Brandywine Education Association
NOTICE TO MEMBERS:
Please use the signup form for picketing if you plan to assist. We are monitoring weather conditions and need contact information for volunteers so captains can communicate changes / cancellations to volunteers.
1/7/2025
Updates Posted for Members
An update has been posted for members on the Member Communications page.
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Picket signups for January have been posted. If you sign up for a site and decide later to attend a second, simply submit a new signup through the form.
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1/3/2025
Mediation Session Scheduled
The Public Employment Relation Board (PERB) has assigned a mediator at the District's request. We are scheduled to have our first mediation session on January 29th. This will be the first of up to three sessions provided by the PERB.
We will continue to picket until we have a fair agreement. We are asking members to visit the Picket Information page to sign up for at least one site. We are also asking members to continue attending board meetings.
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Please visit the Current Actions page to see how you can help support our team. On behalf of our Negotiations Team, we appreciate our members continued support and engagement as we work to obtain a fair agreement.
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12/20/2024
Member Actions updated in Member Communications
At the regular meeting on December 18th, the Representative Council made decisions about updated actions for January. Detailed information is available in the Member Communications section. Documents with information and QR codes have been sent to building representatives.
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Changes have been made to picketing and information about the January Board meeting has been posted. The Representative Council also set criteria for when we will ask members to move from Bell-to-Bell 2 days a week to every day.
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Please enjoy a much needed and deserved break with friends and family. We'll resume actions after we return.
12/12/2024
Appoquinimink Teachers Wear Red in Solidarity with BEA
As BEA members braved the wind and cold to go out for a second day of picketing, teachers in the Appoquinimink School District donned red shirts to show support for BEA members as we work to obtain a fair agreement. THANK YOU to our colleagues in Appoquinimink for standing with us!
12/11/2024
Day 1 of Picketing a Success!
Sending a heartfelt THANK YOU out to everyone who made the first day of picketing a success. Thank you for showing up last night to make signs. Thank you to those who stepped up to work as site captains. Thank you to those members who stood up today on the picket lines. Each of you had an important role to play and you fulfilled it flawlessly.
12/7/2024
To protect the interests of ALL of our members, BEA is holding firm on the position that we will not trade language impacting working conditions for money. The rights we have fought hard for over the years cannot be bought.
These changes to multiple working conditions would affect all our members. They would impact members’ ability to apply for positions, significantly reduce flexibility in areas which provide choice and ease burdens, and could potentially result in teachers working more hours without fair (or any) compensation.
Under the District's financial proposal, many of our teachers would be paid salaries that are significantly less than neighboring comprehensive districts. We compared the salary schedules cell by cell for the first 26 steps (years). Under the district’s proposal that does not contain changes to working conditions, 38% of these cells would reflect salaries that are NOT the highest among our neighboring districts. If we agree to give away that language - those RIGHTS - it would have a significant impact on our working conditions but would do little to address the issue of teacher retention.
The “better” financial proposal, which we were willing to accept if it were not tied to changing our working conditions, would still have over 35% of the cells at salaries below our neighboring districts. Over 60% of the salaries would see no change. A large number of our members would lose rights and gain nothing.
Further, these shortfalls disproportionately impact highly qualified, experienced teachers. Some cells reflect pay that is as much as 11% below the local salary in neighboring districts. The difference can be thousands of dollars. This will make it extremely difficult for the district to retain quality teachers amid a critical teacher shortage. Many experienced teachers will be able to raise their salary by leaving BSD to work for a neighboring district.
We aren't agreeing to trade our rights for a few dollars. Instead, BEA offered to exchange changes to existing working conditions that benefit our members for the changes that the District is asking for. The changes we proposed would be beneficial to ALL of our members. The District has rejected our proposals.
We will continue to attempt to reach an agreement with the District. We want a contract that will attract and retain high quality educators so that we can provide our community’s children with the education they deserve.