School board members rescind original collective bargaining agreement to make a better one

PETERSBURG—The school board voted unanimously Wednesday to rescind the resolution on collective bargaining they had passed in June so a better agreement that includes the input of union members can be reached.

“We want to rescind what we did because it’s unacceptable,” said Hal Miles, Ward 2 school board member.

For months, union members have been pushing for the school board to pass a resolution that would allow them to collectively bargain their working conditions, salaries, and benefits. They argued that collective bargaining would allow workers to feel more supported and to have a greater say in what happens in the classrooms, leading to less employees quitting and bolstering the health of the workers, the schools, and the community.

When the school board passed their original resolution in June, union members were shocked that they never discussed with them any of terms before the passage. In other school districts around Virginia, the school board and union representatives sat down to come up with a resolution together that worked for all parties.

That's not what happened the first time around.

The school board rammed through a resolution that left school employees feeling like it wasn't even a true collective bargaining agreement.

The resolution excluded key points: It only gave collective bargaining power to the teachers, and guidance counselors and librarians who hold a teaching license. The union wanted all school employees to have the ability to negotiate: custodians, nurses, bus drivers, teaching aides, counselors, and more.

Furthermore, the resolution did not allow teachers the ability to negotiate their wages or benefits, limiting the scope of negotiations to hours and scheduling, health and safety, and work rules.

After an outcry from school employees and members of the community, the school board reversed its actions, completely scrapping their first resolution.

"We want to hash the negativity, we want to stop the bashing, the social media bashing. We want to sit down as adults and have a true conversation," said School Board Chair Kenneth Pritchett. "So we look forward to working with you."

The school board will form a committee to sit down with the union's committee to come up with a new resolution that will be more inclusive of all employees.

“I think it was a long time coming," said Freda Curtis, a member of the Petersburg Education Association union. "I am glad they stepped up. They are commended for doing that...It is important for employees to have a seat at the table."

PEA is hoping that the school board will use their resolution as a template for the new collective bargaining agreement.

"We’re looking forward to working the school board,” said Curtis.

Why teachers think collective bargaining matters: School union members want collective bargaining. They say the board is stalling to vote on the resolution.

The union's fight:'This is not what we wanted': Teachers, employees are dissatisfied with the board's resolution on collective bargaining

More: 'The worst in the state:' School employees packed the board meeting to speak out on the resolution

Joyce Chu, an award-winning investigative journalist, is the Social Justice Watchdog Reporter for The Progress Index. Contact her with comments, concerns, or story-tips at Jchu1@gannett.com or on Twitter @joyce_speaks.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg school board scraps collective bargaining resolution for a better one