A union representing some Fairfax County Public Schools’ (FCPS) employees rallied yesterday (Tuesday) for restoration of pay, benefits and staffing levels negotiated last year but not funded by county leaders.
“We’re here to make sure the Board of Supervisors knows … they cannot leave the schools behind,” Fairfax County Federation of Teachers (FCFT) President Emily VanDerhoff said at the late-afternoon event, held in front of the Fairfax County Governmental Center.
Members of labor groups rallied Wednesday (March 25) in support of plans by Comstock Companies to develop an entertainment complex anchored by a casino in Tysons.
“Fairfax residents deserve to have good jobs,” said Emebet Samuel Kassa of UNITE HERE Local 25, which represents unionized hotel, restaurant and casino workers across the area.
Fairfax County is continuing its recent push to trim costs, pursuing budget cuts that are less drastic than the ones proposed last year but could still result in some notable programming changes.
Released on Feb. 17, County Executive Bryan Hill’s advertised fiscal year 2027 budget plan would reduce spending by $32.9 million and eliminate 107 positions, bringing the total amount of cuts since FY 2024 up to $124.5 million.
A bill to make Fairfax County eligible for a casino is advancing through the Virginia House of Delegates after undergoing some significant changes from the version passed by the state Senate earlier this month.
The House’s General Laws Committee voted 12-7 yesterday (Tuesday) to send Senate Bill 756, patroned by Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34), to the chamber’s appropriations committee. All four delegates representing portions of Fairfax County, including committee chair Del. Paul Krizek (D-16), opposed advancing the legislation.
Workers at two more Starbucks in Fairfax County could unionize, as a labor strike continues in response to stalled contract negotiations.
Petitions for union elections were filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) last Tuesday (Dec. 23) by 14 employees at the Plaza America cafe in Reston (11610-A Plaza America Drive) and 17 at the location at 1438 Chain Bridge Road in McLean.
Fairfax County has committed to funding its responsibilities to employees under a collective bargaining agreement.
At its meeting on Tuesday (Dec. 9), the Board of Supervisors voted 8-1 to approve a resolution committing to funding obligations under the agreement with the Fairfax County Government Employees Union.
Workers at Fairfax County’s first unionized Starbucks are officially on strike as part of a nationwide campaign to secure a contract from the coffee chain.
The Starbucks at 3046 Gatehouse Plaza in Merrifield was one of 26 stores around the U.S. to join the picket line today (Thursday), bringing the total number of participants in the nearly month-long strike up to approximately 3,000 baristas at over 145 cafes in more than 105 cities, Starbucks Workers United says.
Update — Members of SEIU Local 512’s Fairfax County chapter officially ratified their collective bargaining agreement on Friday, Oct. 24 by a 99.9% vote, the union announced.
If approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the three-year contract will take effect on July 1, 2026.
By FATIMA HUSSEIN, JOEY CAPPELLETTI, JESSE BEDAYN and SAFIYAH RIDDLE Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — With every passing day of the government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed or working without pay face mounting financial strain. And now they are confronting new uncertainty with the Trump administration’s promised layoffs.
A giant, inflatable rat towered over Electric Avenue near Navy Federal Credit Union’s Vienna headquarters on Monday (June 16), staring down commuters during the afternoon rush-hour.
Accompanied by whistle blasts and chants of “union busting” and “Navy Federal, shame on you,” the larger-than-life rodent provided an eye-catching centerpiece for a protest organized by the labor union 32BJ SEIU, which alleges that the world’s largest credit union is undermining its janitorial staff by switching to a non-union contractor.
