Collective bargaining handed over to new school board

By Audrey Carpenter

The outgoing Loudoun County School Board voted Dec. 12 to send a draft collective bargaining resolution back to the Legislative and Policy Committee for more study, leaving the new incoming school board members to pick up the issue when it meets in the new year.

The Loudoun Education Association has been working nearly three years for a collective bargaining opportunity with Loudoun County Public Schools to negotiate for better pay and benefits for school employees.

The school board discussed the draft resolution at its Nov. 28 meeting, and heard from some LEA members who requested the resolution to be passed on to the new school board and that the
board remove a Dec. 31 voting deadline.

The resolution recommended allowing the school board, or its representatives, and the collective bargaining representatives to bargain on up to four topics during an initial meeting. The four topics would have to be agreed on by both parties before they meet to bargain over them. After the initial agreement, subsequent collective bargaining agreements could have two additional bargaining topics.

“Loudoun Education Association has been representing and advocating for LCPS employees for more than 50 years and we look forward to contributing our expertise when the incoming school board starts its work on a collective bargaining resolution,” said LEA President Sandy Sullivan.

“We are deeply disappointed that, up until the Dec. 12 Board meeting, LEA was treated like an adversary rather than an ally. Our members have worked tirelessly over the past eight months to let their voices be heard. Through countless phone calls, emails, meetings, and public comments, ultimately our expertise and experience were recognized at last night’s board meeting,” she added.

“Developing a fair and balanced collective bargaining policy requires meaningful, ongoing participation from labor. LEA is committed to continuing our discussions and work with the incoming school board members. We call on the incoming board to convene the joint resolution drafting committee promptly and devote the time and effort required to reach agreement on the collective bargaining resolution LCPS employees deserve without further unnecessary delays. LEA looks forward to collaborating to design language that reflects the expertise, experience, and respect that LCPS employees and students deserve,” Sullivan concluded.

Anne Donohue, one of nine new school board members, said, “I had mixed feelings. The collective bargaining process has been ongoing for so long, I was disappointed that it couldn’t be resolved last night. On the other hand, if a resolution were passed, last night or in the future, it would be the incoming board’s responsibility to implement. Because of that, partly I am looking forward to the opportunity to have input into the resolution.”