unions | FFXnow

Published May 21, 2025 at 2:45PM

SEIU Virginia 512 has been elected as the exclusive collective bargaining agent for Fairfax County government workers (courtesy SEIU Virginia 512)

A long-coming, sometimes bitter battle over the right to represent thousands of Fairfax County government workers ended in victory last week for one union, even as another cried foul over the election process and results.

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local Virginia 512 announced last Friday (May 16) that county government workers have elected it as their exclusive bargaining unit for future contract negotiations after the largest organizing push among general government employees in Virginia history.

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Pay raises, staffing reduced as FCPS scrambles to balance budget

By Scott McCaffrey

Published May 13, 2025 at 10:05AM

Superintendent Michelle Reid (staff file photo by James Jarvis)

Fairfax County Public Schools staff will receive most, but not all, of their planned salary increases under a revised fiscal year 2026 budget proposal shared last week by Superintendent Michelle Reid.

However, in order to preserve as much of the promised raises as possible, some positions and services will be cut after the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors declined to approve Reid’s full funding request.

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Union battle to represent Fairfax County government workers heads to court

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 10, 2025 at 9:45AM

SEIU Virginia 512 and other unions rally in support of collective bargaining for Fairfax County government workers on Oct. 5, 2021 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

More than three years after Fairfax County leaders authorized collective bargaining, a majority of the county government’s workers have yet to choose a representative for future contract negotiations.

That could soon change, as one established union gears up for a potential election this month, while a challenger turns to the courts in an effort to halt the vote.

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Fairfax County worker unions fear budget cuts could strain services as demand increases

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 9, 2025 at 9:45AM

Fairfax County Government Center seal (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Public benefits assistance, child care and senior center support services are just a few of the areas where Fairfax County might pull back on funding, as it seeks to close a $292.7 million budget gap.

If approved, the $59.8 million in potential reductions would be the county’s largest funding cut since it slashed over $90 million in 2009 following the Great Recession, County Executive Bryan Hill told the Board of Supervisors when presenting his proposed fiscal year 2026 budget plan on Feb. 18.

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Fairfax awaits police union approval to consolidate animal-control services

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 14, 2025 at 11:15AM

A Fairfax County Animal Protection Police van (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Pending final agreement with a key bargaining unit, Fairfax County government officials are ready to move forward with a consolidation of animal care and protection services.

The change, which was approved last year as part of the county’s fiscal year 2025 budget, will move operations currently handled by the Animal Protection Police (APP) within the Fairfax County Police Department to the county’s Department of Animal Services (formerly the Department of Animal Sheltering, or DAS).

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Fairfax school board approves new contract with teachers, but pay raises depend on county budget

By James Jarvis

Published January 14, 2025 at 9:00AM

The Fairfax County Public Schools administrative center in Merrifield (file photo)

Fairfax County Public School teachers have more rights than they did a week ago after the school board unanimously approved the Fairfax Education Unions’ (FEU) first collective bargaining agreement in nearly 50 years on Thursday (Jan. 9).

The agreement promises better wages, hours, benefits and working conditions, but questions still remain about how much funding the Board of Supervisors will provide when it finalizes the county budget in May.

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FCPS agrees to teacher pay raises in union contract, but county might struggle to fund them

By James Jarvis

Published December 6, 2024 at 9:45AM | Updated December 6, 2024 at 10:50AM

Tina Williams, president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, speaks at a rally prior to a public hearing on a proposed ordinance to allow collective bargaining of county government workers (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

With Fairfax County facing another major budget shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year, local public school leaders are once again confronting difficult decisions regarding teacher pay raises.

This time, though, there’s a twist: Fairfax County Public Schools has a tentative agreement with the Fairfax Education Unions representing teachers and other employees that includes a roughly $150 million request for a 7% across-the-board pay hike for educators and support staff.

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JUST IN: Union workers to rally in support of possible Tysons casino

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 18, 2024 at 1:30PM | Updated December 12, 2024 at 10:37AM

State Sen. Dave Marsden (D-35) presents his bill to make Fairfax County eligible for a casino to the Senate's gaming subcommittee on Jan. 24, 2024 with union workers in attendance (via Virginia Senate livestream)

A battle is brewing once again over the prospect of a casino in Fairfax County.

As opponents continue to organize, including under a No Fairfax Casino Coalition that mostly consists of homeowners’ and citizen associations, several labor unions have now come out in support of the casino and entertainment district envisioned in Tysons by the developer Comstock Companies.

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Fairfax County Public Schools workers vote to officially unionize

By Angela Woolsey

Published June 11, 2024 at 9:30AM | Updated June 11, 2024 at 9:58AM

Fairfax County Public Schools workers wear Fairfax Education Unions T-shirts after electing FEU as their collective bargaining representative (courtesy Fairfax County Federation of Teachers)

Fairfax County Public Schools teachers and other workers have elected a union to represent them in forthcoming labor contract negotiations.

The Fairfax Education Unions (FEU), a team-up of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers (FCFT) and the Fairfax Education Association (FEA), announced yesterday (Monday) that it will represent over 27,500 FCPS employees in their first collective bargaining effort since they secured that right in March 2023.

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Metro board approves new budget, but Virginia funding remains a question mark

By Angela Woolsey

Published April 26, 2024 at 11:30AM

The Franconia-Springfield Metro station entrance (staff photo by James Jarvis)

The cost of riding Metro trains and buses will go up, starting July 1, when the transit agency’s new budget takes effect.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) board of directors approved a $4.8 billion fiscal year 2025 budget yesterday (Thursday) that will increase fares by 12.5%, including by ending the flat $2 rate for weekend and late-night rides introduced in 2021 and expanded in 2022.