FCPS Teachers Union

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like our so called union is a big fail for teachers. Our Superintendent owns the union and she tells them what to do.

It's telling that union leadership won't call out the School Board or Superintendent in any of this. They shift the blame solely to the Board of Supervisors and state. There is plenty of blame to go around right now, but leaders within FCPS could have made hard decisions to preserve teaching positions. Union leaders seem to believe that backing off the raise an additional percent would have been perceived as weakness, so the position losses are either acceptable collateral damage in exchange for getting closer to the raises negotiated in the CBA or just the fault of the state of BoS. Someone did the math and discovered that reducing the raise just by just one more percent would have saved these positions. Depending on how long you've been in the county, that is probably around $1000/year. So far, it seems that it may only be destaffs, but I worry that actual RIFs may be on the horizon, if not this year, then next.

I will be considering liability insurance instead of union membership for next year since it seems that the union is not willing to fight for teacher's jobs and services for students. All of these lost positions will impact students in some way. If the union won't publicly stand up to the SB and Reid, I'm not sure if I can support them.

The union is the Democratic Party of VA wearing a scooby doo mask.

So is the school board.

Once you understand that, everything makes sense.

These aren’t actually separate entities negotiating with each other. They are two branches of the same entity putting on a puppet show for the slow witted.

[Anonymous]

In addition, some programs for the most vulnerable have been eliminated. The silence from the union bigwigs is deafening.

Which programs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I asked my State Farm agent about liability insurance. He told me to stick with the union.

Why?

Basically he said that SF might not be in a hurry to back me and that would check to be sure no i was left in-dotted and no t un-crossed. That was the message I got.

[Anonymous]

So, there are reports that Randi Weingarten is leading these protests this weekend. How is that going to help FCPS teachers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well said!

In addition, some programs for the most vulnerable have been eliminated. The silence from the union bigwigs no is deafening.

Being destaffed is not at all pleasant, especially if you’re not told until August where you will be going and what you will be teaching. To hear “well you still have a job” is a slap in the face.

Teachers are not pawns on a chessboard. They are professionals and should be treated as such. It was apparent very early on that the full “ask” would not be funded. Regarding insurance, a personal liability policy would be far cheaper than the very hefty union dues. And the financial situation looks even worse for next year to fund a 3% raise plus step!

In a right to work state there is really no advantage to join a union unless they’re actually going to look out for your well-being, much more than just your pocketbook.

so misinformed

next year 25-26, and 26-27, by the way, the union in the contract only negotiated for step increases; there are no other raises.

[Anonymous]

This was the original ratified contract.

According to board meeting documents, the contracts include a 7 percent market scale adjustment to salary scales in fiscal year 2026 and 3 percent in fiscal years 2027 and 2028, additional step at the top of salary scales in fiscal years 2027 and 2028, a minimum 30-minute block for teacher planning time, continuing an extended day contract for special education teachers, three days of bereavement leave separate from sick leave, and creation of a health care advisory committee to consider affordable health care plans.