It might take some time, but Alexandria City Public Schools has opened the door to collective bargaining with its employees.
On Thursday, the School Board conducted its first work session on the topic, and Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt says it could be two years before the issue comes to the Board for a vote. The Board has to develop a collective bargaining resolution (CBR) with staff representatives, who will iron out wage and other potential increases through a long process.
“It depends on how fast we adopt our CBR,” Kay-Wyatt said. “It could be a year, it could be a year-and-a-half, but I think we have to also watch the budget timeline. It could be two years. We hope that’s not the case.”
It took Alexandria nearly two years to negotiate collective bargaining for police and firefighters, who both saw increases in pay budgeted into the city’s recently approved fiscal year 2024 budget. Alexandria was first Northern Virginia jurisdiction to pass the measures for employee rights and wages in 2021, after former Governor Ralph Northam announced statewide implementation of the law in 2020.
“I’m really glad that we are getting ourselves moving on this conversation,” Board Member Kelly Carmichael Booz said. “It is long overdue.”
ACPS approved funds to develop an official ACPS plan and policy for collective bargaining with employees in its recently approved budget.
“The first thing to do is identify who are the interested parties and stakeholders in this whole endeavor,” said Steve Ray, an attorney with Isler Dare, P.C. who is advising ACPS. “The CBR is going to need to address what are the rights and authorities of ACPS… the rights of the employees’ exclusive representative, the scope of the bargaining, and how to resolve impasses, resolutions, and procedures.”
Dawn Lucas, president of the Education Association of Alexandria, said that she’s been looking to start this work for a long time.
“We look forward to working collaboratively with ACPS as it establishes collective bargaining rights.,” Lucas said. “We want the opportunity to collectively bargain for working conditions, forced labor, and things of that nature.”
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FREE Leadership Sessions will be conducted at the George Mason University –Arlington Campus for High School Latinas. The program runs from Monday 7/15 through Friday 7/19 from 10:00AM to 3:00PM EST each day (1-week).
Las sesiones de liderazgo GRATUITAS se llevarán a cabo en el campus de George Mason University – Arlington para latinas de secundaria. El programa se desarrollará desde el lunes 15 de julio hasta el viernes 19 de julio, de 10:00 a.m. a 3:00 p.m. EST cada día (1 semana).
Our goal is to equip students with the fundamentals of self-promotion and guide them in shaping their personal brand for future success. What sets this program apart is its integration of self-awareness activities and mentorship by seasoned professionals.
Sessions begin with a thorough assessment of leadership dynamics on July 15th, participants delve into the intricacies of personal branding and etiquette on July 16th, followed by practical guidance on crafting compelling LinkedIn profiles and resumes on July 17th. July 18th emphasizes the art of storytelling through personal statements, while July 19th culminates in portfolio presentations, allowing participants to showcase their newfound skills. The program concludes on July 20th with a memorable graduation ceremony, celebrating the accomplishments of the ELITE Academy’s graduates and their journey towards leadership excellence.
Finding a gift for moms can be difficult. Google “Mother’s Day gifts,” and you’ll scroll through endless lists of beauty products, candles and fuzzy robes. Sure, those are sweet, but sometimes it’s fun to surprise loved ones with something a little more, well, practical!
Here’s one idea: Give her a gift certificate for a home cleaning from Well-Paid Maids. It’s the perfect “thank you,” “I love you” or “you’ve got this” for any mom. She can schedule the home cleaning at her convenience and breathe easy knowing she has one less thing to do.
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