‘Not a collaborative process’: Union leaders push back on RPS’ collective bargaining proposal

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Just 24 hours before the Richmond School Board’s scheduled vote, dozens of educators, local lawmakers and community members rallied outside City Hall -- urging the board to reject what they describe as a rollback of hard-fought collective bargaining rights.

"This is not a collaborative process," said Brian Peyton, president of Teamsters Local 322 on Monday, Oct. 6. "This is a serious rollback of workers’, Richmonders’ and RPS parents’ rights."

Peyton and other union leaders are speaking out against a proposed Richmond Public Schools (RPS) policy they’re calling “anti-union.” Peyton said the proposed changes would restrict free speech for education workers, limit what they can bargain for, and trigger mechanisms that would cut employee pay without negotiation.

"They’re presenting it as an opportunity to streamline the process," Peyton said. "The reality is it’s really neutering a lot of the things that make the whole process work."

PREVIOUS: Richmond Schools denies allegations that it wants to silence teachers

RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras pushed back in an email to staff and families, saying the revisions are meant to make the process clearer and more efficient -- not to silence teachers.

According to the district, the proposal would eliminate duplicate grievance procedures, simplify mediation steps and encourage both parties to negotiate issues directly. It would also ensure new agreements only take effect when funding is available and prevent negotiations from disrupting the school day.

An Oct. 6 demonstration of Richmond Public Schools' unions outside of Richmond City Hall. (Photo: Sara Molina/8News)

“We are not asking for anything unreasonable,” said Richmond Education Association (REA) president Andrea Bryant. “We are asking for what we were promised four years ago -- a collaborative process. We all worked together to craft the collective bargaining resolution. We should work together to make any changes to it.”

Four years ago, RPS became the first school district in Virginia to recognize collective bargaining rights for public school employees.

"Richmond made history in 2021 -- let’s not make history in 2025 for all the wrong reasons," Bryant said.

The Richmond School Board is set to vote on the proposed changes at 6 p.m on Tuesday, Oct. 7 at City Hall.