Protect the Future of Collective Bargaining in Virginia!

The Situation: The General Assembly recently passed HB 1263 and SB 378, a historic step forward for the rights of teachers, school staff, and public servants. However, a new “substitute” version of the bill has been proposed that significantly weakens these protections.

Why the Substitute Fails Us:

• The Regulatory Kill Switch: The substitute moves your rights out of the state law and into “regulations.” This means a Governor who doesn’t support workers could effectively cancel collective bargaining across Virginia.
• The 2030 Delay: It forces local school employees to wait until 2030 to access their rights, 1.5 years longer than state workers.
• No Accountability: It makes arbitration “advisory,” meaning employers can simply ignore fair agreements. In other words, the employer still retains most of the power when disputes arise.

Our Strategy: When the General Assembly reconvenes on April 22nd, they must reject the substitute. If they do, the original, stronger bill goes back to the Governor for her signature. We need to send a clear message: Stand by Virginia’s workers.

Instructions:

1. Enter your contact information to populate your Delegate and Senator.
2. Review the template email below.
3. Crucial: Customize the subject line and the first paragraph with your own words. Lawmakers prioritize messages that look unique!
4. Hit “Send” to deliver your message directly to their desks.

 
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Download our Talking Points Document

Use this document to understand the ins and outs of VEA’s issues with the Collective Bargaining Bill Substitute