Collective Bargaining Rights Extended To Falls Church Schools Staff

FALLS CHURCH, VA — Collective bargaining rights were granted to Falls Church City School Board employees with a vote Tuesday.

Virginia General Assembly legislation that took effect in 2021 allowed localities in Virginia to adopt ordinances for collective bargaining with employees. Collective bargaining involves negotiations on the terms and conditions of employment, including pay and benefits. The Virginia law maintains that employees in a bargaining unit cannot strike.

School Boards are included in the scope of localities that can make collective bargaining agreements with employees. In April 2022, the Falls Church City School Board directed the board chair to form a committee of school staff and management to draft a collective bargaining resolution.

"We are pleased with the Collective Bargaining Resolution that was approved," said School Board Chair Laura Downs in a statement. "I want to thank the Collective Bargaining Resolution Committee members for coming together and working collaboratively. I would also like to acknowledge and thank Ms. Patricia Minson, FCCPS Chief Legal Officer, and School Board member Dr. Susan Dimock for their leadership and expertise, and for the countless hours they devoted to this endeavor."

The resolution establishes two bargaining units: certified employees (with a professional certification, such as teachers), and non-certified employees. Staff groups excluded from collective bargaining units are administrative employees, confidential employees, temporary employees, athletic coaches, interns and volunteers.

An employee association to represent employees in a bargaining unit will be chosen by those employees through a majority vote. A labor relations neutral will oversee the certification and election processes to determine collective bargaining representatives.

For collective bargaining agreements to be included in budgets, negotiations must be done by Dec. 1 of the previous year before the spring budget adoption.