Loudoun Education Association Chosen For Collective Bargaining At LCPS

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — After an election to decide collective bargaining representation, the Loudoun Education Association is expected to be the collective bargaining representative that will negotiate contracts with Loudoun County Public Schools. This is the first time the eligible employees will get a collective bargaining agreement at LCPS.

LCPS employees in the certified and non-certified employee bargaining units voted in an election to determine if the Loudoun Education Association should represent them in contract negotiations. Eligible employees were notified via their LCPS email address to vote from 8 a.m. on Dec. 2 to 5 p.m. on Dec. 6. The union received 90.61 percent of votes in the non-certified bargaining unit and 95.95 percent from the certified bargaining unit.

LCPS estimates the union will represent more than 10,000 employees. The certified employee bargaining unit includes positions such as teachers, counselors and nurses, while non-certified employees can include positions like bus drivers, custodians, food service workers and instructional assistants. The bargaining units do not include administrative employees, confidential employees, temporary employees, athletic coaches, interns and volunteers.

LCPS expects contract negotiations will begin in the early new year. A labor relations neutral must first confirm the election results in the coming weeks.

"This is a significant win for Loudoun County Public Schools," said Kris Countryman, president of the Loudoun Education Association, in a joint statement with LCPS. "This will not only help us attract and retain quality teachers and support staff, but it will ultimately benefit our students and strengthen the school division."

"Our employees are at the heart of everything we do, and this step reflects our shared commitment to fostering an environment where every team member feels supported, valued, and empowered to contribute their best to our students and community," added Superintendent Aaron Spence in the joint statement.

The Loudoun County School Board approved collective bargaining for teachers and select other employees in August after a state law taking effect in May 2021 allowed collective bargaining. Under the collective bargaining ordinance, bargaining units may choose a union to exclusively represent them in collective bargaining negotiations with LCPS. A union must hold an election and receive a majority of votes from bargaining unit employees. Membership in a union is voluntary for LCPS employees, according to the school division.

The exclusive bargaining representative will negotiate an agreement with LCPS involving wages, benefits and working conditions. A labor relations professional will serve as a third party during the process. The School Board must approve the agreement before it can become effective, and it is contingent upon sufficient funds allocated by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors.

For an agreement to be incorporated into the next year's fiscal year budget, collective bargaining must begin by April 15 and end by Dec. 1. If an agreement isn't reached by Oct. 1 of a negotiation year, the collective bargaining ordinance requires impasse resolution procedures to begin.

According to the National Education Association, the Loudoun Education is the 10th Virginia Education Association affiliate to be named an exclusive collective bargaining representative for public school employees. Contracts have been ratified for three other Northern Virginia school districts — Fairfax County, Prince William County and Arlington County.