging the Albemarle County School Board to accept the collective bargaining resolution presented by ACPS educators on February 9.

Take Action in Support of our Teachers:

• Sign the open letter here. 

• Learn more about collective bargaining here. 

• Email the School Board (schoolboard@k12albemarle.org) and let them know that our educators deserve the same rights that our neighbors in Charlottesville have earned.

Sign up to provide a public comment at the February 9 School Board meeting here.