MEDIA ADVISORY for Monday, December 6

Contact: Boaz Young-El, byoungel@veanea.org, (804) 837-3928
 
RICHMOND, VA —  The Richmond Education Association (REA) is holding a rally at the school board meeting on Monday, December 6th at 5:30 p.m. at 1000 Mosby St. to demand that the board immediately reinstate collective bargaining rights for all employees in our district. The REA has called upon all Richmond Public School (RPS) employees and community members to attend this event and defend the basic rights of educators. We are demanding that a vote be held regarding the collective bargaining resolution without further delay.
 
Collective bargaining is the extension of democracy into our workplaces. Through collective bargaining, working people negotiate the terms and conditions of their employment. For public education workers, this process routinely improves issues such as teacher recruitment and retention, job security, pay and benefits, working hours, health and safety issues, planning time, and classroom size. Given that long-standing grievances have been exacerbated by the wave of resignations and vacancies induced by the pandemic, giving educators a voice in their work lives is an urgent concern. All public education workers know that our working conditions are the learning conditions of our students. With more of a say in our workplaces, we can leverage our collective power to improve the quality of public education for all. 
 
Good education for our children serves the people of Richmond. For this reason, the REA and our community supporters are demanding that the Richmond School Board vote “YES” on collective bargaining.
 
What: Rally to defend, transform, and improve Richmond Public Schools.
Who: Richmond Education Association (REA), educators, families, and community supporters.
When: Monday December 6th, 5:30 PM.
Where: Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, 1000 Mosby St. Richmond, VA.