Collective Bargaining Agreement Reached For PWCS Educators

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — Prince William County educators have reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement with the Prince William County school system, both sides announced. The deal will allow for increased compensation for many employees who coach sports, teach summer school, or teach during their planning period.

The Prince William Education Association represented the county's 11,000 educators through 8 months of negotiations with the school system. The collective bargaining agreement will not go into effect until it is ratified by the education association's members.

If approved, the new collective bargaining agreement would increase pay for teachers who take on summer school responsibilities, coach sports, or teach during their planning period.

The school system and the education association were not able to agree on a wage proposal. The school system said it offered a 6 percent average salary increase in negotiations.

"We are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with PWEA on significant benefits that will continue to ensure we are the best place to work,” Prince William County School Board Chairman At-Large, Babur Lateef said in a news release. “We are disappointed that we could not reach an agreement on wages. The School Board and administration are committed to ensuring competitive wages for our employees even without an agreement.”

The education association said the school system's wage proposal would not properly benefit support staff and veteran teachers.

"Acknowledging the current reality of our schools and putting our students first, we could not accept the Division’s proposal to increase pay for only a few Educators while refusing to include our veteran Educators as well as our support staff (transportation, food service, custodial staff, and our award-winning IT department)," educator Jim Utterback said in a statement. "To us, this was not a philosophical issue, but rather an equity issue that impacts our students."

In addition to increased pay for employees who take on extra responsibilities, the collective bargaining agreement allows for short-term disability coverage for all employees and an annual wage negotiation.

"Our priority has always been, and will continue to be, our students," educator Katie Jefferson said in a PWEA release. "When our schools are fully staffed with adequate resources and safe working conditions, our students thrive with safe learning conditions and are taught by certified, experienced Educators.”

The new collective bargaining agreement would last three years, school officials said. The Prince William Education Association described the deal as "the first and strongest collective bargaining agreement in state history for educators."

"Our employees are critical as we work together with our parents and community members to launch thriving futures for our students," Prince William County Schools Superintendent LaTanya McDade said. "“Our bargaining team worked diligently through this process with PWEA in good faith. We will continue our efforts to offer employees competitive salary and benefit packages.”