RUN Achieves Results

We Are Stronger Together

There is some fantastic news to share: We are already making waves together! Educators have been speaking out, voicing concerns about the lack of transparency with collective bargaining negotiations. We saw those concerns and decided to amplify them in our messaging. Now EAA is facing mounting pressure and we want to pressure them to respond. After months, if not years, of silence and disregard for members' many inquiries, we want the deafening uproar of members to be too loud to ignore.

Educators have been so outspoken in their frustration. At the same time, the school board felt the need to review their proposed healthcare increases in their budget, acknowledging what we already know: educators should come first in ACPS. The board admitted ACPS is on a dangerous path to not being competitive with surrounding districts.

Board members deliberated for hours about ways to finalize a budget that would keep reserve funds to increase wages for educators and remove the healthcare offset. Their conclusion was the healthcare offset would create too large a burden on educators while eliminating any pay raise. Clearly, the school board is able to recognize that educators deserve better.

But can EAA leadership do the same?

EAA Confronted With A New Vision

At that school board meeting, EAA leadership stormed out and called an emergency CBA committee meeting to discuss the budget failing to include reserve funds. These funds would give staff at the top of the salary scale a longevity bonus and maintain the current healthcare split, but only if the funds are available in the budget at all. As school board members stated, there is a possibility that present negotiations may not be honored if the budget does not allow it. EAA leadership made it clear they were frustrated that the budget proposal would affect current collective bargaining negotiations, not that their negotiations may ultimately fall short. If the board knows they may not be able to deliver now, why isn’t EAA sounding the alarm to warn members of the impending impact?

Continuing to disregard educators' very outspoken concerns, the details and topics of the negotiations were not disclosed and remain elusive. However, EAA leadership now wants educators to get involved but not to advocate for members and their needs. Instead members are asked to validate and justify a CBA that looks more and more like a bad deal and worse, harmful to educators financial prosperity.

With all this pressure building, we decided it was time to be direct. RUN members and supporters attended the Alexandria Democratic Committee Labor Caucus meeting this month in February. It was there that candidate David Paladin-Fernandez confronted EAA leadership’s years-long disregard for members’ wellbeing. Remaining consistent, EAA leadership showed no interest in these concerns and declined to respond or acknowledge the reality of how disenfranchised members are. But if they are unwilling to hear the message then we just have to be louder. This is only the beginning.

Where do we go from here?

The Fight Must Go On

We continue to fight and amplify your voice. It is clear now more than ever that when we stand together, we make progress towards building a union worth its dues. It bears repeating that EAA has been lost in ineffectiveness and left members behind. RUN aims to challenge and change that, come the election projected to take place in May. Our candidates David, Tyron and Howard have a vision. They want a better union just as you do. Each of them has faced the same systemic disenfranchisement as all members and non members have. We all know change is necessary, which is why they are running against EAA leadership so that members will have a voice.

David knows that educators are long overdue for compensation that reflects their hard work. He wants to be the leader that ensures every educator gets a raise each year, beyond a step increase that amounts to a pay cut with rising costs. Tyron wants members to be organized and EAA bylaws made transparent. He understands that if members are to have any power they need leadership that empowers them. Howard wants to balance the budget and make sure every penny of union dues are spent paying back members. He is motivated to build a union that revolves around paying that investment back to every educator in ACPS.

It doesn’t end with us though; we need your support if we want to win. Several events are scheduled next month and we would love to see people come out and demand answers from EAA leadership. If you are interested in attending, please check out our calendar or reach out to volunteer coordinator on the Contact page. We are stronger together and that has never been more clear. A better union is possible and ACPS is long past due proper representation.

Let’s fight together!