Educational Unions Ally To Organize & Win---And Provide A Lesson For Others

Teachers, counselors, librarians, teaching assistants, clerical workers, bus drivers, custodians, food service workers and others who work in the Fairfax, Virginia public school system have filed for two bargaining unit elections. They are represented by the Fairfax Education Unions (FEU), an alliance between the Fairfax Education Assiciation, an affiliate of the National Edcation Association, and the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers. Their disrict is the ninth largest in the United States.

A press release issued by the alliance underscored the historic nature of the union alliance and the demand for recognition being put forward by the FEU. That press release can be read here.

There are lessons for Oregon here. Unity between unions and union organizing are positive steps. The Fairfax school district is experiencing some economic difficulties, despite Fairfax County being one of he wealthiest districts in the United States, and these difficulties are based in part on the County Executive not being responsive to the needs of the community and the school workers. Sound familiar? You can follow the union response to this situation here.       

The unions involved have strong relations with the labor movement---another practical lesson for us in our region---and the AFL-CIO had this to say about the union campaign:  

Top Cut:
Fairfax Education Unions (FEU), an alliance between Fairfax Education Association and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) affiliate Fairfax County Federation of Teachers (FCFT), filed for two bargaining unit elections last week and demanded recognition from Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS).

Why It Matters:
In March 2023, the Fairfax County School Board voted to extend collective bargaining rights to workers, three years after the Virginia General Assembly first gave localities the power to do so, reversing a 1977 Virginia Supreme Court ruling. An overwhelming number of FCPS workers signed authorization cards and a petition urging recognition of their union. This organizing effort is taking place in the ninth largest school district in the entire country and is the largest public sector bargaining campaign in generations.

“Today we are proud to announce our decision to file for a union election. This pivotal step reaffirms our unwavering commitment to advocate for the rights and well-being of all FCPS staff,” said David Walrod, president of FCFT, in an FEU statement. “For too long, we haven’t had a seat at the table. But now we are empowered to stand together, speak up, and shape FCPS for the better. This initiative marks a significant milestone in our journey towards the bargaining table.”