Richmond School Board approves controversial collective bargaining policy changes
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Richmond Public Schools (RPS) leaders voted Tuesday night to pass a controversial proposal revising the district’s collective bargaining process.
RPS became the first Virginia school district to recognize collective bargaining rights four years ago. Union representatives say the new resolution is a step backward.
"If you vote yes tonight, you are telling the people who show up day in and day out, serving RPS with dedication, that their work is not important," said one union representative during the packed City Hall meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 11.
The board's narrow approval comes after the district delayed the decision in early October. Since that deferral, union representatives and RPS leaders held private meetings in an attempt to reach a deal.
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"I believe [that], last week, we struck a great agreement," said RPS superintendent Jason Kamras.
However, multiple union representatives said they did not feel the same way.
"Educators showed up in good faith -- we asked for open meetings, honest dialogue and a chance to shape the politics that affect our classroom," said another union member. "Instead, we got silence, confusion and 11th-hour edits."
Opposition to a resolution changing collective bargaining policies in Richmond Public Schools gathered at a Richmond School Board meeting on Nov. 11. (Photo: Sara Molina/8News)
RPS said the original proposal came after staff feedback and was intended to make the collective bargaining process clearer and more efficient. The updated plan introduces an independent panel to handle disputes -- one made up of two representatives from the employer and two from the union.
"These changes diminish our rights to negotiate," a union member said. "They limit what we can negotiate, strip away neutral arbitration and threaten workers who speak up. Plain and simple."
Aside from changes to the negotiation process, the resolution also allows each side to present up to ten special proposals during negotiations.
"I don’t believe this document represents some of the sentiment that was put forth this evening," said board vice chair Matthew Percival. "I think when it comes to specifics, this accomplishes what we needed to accomplish."
He added that the 10-proposal process was suggested by union members and that many compromises in the document were agreed to by both the administration and the union.
Still, many union representatives said the meeting process and vote felt rushed.
"It [the process] has to be hidden in rush, because the proposal itself cannot stand up to public scrutiny," said a union representative.
Ultimately, the school board approved the policy changes on a narrow margin.
