Good afternoon, honorable members of the Commerce and Energy Committee. My name is William Boger and I am an active firefighter in Henrico County, Virginia with nearly 20 years in my profession. I am president of Henrico Professional Fire Fighters Association and a district vice president with the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters representing over 9,000 of the firefighters who protect our Commonwealth. I am also a third generation union member. I have witnessed first hand the benefits union membership has had on working families and the sustainment and development of the middle class. I am here today to speak against HB 883, which seeks to repeal the freedom of workers like firefighters to collectively bargain terms of their employment, as well as HB 336, HB 337, and HB 341, and HB 790, which are all attacks against the freedom of public service employees to join together in a union and bargain collectively for a contract. Many people wrongly believe collective bargaining is all about money. It is not. Collective bargaining is about working conditions, safety, benefits, training, equipment and so much more. As frontline workers who have faced the Covid-19 pandemic daily, we are able to provide beneficial insight into what we need to keep our communities safe. And as firefighters and EMS providers, we know first hand what it takes to provide the best services possible. Since the law passed in 2020 allowing collective bargaining in Virginia, communities like Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun County, Prince William County and others have begun the process. Please don’t repeal legislation of which communities are already seeing the benefit and that they desire. You can have a pro-business economy and a pro-worker economy. Collective bargaining is not against making Virginia the best place for business. Collective bargaining is a means for workers to have a voice in their employment. Through collaboration, employers and the communities they serve will see the benefit of having important decisions shared. Collective bargaining makes for stronger communities, where employees are not seen as simply line items on a budget, but as assets to the communities in which they live, work and raise their families. Thank you for this opportunity to speak against HB 883.

Harlie White - Good afternoon, my name is Harlie White - . and I’m a Traffic and Lights technician in the city of Alexandria. I am speaking in opposition of HB 883 which would repeal collective bargaining agreements, prevailing wage requirements, and remove the rights of municipalities like the City of Alexandria from entering into collective bargaining agreements. As an employee in the city of Alexandria, my work isn’t just a job it is a calling. I care deeply for my community. In April of last year, my coworkers and I worked with the city of Alexandria Council members to enact the first collective bargaining ordinance in the Commonwealth in almost forty years. The freedom to collectively bargain enables public service workers to fight for better services for the communities we serve. HB 883 would take us backward by repealing a 2020 law that empowers localities to give public service workers the freedom to join a union, and local municipalities the autonomy to enact union agreements as they see fit. I stand in opposition to HB 883 with other city of Alexandria AFSCME members. Thank you for your time.

Hi, my name is Luis Velez Sr. I am an Equipment Technician for Arlington County and AFSCME member. I am speaking in opposition to repealing collective bargaining rights and HB 337 As a resident of Alexandria, and a public employee with Arlington County, I am responsible for and rely on the quality public services that Northern Virginia’s communities are known for. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to highlight the importance of public service workers and our dedication to the jobs that protect our community and fuel our economy. The freedom to collective bargaining enables public service workers to fight for better services for the communities we serve. HB (337) would chip away at my right to collectively bargain and freedom to join a strong union. I stand in opposition to HB 337

To whom it may concern, Please vote No on the bill that infringes on teachers rights for collective bargaining. Collective Bargaining is an important part of a teachers voice and to be able to negotiate our salaries. Collective bargaining gives teachers a seat at the table for our voices to be heard and our ability to have a say in important decisions for our students and families. Thank you Mrs. Abdale

VMA supports HB270 - modernizing the VEC is a necessity. VMA supports HB336, 337, 341- 51% approval is a near universal democratic standard for bargaining unit approval and union activities, including collecting dues, should be a cost of the union, not the taxpayer. VMA supports HB414 - the Commonwealth must have a reliable electric grid. VMA opposes HB1355 - the Commonwealth must have a diversified energy portfolio that is affordable, reliable, secure, and sustainable.

As a President of the Virginia Beach Education Association, My members and I strongly oppose House Bills 336, 337, 341, 790, & 883 which ban collective bargaining for local public employees. My members are deeply concerned about the future of our students’ education and firmly believe that collective bargaining rights for educators are a win for everyone. Collective bargaining rights lead to the kind of high-quality schools our children and communities deserve by making students our primary focus. It capitalizes on the expertise of seasoned educators in decision making around such issues as lowering class sizes, adding important positions like school counselors and nurses, and providing extra resources for students, as well as other benefits for employees. Solving problems in education must involve the people who work with students daily. They are the ones with first-hand knowledge of how issues affect students’ learning. We know that the working environment of educators is the learning environment of students. When we elevate both of these, educational programs can expand their capacity to prepare students to be work-ready, making them productive and involved citizens who in turn contribute to the success of their communities. We need teachers to be part of this decision making process in building excellent public schools. Collective bargaining rights also help retain experienced educators, attract new highly qualified educators, and encourage young adults to enter preparation programs to work in this essential field of public service. We currently have a state with many unfilled public education openings and there are not nearly enough students in preparation programs coming to fill them. Students in today’s colleges and universities are aware of how the right to collective bargain will affect their quality of life and earning potential over the course of their chosen career. They are making informed decisions about their career choices and how those in leadership support or oppose actions that will affect those choices. Collective bargaining for all public employees results in better services, retention of employees, and enhances the appeal of our communities to new business and industry. Please commit to supporting education professionals and students and our other essential workers in Virginia by embracing collective bargaining and voting against HB 336, 337, 341, 790, and 883. Thank you.

Dear Commerce and Energy - Subcommittee #1 members, my name is Tyvon Bates, and on behalf of American Federation of Teachers Virginia, I am writing to urge you to oppose HB 336 chief patroned by Delegate Freitas. This legislation would impose an anti-democratic definition of an “electoral majority” just for the purpose of union elections, that is different from the normal definition and rules used for all elections in the Commonwealth. It would also require local governments to de-certify existing unions that were democratically elected, which would undermine stability in labor relations. I hope you will join me in opposing HB 336. Thank you,

Good afternoon honorable members of Subcommittee #1. My name is William Boger and I am an active firefighter in Henrico County, Virginia with nearly 20 years in my profession. I am president of Henrico Professional Fire Fighters Association and a district vice president with the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters representing over 9,000 of the firefighters who protect our Commonwealth. I am also a third generation union member. I have witnessed first hand the benefits union membership has had on working families and the sustainment and development of the middle class. I am here today to speak against HB 883, which seeks to repeal the freedom of workers like firefighters to collectively bargain terms of their employment, as well as HB 336, HB 337, and HB 341, which are all attacks against the freedom of public service employees to join together in a union and bargain collectively for a contract. Many people wrongly believe collective bargaining is all about money. It is not. Collective bargaining is about working conditions, safety, benefits, training, equipment and so much more. As frontline workers who have faced the Covid-19 pandemic daily, we are able to provide beneficial insight into what we need to keep our communities safe. And as firefighters and EMS providers, we know first hand what it takes to provide the best services possible. Since the law passed in 2020 allowing collective bargaining in Virginia, communities like Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun County, Prince William County and others have begun the process. Please don’t repeal legislation of which communities are already seeing the benefit and that they desire. You can have a pro-business economy and a pro-worker economy. Collective bargaining is not against making Virginia the best place for business. Collective bargaining is a means for workers to have a voice in their employment. Through collaboration, employers and the communities they serve will see the benefit of having important decisions shared. Collective bargaining makes for stronger communities, where employees are not seen as simply line items on a budget, but as assets to the communities in which they live, work and raise their families. Thank you for this opportunity to speak against HB 883.

I am against these bills and against the limiting of collective bargaining rights in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The recent gains made in collective bargaining rights are incredibly important for workers—and employers—in the state. As a teacher, I am well aware of the fact that Virginia is near the bottom in teacher salaries. This is leading to many problems in our schools, including a shortage of teachers and trouble attracting and retaining new teachers. The teacher pay gap is just one thing that can be effectively—and cooperatively addressed through collective bargaining. Collective bargaining has time and time again been shown to lead to improved classrooms, educator recruitment and retention, and better working conditions. We need this in Virginia. Please vote “No” on these bills.

Say NO to the bills that take away Collective Bargaining. Employees in the state of VA deserve Collective Bargaining. Teachers, firefighters and Policeman deserve a position in determining what happens in their profession. For too long they have had to sit back and let others who are not part of their profession, decide what happens in their profession. Give them a voice to determine what is in the best interest for their profession. Teachers work day and night to provide what is in the best interest of students- no one knows better then they do how to achieve this- they deserve a voice in the decision-making We will lose the best teachers, firefighters and policemen if we take away this critical opportunity for them to have a voice in their professions. Say NO to the bills that take away Collective Bargaining.

Good morning honorable members of the Committee, Massachusetts is often said to have the strongest public schools in the nation. Did you also know that Massachusetts Educators also have strong collective bargaining rights. Massachusetts invests in education. With the current staffing shortages, show Virginia families and educators that you are in strong support of education by supporting collective bargaining rights. Virginia educators earn 7k below the national average and many are abandoning the profession. Can you blame them? Sincerely Brian McGovern

Please move to report HB336, 337, 341, 790, 883. Thank you.

I urge you to vote NO on these bills that will silence the voices of educators. Educator negotiated contracts lead to quality educator recruitment and retention with improved classrooms and better working conditions. Please give us a seat at the table to maintain the integrity of our profession. Thank you.

PLEASE VOTE NO ON HB336, HB337, HB341 AND HB790. During these challenging times, legislators need to support public employees -- and this is particularly true for law enforcement officers. Police departments are woefully understaffed, and morale for all public employees -- particularly officers -- is at an all-time low. Measures such as these proposed bills will only serve to make matters worse. Collective bargaining is the best tool to allow employees to be part of the process, and is an excellent tool to help employers streamline communications with their employees. So much of the rhetoric is simply fear of the unknown. I've had the privilege of representing the MWAA police union, which has had collective bargaining rights and a collective bargaining agreement for decades. The ability to have everything in black and white for all parties is immensely helpful for everyone involved.

Educator voices are important to assist in classroom improvements educator voices are crucial in the recruitment and retention of qualified classroom teachers. Educator voices are vital in the improvement of working conditions for students and public school staff. I urge you to vote NO on the above House Bills. Thank you for your attention.

I have never understood why having a honest discussion and a signed agreement between employees and management is so scary that management must deny employees their collective voice. Is it because management is afraid that they will have to acknowledge that their employees are people not widgets? Will employers have to treat their employees as valued partners who are necessary for management’s success? Will management have to admit the employees doing the work really understand how the work is done over the management who only knows how it was done a long time ago? It is past time for employees representatives and management to talk and come to a MUTUAL agreement.

We know what are students need more than anyone. I work out Special Education students every day. They always asking why do we have to do this or that. They ask why people who don't know them make them take test they know that they will pass. I want to speak for these students who fight a different type of battle every day. Let us who know what to do have a say. Most of you have no idea what special needs children fights every day because you have never been around my students.

The educators within the Commonwealth deserve to have a voice in negotiating their contracts, working conditions, wages, salaries, or anything else that affects their work whether in the classroom or on a school bus. Working together with school boards for the betterment of all leads to happier educators, school boards, parents and the community is a must for the success of our children. It’s all for the children in the end. Virginia is #4 best in education so let’s keep it that way so we can work towards being #1.

As a public school teacher for the last 24 years, I have been advocating and working toward collective bargaining in Virginia. As a professional, it is important to have a voice in the present and future conditions of my profession. Teachers need to have input in working conditions, time management, and documentation. When the needs of the teachers are met, we can meet the needs of the students. Our children is what this is all about. Our working conditions are our children's learning conditions. Please continue to support collective bargaining for teachers. Thank you.

Please vote "No" on these bills. Virginia teachers have been punished enough. We service children and do so with open hearts and minds. Please do not revoke the rights that have been so hard won. Political agendas do not belong in our public school systems!

Vote No on these bills. I ask you to think about teachers. By voting NO on these bills you are helping teachers, not just our classroom and working conditions but by keeping teachers in the classroom.

Please keep Collective Bargaining. Collective Bargaining is very important and a needed meansof communication for RPS teachers/staff to have a voice in what happens for our school system. Please do not support any bills or legislature that would undermine the ability for RPS teachers/staff to come to the table through Collective Barganining. I implore you to not support the bills that have the goal to undermine Collective Barganining. PLease join hands with the Richmond City Schools teachers and staff to work together through Collective Bargaining and vote against any bill or legislature that has the goal of eradicating it or diminishing Collective Barganinings ability to allow RPS teachers/staff to come to the table and have a voice in meeting the needs of teachers/staff as we work to educate and support all the students in our system. Thank you for your attention to this very important matter. have a

At a time when we should be empowering workers to improve working an living conditions for the citizens of the Commonwealth, these bills purposely seek to strip power from the middle class. Introduced by a party supposedly against government over-reach, these bills go directly against the mantra of local control. This is as unAmerican as it gets: stifling the ability of workers to ban together to improve their working conditions as a whole. In this case, it's even more damaging, as these bills seek to limit the power of the workers who are in charge of educating and protecting the public in the state of Virginia. In a time when we are struggling to fill these positions statewide, it is nonsensical to add another barrier to the recruitment and retention of highly-qualified and talented individuals. This is not the time nor the place for political posturing. This is the time for common-sense legislating. Therefore, you must vote NO on these measures.

Dear Legislators, Teachers must have a voice when it comes to collaborating working with the government. We have been through a period that has illuminated so many problems in the education system. It is ludicrous to leave us out of the conversation. We are the ones that know what works best for our students. People who make administrative decisions, including you, that have never been in the classroom in the last few years do not have the information to accurately make decisions in students' best interest. Sincerely, Amanda Wolfe

I am writing in opposition to any actions that would rescind or undermine education workers' recently-won collective bargaining rights. In many localities around the state, it is highly unlikely that education workers will be able to meet the requirements set forth in the bill as currently written. I am proud to live and work in the first Virginia locality to recognize our collective bargaining rights. This recognition did not come easily. My colleagues and I worked hundreds of unpaid hours to gain these rights, which will help improve our working conditions and our students' learning conditions. To change the playing field after we have invested so much of our personal time and resources into securing these rights would honestly be a slap in the face; not just my own face but the faces of my colleagues, the school board, and the students of Richmond Public Schools. The desire to change the rules when one does not like the outcome is a sign of poor character; I urge you to display your better natures as you debate these bills.

Delegates, As a high school teacher in Winchester, VA, I ask that you avoid repealing any positive movement towards collective bargaining. Education is incredibly difficult, and having the support of a union, a union representative, or a collectively bargained contract can be very helpful. Collective bargaining gives educators the back up in the face of shifting political headwinds, and allows for teachers to focus on what their job entails: teaching Virginia's youth. These bills before you would stall or reduce the momentum that educators in VA have worked towards over the past years. If you are "for" teachers or education, you need to be for collective bargaining. Thank you, Mike Siraguse

Teachers' jobs are incredibly difficult. Collective Bargaining and educator-negotiated contracts are essential for improved classrooms, educator recruitment and retention, and better working conditions.

These bills will repeal educators' progress toward gaining collective bargaining. They will silence educators' voices. School decisions will not be able to capitalize on the experiences and skills of their experts in their school systems, the educators. Why deny educators a seat at the table? Why squelch expert input? Educators are the experts in our schools. Bargaining with educators benefits our students' learning conditions. It improves educator working conditions, and ultimately benefits our Virginia communities. Bring the experts to the table. I urge you to vote no on these bills. Sincerely,

As an elementary school teacher working in a school with a large population of students who are of low economic status collective bargaining is key to ensure the best for our educators and students. Collective bargaining must be maintained and expanded. This will allow teachers to work with their school boards to have competitive wages in turn attracting the best educators possible to our schools. It will allow teachers to have a voice in negotiating our contractors. It is about working with school boards not against them to create a better environment for educators allowing us to provide our students with the high quality education they deserve. This also help with retaining high quality educators, which is so important to our students success. I implore you vote no to any legislation that will limit or take away our right to collective bargaining. Thank You for your time.

As a former teacher and current leader of an education union, I understand that when the folks who know the names of our students have a seat at the table, great things can happen. Educator-negotiated contracts help recruit and retain the top-notch teachers that our students deserve. Educators have used contract negotiations in the past to secure smaller class sizes, increase one-on-one attention for students from professionals like nurses and counselors, and make improvements on safety issues. No contract should be one-size-fits-all. Educator-negotiated contracts provide school districts with the freedom to tackle each school's local challenges head on. All Virginia workers should have the right to join a union and the right to bargain collectively so that they have a voice at work. The right to bargain collectively for a contract is not only a better bargain for our public service workers, it’s also a better bargain for our communities. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of public sector workers and their dedication to the jobs that protect our community and fuel our economy. Our nurses, first responders, teachers, and many more stepped up, putting their lives on the line to ensure that we all continued to thrive and survive. These workers are our situational experts and without their expertise, we would have been lost during the pandemic. Collective bargaining rights enable public workers to fight for better services for the communities they serve. Public service employees work for the state, its cities, and counties, providing vital services such as law enforcement and protections, healthcare, sanitation, and education. They advocate for things that benefit the entire community: up-to-date equipment for emergency responders, smaller class sizes, classroom resources, adequate training, and better staffing ratios in hospitals to name a few. Collective bargaining will also mean stronger local economies. Virginia public service workers make 14% less than the national average and 18% less than private sector employees right here in Virginia. It is not the time to repeal the collective bargaining progress we have made, but instead support and strengthen it so that hard-working public service workers can support their families and put money back into our local economies.

Good afternoon, honorable members of the Commerce and Energy Committee. My name is William Boger and I am an active firefighter in Henrico County, Virginia with nearly 20 years in my profession. I am president of Henrico Professional Fire Fighters Association and a district vice president with the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters representing over 9,000 of the firefighters who protect our Commonwealth. I am also a third generation union member. I have witnessed first hand the benefits union membership has had on working families and the sustainment and development of the middle class. I am here today to speak against HB 883, which seeks to repeal the freedom of workers like firefighters to collectively bargain terms of their employment, as well as HB 336, HB 337, and HB 341, and HB 790, which are all attacks against the freedom of public service employees to join together in a union and bargain collectively for a contract. Many people wrongly believe collective bargaining is all about money. It is not. Collective bargaining is about working conditions, safety, benefits, training, equipment and so much more. As frontline workers who have faced the Covid-19 pandemic daily, we are able to provide beneficial insight into what we need to keep our communities safe. And as firefighters and EMS providers, we know first hand what it takes to provide the best services possible. Since the law passed in 2020 allowing collective bargaining in Virginia, communities like Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun County, Prince William County and others have begun the process. Please don’t repeal legislation of which communities are already seeing the benefit and that they desire. You can have a pro-business economy and a pro-worker economy. Collective bargaining is not against making Virginia the best place for business. Collective bargaining is a means for workers to have a voice in their employment. Through collaboration, employers and the communities they serve will see the benefit of having important decisions shared. Collective bargaining makes for stronger communities, where employees are not seen as simply line items on a budget, but as assets to the communities in which they live, work and raise their families. Thank you for this opportunity to speak against HB 883.

Harlie White - Good afternoon, my name is Harlie White - . and I’m a Traffic and Lights technician in the city of Alexandria. I am speaking in opposition of HB 883 which would repeal collective bargaining agreements, prevailing wage requirements, and remove the rights of municipalities like the City of Alexandria from entering into collective bargaining agreements. As an employee in the city of Alexandria, my work isn’t just a job it is a calling. I care deeply for my community. In April of last year, my coworkers and I worked with the city of Alexandria Council members to enact the first collective bargaining ordinance in the Commonwealth in almost forty years. The freedom to collectively bargain enables public service workers to fight for better services for the communities we serve. HB 883 would take us backward by repealing a 2020 law that empowers localities to give public service workers the freedom to join a union, and local municipalities the autonomy to enact union agreements as they see fit. I stand in opposition to HB 883 with other city of Alexandria AFSCME members. Thank you for your time.

Hi, my name is Luis Velez Sr. I am an Equipment Technician for Arlington County and AFSCME member. I am speaking in opposition to repealing collective bargaining rights and HB 337 As a resident of Alexandria, and a public employee with Arlington County, I am responsible for and rely on the quality public services that Northern Virginia’s communities are known for. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to highlight the importance of public service workers and our dedication to the jobs that protect our community and fuel our economy. The freedom to collective bargaining enables public service workers to fight for better services for the communities we serve. HB (337) would chip away at my right to collectively bargain and freedom to join a strong union. I stand in opposition to HB 337

Good Afternoon. My name is Charlotte Malerich and I am a Library Assistant for Arlington Public Library and EVERY DAY, one of my patrons tells me how much the library means to them, like the elderly patron, who told me how everyone in her retirement community is frightened and despondent She told me how much she appreciates that she can still check out books because they give her an escape from that fear and isolation. As a library worker, I live for those moments -- and I know my coworkers do too. But if I get sick with Covid, if I pass it to my coworker who has diabetes, or who is pregnant, or who's a cancer survivor, no amount of pats on the back can make that right. My coworkers and I need actual, concrete support: sick leave, childcare, flexible schedules, teleworking for the things we can do at home (like answer phone calls from our patrons), and PPE for things we can't do at home (like empty the book drop and put the books back on the library shelves). And we need to have a voice at work to tell our managers what those needs are. Collective Bargaining and union rights give us that freedom. I stand in opposition to bills HB 337 with AFSCME members across Northern Virginia and other labor unions. This bill is a direct attack on our collective bargaining rights and freedom to join a union.

To whom it may concern, Please vote No on the bill that infringes on teachers rights for collective bargaining. Collective Bargaining is an important part of a teachers voice and to be able to negotiate our salaries. Collective bargaining gives teachers a seat at the table for our voices to be heard and our ability to have a say in important decisions for our students and families. Thank you Mrs. Abdale

VMA supports HB270 - modernizing the VEC is a necessity. VMA supports HB336, 337, 341- 51% approval is a near universal democratic standard for bargaining unit approval and union activities, including collecting dues, should be a cost of the union, not the taxpayer. VMA supports HB414 - the Commonwealth must have a reliable electric grid. VMA opposes HB1355 - the Commonwealth must have a diversified energy portfolio that is affordable, reliable, secure, and sustainable.

My name is Carol Bauer, and I have been an elementary teacher for 27 years, and I currently serve as the VEA VP. I urge you vote against HB 337. Partnerships and collaboration is how we accomplish great things. This bill would limit the ability to develop trusting relationships to collectively bargain on a level playing field. Anytime workers are denied the opportunity to meet with employers to discuss working conditions no one benefits. If you have ever seen the TV show Undercover Boss then you know exactly what I mean. Employers benefit and companies prosper when they listen to their employees and build stronger and more effective work places. Anytime restrictions are placed on the ability of an employer to pay their workers who are working to develop stronger, safer, and more equitable workplaces, you infringe on the employer’s ability to create stronger, safer, and more equitable working places. HB 337 would create wrongful pressure on employees when engaging in collective bargaining. HB 337 would interfere in employees’ right to organize and conduct collective bargaining. This legislation is a slap to dedicated employees who advocate for what is best for co-workers and who want to bargain for the common good. My name is Carol Bauer, and I have been an elementary teacher for 27 years, and I currently serve as the VEA VP. It is no secret that education workers are feeling the stress of the pandemic acutely. Workers need a voice at the table now. In a recent survey referenced by Forbes, 48% of all educators considered leaving the profession in the last 30 days. One obvious way to help lessen this crisis is take things off educators’ plates. HB 341 would do just the opposite, by creating additional obstacles that overtaxed educators would have to be overcome to organize, collectively bargain, and have their voice heard. Payroll deductions are essential to employees when securing benefits like health insurance, job security, and fair wages which are the very benefits that the Union and employee associations do in advocating for their members. Eliminating payroll deduction eliminates access for employees to representation and advocacy. Additionally, there is no need to create legislation to fix a problem that does not exist. It does not take HB 341 to allow employees to stop paying dues when requested. The legislation is simply not needed. HB 341 eliminates the ability for Unions and employee associations to effectively provide a voice for their members. HB 341 would continue to create conditions that lead to educator burnout and unsafe working conditions. It restricts the rights of workers. HB 341 is harmful and an overreach of government. HB 341 not only creates an unfair labor advantage but is an unnecessary additional obstacle that educators and employees would have to overcome to have their voice represented by requiring employees to authorized collective bargaining before dues are collected.

As a President of the Virginia Beach Education Association, My members and I strongly oppose House Bills 336, 337, 341, 790, & 883 which ban collective bargaining for local public employees. My members are deeply concerned about the future of our students’ education and firmly believe that collective bargaining rights for educators are a win for everyone. Collective bargaining rights lead to the kind of high-quality schools our children and communities deserve by making students our primary focus. It capitalizes on the expertise of seasoned educators in decision making around such issues as lowering class sizes, adding important positions like school counselors and nurses, and providing extra resources for students, as well as other benefits for employees. Solving problems in education must involve the people who work with students daily. They are the ones with first-hand knowledge of how issues affect students’ learning. We know that the working environment of educators is the learning environment of students. When we elevate both of these, educational programs can expand their capacity to prepare students to be work-ready, making them productive and involved citizens who in turn contribute to the success of their communities. We need teachers to be part of this decision making process in building excellent public schools. Collective bargaining rights also help retain experienced educators, attract new highly qualified educators, and encourage young adults to enter preparation programs to work in this essential field of public service. We currently have a state with many unfilled public education openings and there are not nearly enough students in preparation programs coming to fill them. Students in today’s colleges and universities are aware of how the right to collective bargain will affect their quality of life and earning potential over the course of their chosen career. They are making informed decisions about their career choices and how those in leadership support or oppose actions that will affect those choices. Collective bargaining for all public employees results in better services, retention of employees, and enhances the appeal of our communities to new business and industry. Please commit to supporting education professionals and students and our other essential workers in Virginia by embracing collective bargaining and voting against HB 336, 337, 341, 790, and 883. Thank you.

Dear Commerce and Energy - Subcommittee #1 members, my name is Tyvon Bates, and on behalf of American Federation of Teachers Virginia, I am writing to urge you to oppose HB 337 chief patroned by Delegate Freitas. This legislation would undermine public employees’ ability to advocate for improvements to our working conditions, and the services that we provide by taking away workers’ ability to use official time to negotiate collective bargaining agreements, represent our coworkers in grievances, or engage in other union work. A local government body should be free to decide that their communities would benefit from employees working together in employee unions and associations for specified purposes during work hours. I hope you will join me in opposing HB 337. Thank you,

Good afternoon honorable members of Subcommittee #1. My name is William Boger and I am an active firefighter in Henrico County, Virginia with nearly 20 years in my profession. I am president of Henrico Professional Fire Fighters Association and a district vice president with the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters representing over 9,000 of the firefighters who protect our Commonwealth. I am also a third generation union member. I have witnessed first hand the benefits union membership has had on working families and the sustainment and development of the middle class. I am here today to speak against HB 883, which seeks to repeal the freedom of workers like firefighters to collectively bargain terms of their employment, as well as HB 336, HB 337, and HB 341, which are all attacks against the freedom of public service employees to join together in a union and bargain collectively for a contract. Many people wrongly believe collective bargaining is all about money. It is not. Collective bargaining is about working conditions, safety, benefits, training, equipment and so much more. As frontline workers who have faced the Covid-19 pandemic daily, we are able to provide beneficial insight into what we need to keep our communities safe. And as firefighters and EMS providers, we know first hand what it takes to provide the best services possible. Since the law passed in 2020 allowing collective bargaining in Virginia, communities like Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun County, Prince William County and others have begun the process. Please don’t repeal legislation of which communities are already seeing the benefit and that they desire. You can have a pro-business economy and a pro-worker economy. Collective bargaining is not against making Virginia the best place for business. Collective bargaining is a means for workers to have a voice in their employment. Through collaboration, employers and the communities they serve will see the benefit of having important decisions shared. Collective bargaining makes for stronger communities, where employees are not seen as simply line items on a budget, but as assets to the communities in which they live, work and raise their families. Thank you for this opportunity to speak against HB 883.

I am against these bills and against the limiting of collective bargaining rights in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The recent gains made in collective bargaining rights are incredibly important for workers—and employers—in the state. As a teacher, I am well aware of the fact that Virginia is near the bottom in teacher salaries. This is leading to many problems in our schools, including a shortage of teachers and trouble attracting and retaining new teachers. The teacher pay gap is just one thing that can be effectively—and cooperatively addressed through collective bargaining. Collective bargaining has time and time again been shown to lead to improved classrooms, educator recruitment and retention, and better working conditions. We need this in Virginia. Please vote “No” on these bills.

Say NO to the bills that take away Collective Bargaining. Employees in the state of VA deserve Collective Bargaining. Teachers, firefighters and Policeman deserve a position in determining what happens in their profession. For too long they have had to sit back and let others who are not part of their profession, decide what happens in their profession. Give them a voice to determine what is in the best interest for their profession. Teachers work day and night to provide what is in the best interest of students- no one knows better then they do how to achieve this- they deserve a voice in the decision-making We will lose the best teachers, firefighters and policemen if we take away this critical opportunity for them to have a voice in their professions. Say NO to the bills that take away Collective Bargaining.

Good morning honorable members of the Committee, Massachusetts is often said to have the strongest public schools in the nation. Did you also know that Massachusetts Educators also have strong collective bargaining rights. Massachusetts invests in education. With the current staffing shortages, show Virginia families and educators that you are in strong support of education by supporting collective bargaining rights. Virginia educators earn 7k below the national average and many are abandoning the profession. Can you blame them? Sincerely Brian McGovern

Please move to report HB336, 337, 341, 790, 883. Thank you.

I urge you to vote NO on these bills that will silence the voices of educators. Educator negotiated contracts lead to quality educator recruitment and retention with improved classrooms and better working conditions. Please give us a seat at the table to maintain the integrity of our profession. Thank you.

PLEASE VOTE NO ON HB336, HB337, HB341 AND HB790. During these challenging times, legislators need to support public employees -- and this is particularly true for law enforcement officers. Police departments are woefully understaffed, and morale for all public employees -- particularly officers -- is at an all-time low. Measures such as these proposed bills will only serve to make matters worse. Collective bargaining is the best tool to allow employees to be part of the process, and is an excellent tool to help employers streamline communications with their employees. So much of the rhetoric is simply fear of the unknown. I've had the privilege of representing the MWAA police union, which has had collective bargaining rights and a collective bargaining agreement for decades. The ability to have everything in black and white for all parties is immensely helpful for everyone involved.

Educator voices are important to assist in classroom improvements educator voices are crucial in the recruitment and retention of qualified classroom teachers. Educator voices are vital in the improvement of working conditions for students and public school staff. I urge you to vote NO on the above House Bills. Thank you for your attention.

I have never understood why having a honest discussion and a signed agreement between employees and management is so scary that management must deny employees their collective voice. Is it because management is afraid that they will have to acknowledge that their employees are people not widgets? Will employers have to treat their employees as valued partners who are necessary for management’s success? Will management have to admit the employees doing the work really understand how the work is done over the management who only knows how it was done a long time ago? It is past time for employees representatives and management to talk and come to a MUTUAL agreement.

We know what are students need more than anyone. I work out Special Education students every day. They always asking why do we have to do this or that. They ask why people who don't know them make them take test they know that they will pass. I want to speak for these students who fight a different type of battle every day. Let us who know what to do have a say. Most of you have no idea what special needs children fights every day because you have never been around my students.

The educators within the Commonwealth deserve to have a voice in negotiating their contracts, working conditions, wages, salaries, or anything else that affects their work whether in the classroom or on a school bus. Working together with school boards for the betterment of all leads to happier educators, school boards, parents and the community is a must for the success of our children. It’s all for the children in the end. Virginia is #4 best in education so let’s keep it that way so we can work towards being #1.

As a public school teacher for the last 24 years, I have been advocating and working toward collective bargaining in Virginia. As a professional, it is important to have a voice in the present and future conditions of my profession. Teachers need to have input in working conditions, time management, and documentation. When the needs of the teachers are met, we can meet the needs of the students. Our children is what this is all about. Our working conditions are our children's learning conditions. Please continue to support collective bargaining for teachers. Thank you.

Please vote "No" on these bills. Virginia teachers have been punished enough. We service children and do so with open hearts and minds. Please do not revoke the rights that have been so hard won. Political agendas do not belong in our public school systems!

Vote No on these bills. I ask you to think about teachers. By voting NO on these bills you are helping teachers, not just our classroom and working conditions but by keeping teachers in the classroom.

Please keep Collective Bargaining. Collective Bargaining is very important and a needed meansof communication for RPS teachers/staff to have a voice in what happens for our school system. Please do not support any bills or legislature that would undermine the ability for RPS teachers/staff to come to the table through Collective Barganining. I implore you to not support the bills that have the goal to undermine Collective Barganining. PLease join hands with the Richmond City Schools teachers and staff to work together through Collective Bargaining and vote against any bill or legislature that has the goal of eradicating it or diminishing Collective Barganinings ability to allow RPS teachers/staff to come to the table and have a voice in meeting the needs of teachers/staff as we work to educate and support all the students in our system. Thank you for your attention to this very important matter. have a

I am a public school teacher in Virginia. I have never asked for thanks, nor do I consider my job heroic. It has become an endurance test against the accumulation of external accountability that is determined by those less invested in educational outcomes but heavily invested in political and financial outcomes. Since my first year teaching in Virginia (2003) the layers of expectations have grown disproportionate to what should be normal. Teachers are not represented. The effort to make collective bargaining nearly impossible in Virginia is a play for status quo power in the hands of politicians and interest groups that profit from standardized tests and budget money going to testing platforms. Add to that, the absurd hysteria over political footballs such as CRT and a pandemic response meant to be protective of all people in crowded schools. Because the changing climate of education seems to be drifting further from what’s best for students, it is important that teachers have a voice strengthened through collective bargaining from which they can have a chance to do what’s best within the environment they know best.

At a time when we should be empowering workers to improve working an living conditions for the citizens of the Commonwealth, these bills purposely seek to strip power from the middle class. Introduced by a party supposedly against government over-reach, these bills go directly against the mantra of local control. This is as unAmerican as it gets: stifling the ability of workers to ban together to improve their working conditions as a whole. In this case, it's even more damaging, as these bills seek to limit the power of the workers who are in charge of educating and protecting the public in the state of Virginia. In a time when we are struggling to fill these positions statewide, it is nonsensical to add another barrier to the recruitment and retention of highly-qualified and talented individuals. This is not the time nor the place for political posturing. This is the time for common-sense legislating. Therefore, you must vote NO on these measures.

Dear Legislators, Teachers must have a voice when it comes to collaborating working with the government. We have been through a period that has illuminated so many problems in the education system. It is ludicrous to leave us out of the conversation. We are the ones that know what works best for our students. People who make administrative decisions, including you, that have never been in the classroom in the last few years do not have the information to accurately make decisions in students' best interest. Sincerely, Amanda Wolfe

I am writing in opposition to any actions that would rescind or undermine education workers' recently-won collective bargaining rights. In many localities around the state, it is highly unlikely that education workers will be able to meet the requirements set forth in the bill as currently written. I am proud to live and work in the first Virginia locality to recognize our collective bargaining rights. This recognition did not come easily. My colleagues and I worked hundreds of unpaid hours to gain these rights, which will help improve our working conditions and our students' learning conditions. To change the playing field after we have invested so much of our personal time and resources into securing these rights would honestly be a slap in the face; not just my own face but the faces of my colleagues, the school board, and the students of Richmond Public Schools. The desire to change the rules when one does not like the outcome is a sign of poor character; I urge you to display your better natures as you debate these bills.

Delegates, As a high school teacher in Winchester, VA, I ask that you avoid repealing any positive movement towards collective bargaining. Education is incredibly difficult, and having the support of a union, a union representative, or a collectively bargained contract can be very helpful. Collective bargaining gives educators the back up in the face of shifting political headwinds, and allows for teachers to focus on what their job entails: teaching Virginia's youth. These bills before you would stall or reduce the momentum that educators in VA have worked towards over the past years. If you are "for" teachers or education, you need to be for collective bargaining. Thank you, Mike Siraguse

Teachers' jobs are incredibly difficult. Collective Bargaining and educator-negotiated contracts are essential for improved classrooms, educator recruitment and retention, and better working conditions.

These bills will repeal educators' progress toward gaining collective bargaining. They will silence educators' voices. School decisions will not be able to capitalize on the experiences and skills of their experts in their school systems, the educators. Why deny educators a seat at the table? Why squelch expert input? Educators are the experts in our schools. Bargaining with educators benefits our students' learning conditions. It improves educator working conditions, and ultimately benefits our Virginia communities. Bring the experts to the table. I urge you to vote no on these bills. Sincerely,

As an elementary school teacher working in a school with a large population of students who are of low economic status collective bargaining is key to ensure the best for our educators and students. Collective bargaining must be maintained and expanded. This will allow teachers to work with their school boards to have competitive wages in turn attracting the best educators possible to our schools. It will allow teachers to have a voice in negotiating our contractors. It is about working with school boards not against them to create a better environment for educators allowing us to provide our students with the high quality education they deserve. This also help with retaining high quality educators, which is so important to our students success. I implore you vote no to any legislation that will limit or take away our right to collective bargaining. Thank You for your time.

As a former teacher and current leader of an education union, I understand that when the folks who know the names of our students have a seat at the table, great things can happen. Educator-negotiated contracts help recruit and retain the top-notch teachers that our students deserve. Educators have used contract negotiations in the past to secure smaller class sizes, increase one-on-one attention for students from professionals like nurses and counselors, and make improvements on safety issues. No contract should be one-size-fits-all. Educator-negotiated contracts provide school districts with the freedom to tackle each school's local challenges head on. All Virginia workers should have the right to join a union and the right to bargain collectively so that they have a voice at work. The right to bargain collectively for a contract is not only a better bargain for our public service workers, it’s also a better bargain for our communities. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of public sector workers and their dedication to the jobs that protect our community and fuel our economy. Our nurses, first responders, teachers, and many more stepped up, putting their lives on the line to ensure that we all continued to thrive and survive. These workers are our situational experts and without their expertise, we would have been lost during the pandemic. Collective bargaining rights enable public workers to fight for better services for the communities they serve. Public service employees work for the state, its cities, and counties, providing vital services such as law enforcement and protections, healthcare, sanitation, and education. They advocate for things that benefit the entire community: up-to-date equipment for emergency responders, smaller class sizes, classroom resources, adequate training, and better staffing ratios in hospitals to name a few. Collective bargaining will also mean stronger local economies. Virginia public service workers make 14% less than the national average and 18% less than private sector employees right here in Virginia. It is not the time to repeal the collective bargaining progress we have made, but instead support and strengthen it so that hard-working public service workers can support their families and put money back into our local economies.

Good afternoon, honorable members of the Commerce and Energy Committee. My name is William Boger and I am an active firefighter in Henrico County, Virginia with nearly 20 years in my profession. I am president of Henrico Professional Fire Fighters Association and a district vice president with the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters representing over 9,000 of the firefighters who protect our Commonwealth. I am also a third generation union member. I have witnessed first hand the benefits union membership has had on working families and the sustainment and development of the middle class. I am here today to speak against HB 883, which seeks to repeal the freedom of workers like firefighters to collectively bargain terms of their employment, as well as HB 336, HB 337, and HB 341, and HB 790, which are all attacks against the freedom of public service employees to join together in a union and bargain collectively for a contract. Many people wrongly believe collective bargaining is all about money. It is not. Collective bargaining is about working conditions, safety, benefits, training, equipment and so much more. As frontline workers who have faced the Covid-19 pandemic daily, we are able to provide beneficial insight into what we need to keep our communities safe. And as firefighters and EMS providers, we know first hand what it takes to provide the best services possible. Since the law passed in 2020 allowing collective bargaining in Virginia, communities like Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun County, Prince William County and others have begun the process. Please don’t repeal legislation of which communities are already seeing the benefit and that they desire. You can have a pro-business economy and a pro-worker economy. Collective bargaining is not against making Virginia the best place for business. Collective bargaining is a means for workers to have a voice in their employment. Through collaboration, employers and the communities they serve will see the benefit of having important decisions shared. Collective bargaining makes for stronger communities, where employees are not seen as simply line items on a budget, but as assets to the communities in which they live, work and raise their families. Thank you for this opportunity to speak against HB 883.

Harlie White - Good afternoon, my name is Harlie White - . and I’m a Traffic and Lights technician in the city of Alexandria. I am speaking in opposition of HB 883 which would repeal collective bargaining agreements, prevailing wage requirements, and remove the rights of municipalities like the City of Alexandria from entering into collective bargaining agreements. As an employee in the city of Alexandria, my work isn’t just a job it is a calling. I care deeply for my community. In April of last year, my coworkers and I worked with the city of Alexandria Council members to enact the first collective bargaining ordinance in the Commonwealth in almost forty years. The freedom to collectively bargain enables public service workers to fight for better services for the communities we serve. HB 883 would take us backward by repealing a 2020 law that empowers localities to give public service workers the freedom to join a union, and local municipalities the autonomy to enact union agreements as they see fit. I stand in opposition to HB 883 with other city of Alexandria AFSCME members. Thank you for your time.

Hi, my name is Luis Velez Sr. I am an Equipment Technician for Arlington County and AFSCME member. I am speaking in opposition to repealing collective bargaining rights and HB 337 As a resident of Alexandria, and a public employee with Arlington County, I am responsible for and rely on the quality public services that Northern Virginia’s communities are known for. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to highlight the importance of public service workers and our dedication to the jobs that protect our community and fuel our economy. The freedom to collective bargaining enables public service workers to fight for better services for the communities we serve. HB (337) would chip away at my right to collectively bargain and freedom to join a strong union. I stand in opposition to HB 337

To whom it may concern, Please vote No on the bill that infringes on teachers rights for collective bargaining. Collective Bargaining is an important part of a teachers voice and to be able to negotiate our salaries. Collective bargaining gives teachers a seat at the table for our voices to be heard and our ability to have a say in important decisions for our students and families. Thank you Mrs. Abdale

VMA supports HB270 - modernizing the VEC is a necessity. VMA supports HB336, 337, 341- 51% approval is a near universal democratic standard for bargaining unit approval and union activities, including collecting dues, should be a cost of the union, not the taxpayer. VMA supports HB414 - the Commonwealth must have a reliable electric grid. VMA opposes HB1355 - the Commonwealth must have a diversified energy portfolio that is affordable, reliable, secure, and sustainable.

My name is Carol Bauer, and I have been an elementary teacher for 27 years, and I currently serve as the VEA VP. I urge you vote against HB 337. Partnerships and collaboration is how we accomplish great things. This bill would limit the ability to develop trusting relationships to collectively bargain on a level playing field. Anytime workers are denied the opportunity to meet with employers to discuss working conditions no one benefits. If you have ever seen the TV show Undercover Boss then you know exactly what I mean. Employers benefit and companies prosper when they listen to their employees and build stronger and more effective work places. Anytime restrictions are placed on the ability of an employer to pay their workers who are working to develop stronger, safer, and more equitable workplaces, you infringe on the employer’s ability to create stronger, safer, and more equitable working places. HB 337 would create wrongful pressure on employees when engaging in collective bargaining. HB 337 would interfere in employees’ right to organize and conduct collective bargaining. This legislation is a slap to dedicated employees who advocate for what is best for co-workers and who want to bargain for the common good. My name is Carol Bauer, and I have been an elementary teacher for 27 years, and I currently serve as the VEA VP. It is no secret that education workers are feeling the stress of the pandemic acutely. Workers need a voice at the table now. In a recent survey referenced by Forbes, 48% of all educators considered leaving the profession in the last 30 days. One obvious way to help lessen this crisis is take things off educators’ plates. HB 341 would do just the opposite, by creating additional obstacles that overtaxed educators would have to be overcome to organize, collectively bargain, and have their voice heard. Payroll deductions are essential to employees when securing benefits like health insurance, job security, and fair wages which are the very benefits that the Union and employee associations do in advocating for their members. Eliminating payroll deduction eliminates access for employees to representation and advocacy. Additionally, there is no need to create legislation to fix a problem that does not exist. It does not take HB 341 to allow employees to stop paying dues when requested. The legislation is simply not needed. HB 341 eliminates the ability for Unions and employee associations to effectively provide a voice for their members. HB 341 would continue to create conditions that lead to educator burnout and unsafe working conditions. It restricts the rights of workers. HB 341 is harmful and an overreach of government. HB 341 not only creates an unfair labor advantage but is an unnecessary additional obstacle that educators and employees would have to overcome to have their voice represented by requiring employees to authorized collective bargaining before dues are collected.

As a President of the Virginia Beach Education Association, My members and I strongly oppose House Bills 336, 337, 341, 790, & 883 which ban collective bargaining for local public employees. My members are deeply concerned about the future of our students’ education and firmly believe that collective bargaining rights for educators are a win for everyone. Collective bargaining rights lead to the kind of high-quality schools our children and communities deserve by making students our primary focus. It capitalizes on the expertise of seasoned educators in decision making around such issues as lowering class sizes, adding important positions like school counselors and nurses, and providing extra resources for students, as well as other benefits for employees. Solving problems in education must involve the people who work with students daily. They are the ones with first-hand knowledge of how issues affect students’ learning. We know that the working environment of educators is the learning environment of students. When we elevate both of these, educational programs can expand their capacity to prepare students to be work-ready, making them productive and involved citizens who in turn contribute to the success of their communities. We need teachers to be part of this decision making process in building excellent public schools. Collective bargaining rights also help retain experienced educators, attract new highly qualified educators, and encourage young adults to enter preparation programs to work in this essential field of public service. We currently have a state with many unfilled public education openings and there are not nearly enough students in preparation programs coming to fill them. Students in today’s colleges and universities are aware of how the right to collective bargain will affect their quality of life and earning potential over the course of their chosen career. They are making informed decisions about their career choices and how those in leadership support or oppose actions that will affect those choices. Collective bargaining for all public employees results in better services, retention of employees, and enhances the appeal of our communities to new business and industry. Please commit to supporting education professionals and students and our other essential workers in Virginia by embracing collective bargaining and voting against HB 336, 337, 341, 790, and 883. Thank you.

Dear Commerce and Energy - Subcommittee #1 members, my name is Tyvon Bates, and on behalf of American Federation of Teachers Virginia, I am writing to urge you to oppose HB 341 chief patroned by Delegate Freitas. This legislation is a direct attack on public employees in the Commonwealth’s ability to create and sustain organizations to improve our lives and public services. It would impose barriers to authorizing dues deduction and arbitrary deadlines for changing payments that we authorized to our unions, going far beyond the practices of other states, and of federal policy. I hope you will join me in opposing HB 341. Thank you,

Good afternoon honorable members of Subcommittee #1. My name is William Boger and I am an active firefighter in Henrico County, Virginia with nearly 20 years in my profession. I am president of Henrico Professional Fire Fighters Association and a district vice president with the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters representing over 9,000 of the firefighters who protect our Commonwealth. I am also a third generation union member. I have witnessed first hand the benefits union membership has had on working families and the sustainment and development of the middle class. I am here today to speak against HB 883, which seeks to repeal the freedom of workers like firefighters to collectively bargain terms of their employment, as well as HB 336, HB 337, and HB 341, which are all attacks against the freedom of public service employees to join together in a union and bargain collectively for a contract. Many people wrongly believe collective bargaining is all about money. It is not. Collective bargaining is about working conditions, safety, benefits, training, equipment and so much more. As frontline workers who have faced the Covid-19 pandemic daily, we are able to provide beneficial insight into what we need to keep our communities safe. And as firefighters and EMS providers, we know first hand what it takes to provide the best services possible. Since the law passed in 2020 allowing collective bargaining in Virginia, communities like Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun County, Prince William County and others have begun the process. Please don’t repeal legislation of which communities are already seeing the benefit and that they desire. You can have a pro-business economy and a pro-worker economy. Collective bargaining is not against making Virginia the best place for business. Collective bargaining is a means for workers to have a voice in their employment. Through collaboration, employers and the communities they serve will see the benefit of having important decisions shared. Collective bargaining makes for stronger communities, where employees are not seen as simply line items on a budget, but as assets to the communities in which they live, work and raise their families. Thank you for this opportunity to speak against HB 883.

I am against these bills and against the limiting of collective bargaining rights in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The recent gains made in collective bargaining rights are incredibly important for workers—and employers—in the state. As a teacher, I am well aware of the fact that Virginia is near the bottom in teacher salaries. This is leading to many problems in our schools, including a shortage of teachers and trouble attracting and retaining new teachers. The teacher pay gap is just one thing that can be effectively—and cooperatively addressed through collective bargaining. Collective bargaining has time and time again been shown to lead to improved classrooms, educator recruitment and retention, and better working conditions. We need this in Virginia. Please vote “No” on these bills.

Say NO to the bills that take away Collective Bargaining. Employees in the state of VA deserve Collective Bargaining. Teachers, firefighters and Policeman deserve a position in determining what happens in their profession. For too long they have had to sit back and let others who are not part of their profession, decide what happens in their profession. Give them a voice to determine what is in the best interest for their profession. Teachers work day and night to provide what is in the best interest of students- no one knows better then they do how to achieve this- they deserve a voice in the decision-making We will lose the best teachers, firefighters and policemen if we take away this critical opportunity for them to have a voice in their professions. Say NO to the bills that take away Collective Bargaining.

Good morning honorable members of the Committee, Massachusetts is often said to have the strongest public schools in the nation. Did you also know that Massachusetts Educators also have strong collective bargaining rights. Massachusetts invests in education. With the current staffing shortages, show Virginia families and educators that you are in strong support of education by supporting collective bargaining rights. Virginia educators earn 7k below the national average and many are abandoning the profession. Can you blame them? Sincerely Brian McGovern

Please move to report HB336, 337, 341, 790, 883. Thank you.

I urge you to vote NO on these bills that will silence the voices of educators. Educator negotiated contracts lead to quality educator recruitment and retention with improved classrooms and better working conditions. Please give us a seat at the table to maintain the integrity of our profession. Thank you.

PLEASE VOTE NO ON HB336, HB337, HB341 AND HB790. During these challenging times, legislators need to support public employees -- and this is particularly true for law enforcement officers. Police departments are woefully understaffed, and morale for all public employees -- particularly officers -- is at an all-time low. Measures such as these proposed bills will only serve to make matters worse. Collective bargaining is the best tool to allow employees to be part of the process, and is an excellent tool to help employers streamline communications with their employees. So much of the rhetoric is simply fear of the unknown. I've had the privilege of representing the MWAA police union, which has had collective bargaining rights and a collective bargaining agreement for decades. The ability to have everything in black and white for all parties is immensely helpful for everyone involved.

Educator voices are important to assist in classroom improvements educator voices are crucial in the recruitment and retention of qualified classroom teachers. Educator voices are vital in the improvement of working conditions for students and public school staff. I urge you to vote NO on the above House Bills. Thank you for your attention.

I have never understood why having a honest discussion and a signed agreement between employees and management is so scary that management must deny employees their collective voice. Is it because management is afraid that they will have to acknowledge that their employees are people not widgets? Will employers have to treat their employees as valued partners who are necessary for management’s success? Will management have to admit the employees doing the work really understand how the work is done over the management who only knows how it was done a long time ago? It is past time for employees representatives and management to talk and come to a MUTUAL agreement.

We know what are students need more than anyone. I work out Special Education students every day. They always asking why do we have to do this or that. They ask why people who don't know them make them take test they know that they will pass. I want to speak for these students who fight a different type of battle every day. Let us who know what to do have a say. Most of you have no idea what special needs children fights every day because you have never been around my students.

The educators within the Commonwealth deserve to have a voice in negotiating their contracts, working conditions, wages, salaries, or anything else that affects their work whether in the classroom or on a school bus. Working together with school boards for the betterment of all leads to happier educators, school boards, parents and the community is a must for the success of our children. It’s all for the children in the end. Virginia is #4 best in education so let’s keep it that way so we can work towards being #1.

As a public school teacher for the last 24 years, I have been advocating and working toward collective bargaining in Virginia. As a professional, it is important to have a voice in the present and future conditions of my profession. Teachers need to have input in working conditions, time management, and documentation. When the needs of the teachers are met, we can meet the needs of the students. Our children is what this is all about. Our working conditions are our children's learning conditions. Please continue to support collective bargaining for teachers. Thank you.

Please vote "No" on these bills. Virginia teachers have been punished enough. We service children and do so with open hearts and minds. Please do not revoke the rights that have been so hard won. Political agendas do not belong in our public school systems!

Vote No on these bills. I ask you to think about teachers. By voting NO on these bills you are helping teachers, not just our classroom and working conditions but by keeping teachers in the classroom.

Please keep Collective Bargaining. Collective Bargaining is very important and a needed meansof communication for RPS teachers/staff to have a voice in what happens for our school system. Please do not support any bills or legislature that would undermine the ability for RPS teachers/staff to come to the table through Collective Barganining. I implore you to not support the bills that have the goal to undermine Collective Barganining. PLease join hands with the Richmond City Schools teachers and staff to work together through Collective Bargaining and vote against any bill or legislature that has the goal of eradicating it or diminishing Collective Barganinings ability to allow RPS teachers/staff to come to the table and have a voice in meeting the needs of teachers/staff as we work to educate and support all the students in our system. Thank you for your attention to this very important matter. have a

At a time when we should be empowering workers to improve working an living conditions for the citizens of the Commonwealth, these bills purposely seek to strip power from the middle class. Introduced by a party supposedly against government over-reach, these bills go directly against the mantra of local control. This is as unAmerican as it gets: stifling the ability of workers to ban together to improve their working conditions as a whole. In this case, it's even more damaging, as these bills seek to limit the power of the workers who are in charge of educating and protecting the public in the state of Virginia. In a time when we are struggling to fill these positions statewide, it is nonsensical to add another barrier to the recruitment and retention of highly-qualified and talented individuals. This is not the time nor the place for political posturing. This is the time for common-sense legislating. Therefore, you must vote NO on these measures.

Dear Legislators, Teachers must have a voice when it comes to collaborating working with the government. We have been through a period that has illuminated so many problems in the education system. It is ludicrous to leave us out of the conversation. We are the ones that know what works best for our students. People who make administrative decisions, including you, that have never been in the classroom in the last few years do not have the information to accurately make decisions in students' best interest. Sincerely, Amanda Wolfe

I am writing in opposition to any actions that would rescind or undermine education workers' recently-won collective bargaining rights. In many localities around the state, it is highly unlikely that education workers will be able to meet the requirements set forth in the bill as currently written. I am proud to live and work in the first Virginia locality to recognize our collective bargaining rights. This recognition did not come easily. My colleagues and I worked hundreds of unpaid hours to gain these rights, which will help improve our working conditions and our students' learning conditions. To change the playing field after we have invested so much of our personal time and resources into securing these rights would honestly be a slap in the face; not just my own face but the faces of my colleagues, the school board, and the students of Richmond Public Schools. The desire to change the rules when one does not like the outcome is a sign of poor character; I urge you to display your better natures as you debate these bills.

Delegates, As a high school teacher in Winchester, VA, I ask that you avoid repealing any positive movement towards collective bargaining. Education is incredibly difficult, and having the support of a union, a union representative, or a collectively bargained contract can be very helpful. Collective bargaining gives educators the back up in the face of shifting political headwinds, and allows for teachers to focus on what their job entails: teaching Virginia's youth. These bills before you would stall or reduce the momentum that educators in VA have worked towards over the past years. If you are "for" teachers or education, you need to be for collective bargaining. Thank you, Mike Siraguse

Teachers' jobs are incredibly difficult. Collective Bargaining and educator-negotiated contracts are essential for improved classrooms, educator recruitment and retention, and better working conditions.

These bills will repeal educators' progress toward gaining collective bargaining. They will silence educators' voices. School decisions will not be able to capitalize on the experiences and skills of their experts in their school systems, the educators. Why deny educators a seat at the table? Why squelch expert input? Educators are the experts in our schools. Bargaining with educators benefits our students' learning conditions. It improves educator working conditions, and ultimately benefits our Virginia communities. Bring the experts to the table. I urge you to vote no on these bills. Sincerely,

As an elementary school teacher working in a school with a large population of students who are of low economic status collective bargaining is key to ensure the best for our educators and students. Collective bargaining must be maintained and expanded. This will allow teachers to work with their school boards to have competitive wages in turn attracting the best educators possible to our schools. It will allow teachers to have a voice in negotiating our contractors. It is about working with school boards not against them to create a better environment for educators allowing us to provide our students with the high quality education they deserve. This also help with retaining high quality educators, which is so important to our students success. I implore you vote no to any legislation that will limit or take away our right to collective bargaining. Thank You for your time.

As a former teacher and current leader of an education union, I understand that when the folks who know the names of our students have a seat at the table, great things can happen. Educator-negotiated contracts help recruit and retain the top-notch teachers that our students deserve. Educators have used contract negotiations in the past to secure smaller class sizes, increase one-on-one attention for students from professionals like nurses and counselors, and make improvements on safety issues. No contract should be one-size-fits-all. Educator-negotiated contracts provide school districts with the freedom to tackle each school's local challenges head on. All Virginia workers should have the right to join a union and the right to bargain collectively so that they have a voice at work. The right to bargain collectively for a contract is not only a better bargain for our public service workers, it’s also a better bargain for our communities. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of public sector workers and their dedication to the jobs that protect our community and fuel our economy. Our nurses, first responders, teachers, and many more stepped up, putting their lives on the line to ensure that we all continued to thrive and survive. These workers are our situational experts and without their expertise, we would have been lost during the pandemic. Collective bargaining rights enable public workers to fight for better services for the communities they serve. Public service employees work for the state, its cities, and counties, providing vital services such as law enforcement and protections, healthcare, sanitation, and education. They advocate for things that benefit the entire community: up-to-date equipment for emergency responders, smaller class sizes, classroom resources, adequate training, and better staffing ratios in hospitals to name a few. Collective bargaining will also mean stronger local economies. Virginia public service workers make 14% less than the national average and 18% less than private sector employees right here in Virginia. It is not the time to repeal the collective bargaining progress we have made, but instead support and strengthen it so that hard-working public service workers can support their families and put money back into our local economies.

Good afternoon, honorable members of the Commerce and Energy Committee. My name is William Boger and I am an active firefighter in Henrico County, Virginia with nearly 20 years in my profession. I am president of Henrico Professional Fire Fighters Association and a district vice president with the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters representing over 9,000 of the firefighters who protect our Commonwealth. I am also a third generation union member. I have witnessed first hand the benefits union membership has had on working families and the sustainment and development of the middle class. I am here today to speak against HB 883, which seeks to repeal the freedom of workers like firefighters to collectively bargain terms of their employment, as well as HB 336, HB 337, and HB 341, and HB 790, which are all attacks against the freedom of public service employees to join together in a union and bargain collectively for a contract. Many people wrongly believe collective bargaining is all about money. It is not. Collective bargaining is about working conditions, safety, benefits, training, equipment and so much more. As frontline workers who have faced the Covid-19 pandemic daily, we are able to provide beneficial insight into what we need to keep our communities safe. And as firefighters and EMS providers, we know first hand what it takes to provide the best services possible. Since the law passed in 2020 allowing collective bargaining in Virginia, communities like Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun County, Prince William County and others have begun the process. Please don’t repeal legislation of which communities are already seeing the benefit and that they desire. You can have a pro-business economy and a pro-worker economy. Collective bargaining is not against making Virginia the best place for business. Collective bargaining is a means for workers to have a voice in their employment. Through collaboration, employers and the communities they serve will see the benefit of having important decisions shared. Collective bargaining makes for stronger communities, where employees are not seen as simply line items on a budget, but as assets to the communities in which they live, work and raise their families. Thank you for this opportunity to speak against HB 883.

To whom it may concern, Please vote No on the bill that infringes on teachers rights for collective bargaining. Collective Bargaining is an important part of a teachers voice and to be able to negotiate our salaries. Collective bargaining gives teachers a seat at the table for our voices to be heard and our ability to have a say in important decisions for our students and families. Thank you Mrs. Abdale

Dear Commerce and Energy - Subcommittee #1 members, my name is Tyvon Bates, and on behalf of American Federation of Teachers Virginia, I am writing to urge you to oppose HB 790 chief patroned by Delegate LaRock. This legislation is a cynical attempt to advance an anti-worker agenda and weaken unions in the guise of addressing police abuses. Every working person should have the right to pursue equality, opportunity, and a voice on the job by forming a union and bargaining collectively for a better life. The power of a union, including a bargained contract, should not be exploited as a shield by police against abusive, discriminatory, or violent behaviors. I hope you will join me in opposing HB 790. Thank you,

As a President of the Virginia Beach Education Association, My members and I strongly oppose House Bills 336, 337, 341, 790, & 883 which ban collective bargaining for local public employees. My members are deeply concerned about the future of our students’ education and firmly believe that collective bargaining rights for educators are a win for everyone. Collective bargaining rights lead to the kind of high-quality schools our children and communities deserve by making students our primary focus. It capitalizes on the expertise of seasoned educators in decision making around such issues as lowering class sizes, adding important positions like school counselors and nurses, and providing extra resources for students, as well as other benefits for employees. Solving problems in education must involve the people who work with students daily. They are the ones with first-hand knowledge of how issues affect students’ learning. We know that the working environment of educators is the learning environment of students. When we elevate both of these, educational programs can expand their capacity to prepare students to be work-ready, making them productive and involved citizens who in turn contribute to the success of their communities. We need teachers to be part of this decision making process in building excellent public schools. Collective bargaining rights also help retain experienced educators, attract new highly qualified educators, and encourage young adults to enter preparation programs to work in this essential field of public service. We currently have a state with many unfilled public education openings and there are not nearly enough students in preparation programs coming to fill them. Students in today’s colleges and universities are aware of how the right to collective bargain will affect their quality of life and earning potential over the course of their chosen career. They are making informed decisions about their career choices and how those in leadership support or oppose actions that will affect those choices. Collective bargaining for all public employees results in better services, retention of employees, and enhances the appeal of our communities to new business and industry. Please commit to supporting education professionals and students and our other essential workers in Virginia by embracing collective bargaining and voting against HB 336, 337, 341, 790, and 883. Thank you.

PLEASE OPPOSE HB790. These bills are not about transparency or accountability. They are about denying the due process rights of thousands of dedicated public servants. As to several of the key provisions: 1. There are hundreds of police officers in Virginia who serve honorably despite long ago minor disciplinary matters. 2. Psychological research also tells us that giving a person 24-48 hours to process traumatic events before providing a statement will lead to a more accurate statement. 3. Almost all experienced investigators would agree that letting a witness review video footage of an incident before giving a written statement leads to better fact-finding. Requiring the officer to give a statement before seeing the footage is just a trap to catch the officer being inaccurate about a minor fact so that internal affairs investigators can accuse the officer of lying. 4. Impartial adjudication of disciplinary matters is important. There is a long history of police department management- like the management of any organization- using the disciplinary process as a means of retribution, political game playing, or favoritism. The matters addressed in the bill are best left to the localities to decide what makes sense for their communities. Thank you for your attention. Justin P. Keating Beins, Axelrod & Keating, P.C.

I am against these bills and against the limiting of collective bargaining rights in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The recent gains made in collective bargaining rights are incredibly important for workers—and employers—in the state. As a teacher, I am well aware of the fact that Virginia is near the bottom in teacher salaries. This is leading to many problems in our schools, including a shortage of teachers and trouble attracting and retaining new teachers. The teacher pay gap is just one thing that can be effectively—and cooperatively addressed through collective bargaining. Collective bargaining has time and time again been shown to lead to improved classrooms, educator recruitment and retention, and better working conditions. We need this in Virginia. Please vote “No” on these bills.

Say NO to the bills that take away Collective Bargaining. Employees in the state of VA deserve Collective Bargaining. Teachers, firefighters and Policeman deserve a position in determining what happens in their profession. For too long they have had to sit back and let others who are not part of their profession, decide what happens in their profession. Give them a voice to determine what is in the best interest for their profession. Teachers work day and night to provide what is in the best interest of students- no one knows better then they do how to achieve this- they deserve a voice in the decision-making We will lose the best teachers, firefighters and policemen if we take away this critical opportunity for them to have a voice in their professions. Say NO to the bills that take away Collective Bargaining.

Good morning honorable members of the Committee, Massachusetts is often said to have the strongest public schools in the nation. Did you also know that Massachusetts Educators also have strong collective bargaining rights. Massachusetts invests in education. With the current staffing shortages, show Virginia families and educators that you are in strong support of education by supporting collective bargaining rights. Virginia educators earn 7k below the national average and many are abandoning the profession. Can you blame them? Sincerely Brian McGovern

Please move to report HB336, 337, 341, 790, 883. Thank you.

I urge you to vote NO on these bills that will silence the voices of educators. Educator negotiated contracts lead to quality educator recruitment and retention with improved classrooms and better working conditions. Please give us a seat at the table to maintain the integrity of our profession. Thank you.

PLEASE VOTE NO ON HB336, HB337, HB341 AND HB790. During these challenging times, legislators need to support public employees -- and this is particularly true for law enforcement officers. Police departments are woefully understaffed, and morale for all public employees -- particularly officers -- is at an all-time low. Measures such as these proposed bills will only serve to make matters worse. Collective bargaining is the best tool to allow employees to be part of the process, and is an excellent tool to help employers streamline communications with their employees. So much of the rhetoric is simply fear of the unknown. I've had the privilege of representing the MWAA police union, which has had collective bargaining rights and a collective bargaining agreement for decades. The ability to have everything in black and white for all parties is immensely helpful for everyone involved.

Educator voices are important to assist in classroom improvements educator voices are crucial in the recruitment and retention of qualified classroom teachers. Educator voices are vital in the improvement of working conditions for students and public school staff. I urge you to vote NO on the above House Bills. Thank you for your attention.

I have never understood why having a honest discussion and a signed agreement between employees and management is so scary that management must deny employees their collective voice. Is it because management is afraid that they will have to acknowledge that their employees are people not widgets? Will employers have to treat their employees as valued partners who are necessary for management’s success? Will management have to admit the employees doing the work really understand how the work is done over the management who only knows how it was done a long time ago? It is past time for employees representatives and management to talk and come to a MUTUAL agreement.

We know what are students need more than anyone. I work out Special Education students every day. They always asking why do we have to do this or that. They ask why people who don't know them make them take test they know that they will pass. I want to speak for these students who fight a different type of battle every day. Let us who know what to do have a say. Most of you have no idea what special needs children fights every day because you have never been around my students.

The educators within the Commonwealth deserve to have a voice in negotiating their contracts, working conditions, wages, salaries, or anything else that affects their work whether in the classroom or on a school bus. Working together with school boards for the betterment of all leads to happier educators, school boards, parents and the community is a must for the success of our children. It’s all for the children in the end. Virginia is #4 best in education so let’s keep it that way so we can work towards being #1.

As a public school teacher for the last 24 years, I have been advocating and working toward collective bargaining in Virginia. As a professional, it is important to have a voice in the present and future conditions of my profession. Teachers need to have input in working conditions, time management, and documentation. When the needs of the teachers are met, we can meet the needs of the students. Our children is what this is all about. Our working conditions are our children's learning conditions. Please continue to support collective bargaining for teachers. Thank you.

Please vote "No" on these bills. Virginia teachers have been punished enough. We service children and do so with open hearts and minds. Please do not revoke the rights that have been so hard won. Political agendas do not belong in our public school systems!

Vote No on these bills. I ask you to think about teachers. By voting NO on these bills you are helping teachers, not just our classroom and working conditions but by keeping teachers in the classroom.

Please keep Collective Bargaining. Collective Bargaining is very important and a needed meansof communication for RPS teachers/staff to have a voice in what happens for our school system. Please do not support any bills or legislature that would undermine the ability for RPS teachers/staff to come to the table through Collective Barganining. I implore you to not support the bills that have the goal to undermine Collective Barganining. PLease join hands with the Richmond City Schools teachers and staff to work together through Collective Bargaining and vote against any bill or legislature that has the goal of eradicating it or diminishing Collective Barganinings ability to allow RPS teachers/staff to come to the table and have a voice in meeting the needs of teachers/staff as we work to educate and support all the students in our system. Thank you for your attention to this very important matter. have a

At a time when we should be empowering workers to improve working an living conditions for the citizens of the Commonwealth, these bills purposely seek to strip power from the middle class. Introduced by a party supposedly against government over-reach, these bills go directly against the mantra of local control. This is as unAmerican as it gets: stifling the ability of workers to ban together to improve their working conditions as a whole. In this case, it's even more damaging, as these bills seek to limit the power of the workers who are in charge of educating and protecting the public in the state of Virginia. In a time when we are struggling to fill these positions statewide, it is nonsensical to add another barrier to the recruitment and retention of highly-qualified and talented individuals. This is not the time nor the place for political posturing. This is the time for common-sense legislating. Therefore, you must vote NO on these measures.

Dear Legislators, Teachers must have a voice when it comes to collaborating working with the government. We have been through a period that has illuminated so many problems in the education system. It is ludicrous to leave us out of the conversation. We are the ones that know what works best for our students. People who make administrative decisions, including you, that have never been in the classroom in the last few years do not have the information to accurately make decisions in students' best interest. Sincerely, Amanda Wolfe

I am writing in opposition to any actions that would rescind or undermine education workers' recently-won collective bargaining rights. In many localities around the state, it is highly unlikely that education workers will be able to meet the requirements set forth in the bill as currently written. I am proud to live and work in the first Virginia locality to recognize our collective bargaining rights. This recognition did not come easily. My colleagues and I worked hundreds of unpaid hours to gain these rights, which will help improve our working conditions and our students' learning conditions. To change the playing field after we have invested so much of our personal time and resources into securing these rights would honestly be a slap in the face; not just my own face but the faces of my colleagues, the school board, and the students of Richmond Public Schools. The desire to change the rules when one does not like the outcome is a sign of poor character; I urge you to display your better natures as you debate these bills.

Delegates, As a high school teacher in Winchester, VA, I ask that you avoid repealing any positive movement towards collective bargaining. Education is incredibly difficult, and having the support of a union, a union representative, or a collectively bargained contract can be very helpful. Collective bargaining gives educators the back up in the face of shifting political headwinds, and allows for teachers to focus on what their job entails: teaching Virginia's youth. These bills before you would stall or reduce the momentum that educators in VA have worked towards over the past years. If you are "for" teachers or education, you need to be for collective bargaining. Thank you, Mike Siraguse

Teachers' jobs are incredibly difficult. Collective Bargaining and educator-negotiated contracts are essential for improved classrooms, educator recruitment and retention, and better working conditions.

These bills will repeal educators' progress toward gaining collective bargaining. They will silence educators' voices. School decisions will not be able to capitalize on the experiences and skills of their experts in their school systems, the educators. Why deny educators a seat at the table? Why squelch expert input? Educators are the experts in our schools. Bargaining with educators benefits our students' learning conditions. It improves educator working conditions, and ultimately benefits our Virginia communities. Bring the experts to the table. I urge you to vote no on these bills. Sincerely,

As an elementary school teacher working in a school with a large population of students who are of low economic status collective bargaining is key to ensure the best for our educators and students. Collective bargaining must be maintained and expanded. This will allow teachers to work with their school boards to have competitive wages in turn attracting the best educators possible to our schools. It will allow teachers to have a voice in negotiating our contractors. It is about working with school boards not against them to create a better environment for educators allowing us to provide our students with the high quality education they deserve. This also help with retaining high quality educators, which is so important to our students success. I implore you vote no to any legislation that will limit or take away our right to collective bargaining. Thank You for your time.

As a former teacher and current leader of an education union, I understand that when the folks who know the names of our students have a seat at the table, great things can happen. Educator-negotiated contracts help recruit and retain the top-notch teachers that our students deserve. Educators have used contract negotiations in the past to secure smaller class sizes, increase one-on-one attention for students from professionals like nurses and counselors, and make improvements on safety issues. No contract should be one-size-fits-all. Educator-negotiated contracts provide school districts with the freedom to tackle each school's local challenges head on. All Virginia workers should have the right to join a union and the right to bargain collectively so that they have a voice at work. The right to bargain collectively for a contract is not only a better bargain for our public service workers, it’s also a better bargain for our communities. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of public sector workers and their dedication to the jobs that protect our community and fuel our economy. Our nurses, first responders, teachers, and many more stepped up, putting their lives on the line to ensure that we all continued to thrive and survive. These workers are our situational experts and without their expertise, we would have been lost during the pandemic. Collective bargaining rights enable public workers to fight for better services for the communities they serve. Public service employees work for the state, its cities, and counties, providing vital services such as law enforcement and protections, healthcare, sanitation, and education. They advocate for things that benefit the entire community: up-to-date equipment for emergency responders, smaller class sizes, classroom resources, adequate training, and better staffing ratios in hospitals to name a few. Collective bargaining will also mean stronger local economies. Virginia public service workers make 14% less than the national average and 18% less than private sector employees right here in Virginia. It is not the time to repeal the collective bargaining progress we have made, but instead support and strengthen it so that hard-working public service workers can support their families and put money back into our local economies.

Please vote NO on HB883 before this bill comes to the House Commerce and the Energy Committee. Public employees have the right to engage in collective bargaining efforts. This is about huge number of families' struggle! Thank you.

Good afternoon, honorable members of the Commerce and Energy Committee. My name is William Boger and I am an active firefighter in Henrico County, Virginia with nearly 20 years in my profession. I am president of Henrico Professional Fire Fighters Association and a district vice president with the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters representing over 9,000 of the firefighters who protect our Commonwealth. I am also a third generation union member. I have witnessed first hand the benefits union membership has had on working families and the sustainment and development of the middle class. I am here today to speak against HB 883, which seeks to repeal the freedom of workers like firefighters to collectively bargain terms of their employment, as well as HB 336, HB 337, and HB 341, and HB 790, which are all attacks against the freedom of public service employees to join together in a union and bargain collectively for a contract. Many people wrongly believe collective bargaining is all about money. It is not. Collective bargaining is about working conditions, safety, benefits, training, equipment and so much more. As frontline workers who have faced the Covid-19 pandemic daily, we are able to provide beneficial insight into what we need to keep our communities safe. And as firefighters and EMS providers, we know first hand what it takes to provide the best services possible. Since the law passed in 2020 allowing collective bargaining in Virginia, communities like Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun County, Prince William County and others have begun the process. Please don’t repeal legislation of which communities are already seeing the benefit and that they desire. You can have a pro-business economy and a pro-worker economy. Collective bargaining is not against making Virginia the best place for business. Collective bargaining is a means for workers to have a voice in their employment. Through collaboration, employers and the communities they serve will see the benefit of having important decisions shared. Collective bargaining makes for stronger communities, where employees are not seen as simply line items on a budget, but as assets to the communities in which they live, work and raise their families. Thank you for this opportunity to speak against HB 883.

As a teacher in the Commonwealth, I feel it necessary to voice how important it is for teachers and school staff to collectively bargain. The process of collective bargaining is necessary due to the lack of specificity in Virginia contracts. If negotiating cannot happen, teachers are pushed to breaking points that have already been noticeable for years. Without collective bargaining, students suffer from a lack of confident, supported teachers. Collective bargaining allows everyone to have a voice, and all of Virginia's teachers create rooms for students to have a voice. We should give the same opportunity to our teachers and staff. Thank you.

The law was changed to allow collective bargaining by teachers for a reason. I fear that by once again denying teachers the right to collectively bargain we will be clearly demonstrating a lack of respect and care for our teachers without whom, as the pandemic showed, society would rapidly fall apart. Right now our public school system is in danger, the department of education has provided data showing that we are already seeing educators leaving in droves. Now is not the time to tell our teachers, who are already dealing with ever increasingly stressful times teaching this year, that they aren't important enough or trustworthy enough to deserve being allowed to collectively bargain in good faith with their school boards.

Please vote to OPPOSE HB883. When educators have a seat at the table, they bargain for the common good. Not only does collective bargaining attract and retain more educators, it also improves student learning conditions, increases test scores, improves educator wages, and positively impacts the whole community. This bill would totally repeal the right of public employees to engage in collective bargaining efforts. Please OPPOSE. Anne Geraty

I am writing in opposition to bill HB883 which would repeal the right of public employees to engage in collective bargaining efforts. As a public school teacher, I should be able to negotiate wages and other conditions of my employment. This is a valuable right that I take seriously. If this bill passes my right to collective bargaining would be removed. This action should not be legal. I would like to request that you vote no to bill HB883. Respectfully, Jean Marie Mendelis

Teachers are in short supply & kids are just not learning what they need! Why would we want legislature to reduce their possible education? Why pass a bill that will further inhibit teachers and not only prevent retention of quality teachers, but un-incentivize new teachers? I say “NO” to bill HB883!

Collective bargaining is so crucial to provide a quality education for children. With a national teacher shortage and an antiquated education system, we teachers need ways to advocate for our students. Don't silence teachers.

If you value education at all you will vote NO on bill HB883! There’s already a dangerous teacher shortage. We can’t afford to lose anymore teachers! They should have the right to participate in collective bargaining. Haven’t you stripped enough away? Teachers have rights too!

Harlie White - Good afternoon, my name is Harlie White - . and I’m a Traffic and Lights technician in the city of Alexandria. I am speaking in opposition of HB 883 which would repeal collective bargaining agreements, prevailing wage requirements, and remove the rights of municipalities like the City of Alexandria from entering into collective bargaining agreements. As an employee in the city of Alexandria, my work isn’t just a job it is a calling. I care deeply for my community. In April of last year, my coworkers and I worked with the city of Alexandria Council members to enact the first collective bargaining ordinance in the Commonwealth in almost forty years. The freedom to collectively bargain enables public service workers to fight for better services for the communities we serve. HB 883 would take us backward by repealing a 2020 law that empowers localities to give public service workers the freedom to join a union, and local municipalities the autonomy to enact union agreements as they see fit. I stand in opposition to HB 883 with other city of Alexandria AFSCME members. Thank you for your time.

Hi, my name is Luis Velez Sr. I am an Equipment Technician for Arlington County and AFSCME member. I am speaking in opposition to repealing collective bargaining rights and HB 337 As a resident of Alexandria, and a public employee with Arlington County, I am responsible for and rely on the quality public services that Northern Virginia’s communities are known for. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to highlight the importance of public service workers and our dedication to the jobs that protect our community and fuel our economy. The freedom to collective bargaining enables public service workers to fight for better services for the communities we serve. HB (337) would chip away at my right to collectively bargain and freedom to join a strong union. I stand in opposition to HB 337

Leaving educators out of the decision-making process is something we continually lambaeste government officials for doing when creating educational policy. I applaud those of you that oppose House Bill 883. This Bill doesn’t seem to fit Virginia and Governor Youngkin’s vision of better public education for our students. As we learned last year, public education is more important now than ever. Collective bargaining for public education staff will improve working conditions, which in turn, will provide a better educational environment for our students, smaller class sizes, and will lead to less turnover in our schools. Staff are continually asked to do more each year. Without collective bargaining, staff will continue to be stretched which will ultimately affect students across Virginia as educators continue to leave the profession more and more. All we are asking for as educators, is for the Virginia House and Senate to support us, believe in us, and allow us to continue to have the right to gain collective bargaining so we can continue to improve working conditions in our public school systems. Trust us to continue the work that is needed to improve our schools across the Commonwealth by voting down this Bill - thank you.

Collective bargaining is the right of the employee and when educators do so, they bargain for the common good. Not only does collective bargaining attract and retain more educators, it also improves student learning conditions, increases test scores, improves embarrassing educator wages, and positively impacts the whole community.

We are saying No to this Bill Thank you

It is very disappointing to see coward such a dissponsor this bill are still trying to refuse public employees the right of elective bargaining. We have won this road in Virginia, and you so quickly taken away again is aid dastardly move, and shows how much those on the right tear us using our voice to stand up for what is right.

Vote No!

Members of the Committee- My name is Katherine Lekbad and I am a middle school social studies teacher in Prince William. I urge you to vote no on HB 883. I urge you to give teachers the respect and acknowledgment they so richly deserve. I appeal to your desire to provide the best education possible to the youth of our Commonwealth. Teachers all across the Commonwealth are in the process of obtaining collective bargaining (CB). For this committee to preemptively shut down this process with this egregious legislation would be a slap in the face for all these teachers. You all must consider the following- Virginia ranks 50th in teacher pay in the USA. 50th!! Can you understand how that will impact future procurement of quality teachers? Virginia already faces a CRITICAL shortage of teachers. Do you want to increase that shortage? I assume you all understand that having quality teachers is one of the largest determiners of a quality education. Virginia is already a Right to Work state. Unions are not mandatory. Teachers can be a part of an association or not. There is no ability to strike as leverage. Indeed, even the Janus decision of the US Supreme Court prohibits unions to charge fees for CB. What is the fear of CB? It is the teachers who are the experts on how to provide quality education. It is the teachers who best understand what the schools and classrooms need. It is teachers who should have representation when contracts are written. Teachers have the best interests of our students at heart. CB will benefit BOTH staff and students! When your staff feels appreciated, respected, and acknowledged for the experts they are, the quality of their work product improves. Isn’t this a basic understanding? Please stop HB 833 now. Please show me and all other professional educators in the Commonwealth that acknowledge and respect our expertise and value. Let the CB organizing continue and allow CB improve the future of education here in Virginia. Respectfully, Mrs. Lekbad

Both I, a public school teacher in Fairfax County, and the Virginia Education Association OPPOSE HB 883. This destructive bill would totally repeal the right of public employees to engage in collective bargaining efforts.

When educators have a seat at the table, they bargain for the common good. Not only does collective bargaining attract and retain more educators, it also improves student learning conditions, increases test scores, improves educator wages, and positively impacts the whole community.

To whom it may concern, Please vote No on the bill that infringes on teachers rights for collective bargaining. Collective Bargaining is an important part of a teachers voice and to be able to negotiate our salaries. Collective bargaining gives teachers a seat at the table for our voices to be heard and our ability to have a say in important decisions for our students and families. Thank you Mrs. Abdale

It is no secret that teachers across the US are underpaid and that VA teachers are particularly underpaid. As of July 2021, VA teachers, along with DC teachers, were ranked last in the country in salary. https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/new-report-virginia-dc-teacher-pay-ranks-last-country/65-72f34f95-ca7d-4707-9c77-fc413a50105e As someone who taught in VA public schools for 43 years, I can attest to the fact that VA teachers do NOT work any less hard nor give any less time to school related matters than teachers anywhere else in this country. After many years of hard work, VA teachers have won the right to bargain collectively. This is the only way they have any chance of being paid fairly for all they do for their students. Good pay attracts teachers, which is important during a time when many college students are eschewing teaching as a profession due to such low pay for work that continues after school hours, during holidays, and even during what some people think is a long summer vacation. Please put partisan politics aside and vote no on HB883, a bill that would completely repeal the rights of public employees to engage in public bargaining. VA will not descend into bankruptcy if teacher pay is raised.

Please vote no on HB883. Collective bargaining for teachers will improve the education for students in Virginia. It gives a process for school boards and teachers to collaborate on improving schools and will improve the moral of educators. They will no longer feel that they are being ignored in decision making in schools. Keep collective bargaining and give it a chance to succeed.

When this bill comes before the House Commerce and Energy Committee this week, please vote NO on HB883. Not only does collective bargaining attract and retain more educators, but it also improves student learning conditions, increases test scores, improves educator wages, and positively impacts the whole community.

The right to collectively bargain must be maintained. Please do not infringe upon it, this right it is already entirely too constricted in this state as it is. Teachers are constantly at the forefront of this conflict but understand that Instructional Assistants have little ability to defend themselves at present and some of our conditions and wages in any other industry would be considered criminal.

When educators have a seat at the table, they bargain for the common good. Not only does collective bargaining attract and retain more educators, it also improves student learning conditions, increases test scores, improves educator wages, and positively impacts the whole community. Please vote NO on HB883! This destructive bill would totally repeal the right of public employees to engage in collective bargaining efforts.

When educators have a seat at the table, they bargain for the common good. Not only does collective bargaining attract and retain more educators, it also improves student learning conditions, increases test scores, improves educator wages, and positively impacts the whole community. vote no on HB 833

Please do not take the right to collective bargain from teachers. We are all ready to leave the profession because of years of mistreatment. If we work together through collective bargaining we will be able to better benefit the students and repair the broken system. Otherwise it will continue to break.

Please vote NO Allow public workers bargaining power for their jobs Thank you

Please do not quash collective bargaining for public workers. All workers deserve the right to negotiate the terms of their employment. Forcing public service workers into contracts in which they have no say is patently unfair. I'm sure you would not like to work somewhere where you can't negotiate the terms of your employment at all. The only reason to disallow collective bargaining is because you enjoy exploiting our workforce.

As an educator, I can guarantee that teachers across the state already feel as though we are not heard. Our Governor is setting up programs to replace and report us and the maximum wage in my district, after 30 years of service with a Masters degree, is the same as someone who comes out of trade school the first year. Ask why schools are failing, better ask why anyone would want to spend $80,000 going to college to come out and make $40,000 for the first 8 years with no opportunity for promotion? If educators aren’t paid more money, and sooner, you are going to have to lower teacher requirements to an Associate’s degree level requirement. You already see the effects in places like New Mexico, where they are using National Guard volunteers as subs, and others that are using police. If nothing is done there won’t be any teachers left in 10 years.

I have been a Prince William County high school teacher for 18 years and have been trying to get all of us a seat at the table to make choices about education. It is not right that the majority of people making those decisions are not educators or even in the educational community. Month after month, I go in person to the the PWC School Board Meetings and I'm allocated 3 minutes to speak. It is the only way for the public to hear what we want and what we are lacking in our schools. The SB has to pay attention when you're on television. It should not be that way. Part-time SB members who are business women, men and others outside of education should not have the sole to power to determine what regulations, policies are made that affect all of us who are actually in the schools and have to enforce said policy. I respectfully request that you allow collective bargaining or at least a shot at it go forward. Thank you. Shannon M. Geraghty Woodbridge, Va. Teacher of 34 years Forest Park High School Government

When educators have a seat at the table, they bargain for the common good. Not only does collective bargaining attract and retain more educators, it also improves student learning conditions, increases test scores, improves educator wages, and positively impacts the whole community. Vote NO on HB883!

HB883 destroys the Commonwealth’s valuable opportunity to improve public education statewide. I’m a retired educator and former president of our local association. I know firsthand how the lack of collective bargaining hinders a community’s improvement for the common good. Not only does collective bargaining attract and retain more educators, it also improves student learning conditions, increases test scores, improves educator wages, and positively impacts the whole community.

The Commonwealth's citizens do not derive any benefit from a refusal to authorize a locality to recognize a labor union. In some areas, such as food service, businesses struggle to attract workers owing to a failure to offer appropriately livable working conditions, wages, or benefits. In other sectors, such as education, teachers and classified employees have worked in service for our Commonwealth's youngest citizens for compensation that has not always been equitable to what should be expected for performance, job description, experience, and geographical area. While allowing for collective bargaining does not guarantee any gains for employees in various careers, these employees would retain a voice in their working conditions, as is the case in most other states. To repeal the recognition of labor unions and the ability of employees to engage in collective bargaining will quash opportunities to improve the livelihoods of employees, including those who serve our children, whose need for financial stability is greatest. There is no competing benefit for our citizens in advancing this bill.

When educators have a seat at the table, they bargain for the common good. Not only does collective bargaining attract and retain more educators, it also improves student learning conditions, increases test scores, improves educator wages, and positively impacts the whole community. Tell your legislator today - Vote NO on HB883! When this bill comes before the House Commerce and Energy committee this week, tell them to vote NO on HB883. This destructive bill would totally repeal the right of public employees to engage in collective bargaining efforts.

No.

Please vote "NO" on HB883. Teachers and all public servants deserve the right to have collective bargaining. This destructive bill would totally repeal the right of public employees to engage in collective bargaining efforts.

I respectfully ask you to vote NO on House Bill 883. Educators deserve a seat at the table. With the extended hours that are put in and the struggles of the pandemic I want to see you the leadership of Virginia to respect that in all that you do this session. Teacher retention is a major issue for school districts. Not only does collective bargaining attract and retain more educators, it also improves student learning conditions, increases test scores, improves educator wages, and positively impacts the whole community. Vote NO on HB883! Respectfully Submitted Jackie Wilson Atkins, VA

Support of HB883 is anti-democratic. Allow workers to have a seat at the table and allow collective bargaining.

Why are you trying to get rid of collect bargaining? This is something that could raise teacher pay in a time of crisis and teacher shortage. Burnout is high and teachers are tired of being treated like we are disposable. Please do not create a crisis by taking away such a fundamental right.

I am a Special Education paraprofessional who has gone above and beyond working at a local high school with special needs students. Every educator whether it’s a teacher or paraprofessional deserves a raise with every thing that we’ve had to endure over these last few years with the pandemic. The amount of money that we currently make is barely enough to live off of when the cost of living continues to go up. Add on the fact that there are many educators who have no choice but to get multiple jobs just to make ends meet. We should be fighting FOR those in education vs trying to tear things down and let things continue the way that they are with people getting burned out due to being stretched thin with everything that they’re doing to help students reach their full potential. Bill HB883 can’t be passed because it would prevent educators from being able to fight for the things that we have desperately needed for a long time & the number one thing is a better living wage compared to what it currently is.

The right to collectively bargain, regardless of profession, is vital to the protection of workers against potential abuses by employers. It is, simply, a moral imperative that ensures all people are treated fairly and equally. In schools, the ability to collectively bargain allows schools to attract and retain qualified and dedicated staff by providing the security of knowing that they will be allowed to provide the best possible learning conditions for students. Teachers’ working conditions ARE students’ learning conditions, and collective bargaining protects both.

Do not vote to get rid of collective bargaining.

Dear Commerce and Energy - Subcommittee #1 members, my name is Tyvon Bates, and on behalf of American Federation of Teachers Virginia, I am writing to urge you to oppose HB 883 chief patroned by Delegate Byron. Repeals in its entirety permissive legislation passed in 2020 that overturned Virginia’s long time ban on collective bargaining for local public employees. I hope you will join me in opposing HB 883. Thank you,

As a President of the Virginia Beach Education Association, My members and I strongly oppose House Bills 336, 337, 341, 790, & 883 which ban collective bargaining for local public employees. My members are deeply concerned about the future of our students’ education and firmly believe that collective bargaining rights for educators are a win for everyone. Collective bargaining rights lead to the kind of high-quality schools our children and communities deserve by making students our primary focus. It capitalizes on the expertise of seasoned educators in decision making around such issues as lowering class sizes, adding important positions like school counselors and nurses, and providing extra resources for students, as well as other benefits for employees. Solving problems in education must involve the people who work with students daily. They are the ones with first-hand knowledge of how issues affect students’ learning. We know that the working environment of educators is the learning environment of students. When we elevate both of these, educational programs can expand their capacity to prepare students to be work-ready, making them productive and involved citizens who in turn contribute to the success of their communities. We need teachers to be part of this decision making process in building excellent public schools. Collective bargaining rights also help retain experienced educators, attract new highly qualified educators, and encourage young adults to enter preparation programs to work in this essential field of public service. We currently have a state with many unfilled public education openings and there are not nearly enough students in preparation programs coming to fill them. Students in today’s colleges and universities are aware of how the right to collective bargain will affect their quality of life and earning potential over the course of their chosen career. They are making informed decisions about their career choices and how those in leadership support or oppose actions that will affect those choices. Collective bargaining for all public employees results in better services, retention of employees, and enhances the appeal of our communities to new business and industry. Please commit to supporting education professionals and students and our other essential workers in Virginia by embracing collective bargaining and voting against HB 336, 337, 341, 790, and 883. Thank you.

Good afternoon honorable members of Subcommittee #1. My name is William Boger and I am an active firefighter in Henrico County, Virginia with nearly 20 years in my profession. I am president of Henrico Professional Fire Fighters Association and a district vice president with the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters representing over 9,000 of the firefighters who protect our Commonwealth. I am also a third generation union member. I have witnessed first hand the benefits union membership has had on working families and the sustainment and development of the middle class. I am here today to speak against HB 883, which seeks to repeal the freedom of workers like firefighters to collectively bargain terms of their employment, as well as HB 336, HB 337, and HB 341, which are all attacks against the freedom of public service employees to join together in a union and bargain collectively for a contract. Many people wrongly believe collective bargaining is all about money. It is not. Collective bargaining is about working conditions, safety, benefits, training, equipment and so much more. As frontline workers who have faced the Covid-19 pandemic daily, we are able to provide beneficial insight into what we need to keep our communities safe. And as firefighters and EMS providers, we know first hand what it takes to provide the best services possible. Since the law passed in 2020 allowing collective bargaining in Virginia, communities like Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun County, Prince William County and others have begun the process. Please don’t repeal legislation of which communities are already seeing the benefit and that they desire. You can have a pro-business economy and a pro-worker economy. Collective bargaining is not against making Virginia the best place for business. Collective bargaining is a means for workers to have a voice in their employment. Through collaboration, employers and the communities they serve will see the benefit of having important decisions shared. Collective bargaining makes for stronger communities, where employees are not seen as simply line items on a budget, but as assets to the communities in which they live, work and raise their families. Thank you for this opportunity to speak against HB 883.

I am against these bills and against the limiting of collective bargaining rights in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The recent gains made in collective bargaining rights are incredibly important for workers—and employers—in the state. As a teacher, I am well aware of the fact that Virginia is near the bottom in teacher salaries. This is leading to many problems in our schools, including a shortage of teachers and trouble attracting and retaining new teachers. The teacher pay gap is just one thing that can be effectively—and cooperatively addressed through collective bargaining. Collective bargaining has time and time again been shown to lead to improved classrooms, educator recruitment and retention, and better working conditions. We need this in Virginia. Please vote “No” on these bills.

Say NO to the bills that take away Collective Bargaining. Employees in the state of VA deserve Collective Bargaining. Teachers, firefighters and Policeman deserve a position in determining what happens in their profession. For too long they have had to sit back and let others who are not part of their profession, decide what happens in their profession. Give them a voice to determine what is in the best interest for their profession. Teachers work day and night to provide what is in the best interest of students- no one knows better then they do how to achieve this- they deserve a voice in the decision-making We will lose the best teachers, firefighters and policemen if we take away this critical opportunity for them to have a voice in their professions. Say NO to the bills that take away Collective Bargaining.

Good morning honorable members of the Committee, Massachusetts is often said to have the strongest public schools in the nation. Did you also know that Massachusetts Educators also have strong collective bargaining rights. Massachusetts invests in education. With the current staffing shortages, show Virginia families and educators that you are in strong support of education by supporting collective bargaining rights. Virginia educators earn 7k below the national average and many are abandoning the profession. Can you blame them? Sincerely Brian McGovern

Please move to report HB336, 337, 341, 790, 883. Thank you.

I urge you to vote NO on these bills that will silence the voices of educators. Educator negotiated contracts lead to quality educator recruitment and retention with improved classrooms and better working conditions. Please give us a seat at the table to maintain the integrity of our profession. Thank you.

Educator voices are important to assist in classroom improvements educator voices are crucial in the recruitment and retention of qualified classroom teachers. Educator voices are vital in the improvement of working conditions for students and public school staff. I urge you to vote NO on the above House Bills. Thank you for your attention.

I have never understood why having a honest discussion and a signed agreement between employees and management is so scary that management must deny employees their collective voice. Is it because management is afraid that they will have to acknowledge that their employees are people not widgets? Will employers have to treat their employees as valued partners who are necessary for management’s success? Will management have to admit the employees doing the work really understand how the work is done over the management who only knows how it was done a long time ago? It is past time for employees representatives and management to talk and come to a MUTUAL agreement.

We know what are students need more than anyone. I work out Special Education students every day. They always asking why do we have to do this or that. They ask why people who don't know them make them take test they know that they will pass. I want to speak for these students who fight a different type of battle every day. Let us who know what to do have a say. Most of you have no idea what special needs children fights every day because you have never been around my students.

The educators within the Commonwealth deserve to have a voice in negotiating their contracts, working conditions, wages, salaries, or anything else that affects their work whether in the classroom or on a school bus. Working together with school boards for the betterment of all leads to happier educators, school boards, parents and the community is a must for the success of our children. It’s all for the children in the end. Virginia is #4 best in education so let’s keep it that way so we can work towards being #1.

As a public school teacher for the last 24 years, I have been advocating and working toward collective bargaining in Virginia. As a professional, it is important to have a voice in the present and future conditions of my profession. Teachers need to have input in working conditions, time management, and documentation. When the needs of the teachers are met, we can meet the needs of the students. Our children is what this is all about. Our working conditions are our children's learning conditions. Please continue to support collective bargaining for teachers. Thank you.

Please vote "No" on these bills. Virginia teachers have been punished enough. We service children and do so with open hearts and minds. Please do not revoke the rights that have been so hard won. Political agendas do not belong in our public school systems!

Vote No on these bills. I ask you to think about teachers. By voting NO on these bills you are helping teachers, not just our classroom and working conditions but by keeping teachers in the classroom.

Please keep Collective Bargaining. Collective Bargaining is very important and a needed meansof communication for RPS teachers/staff to have a voice in what happens for our school system. Please do not support any bills or legislature that would undermine the ability for RPS teachers/staff to come to the table through Collective Barganining. I implore you to not support the bills that have the goal to undermine Collective Barganining. PLease join hands with the Richmond City Schools teachers and staff to work together through Collective Bargaining and vote against any bill or legislature that has the goal of eradicating it or diminishing Collective Barganinings ability to allow RPS teachers/staff to come to the table and have a voice in meeting the needs of teachers/staff as we work to educate and support all the students in our system. Thank you for your attention to this very important matter. have a

I am a public school teacher in Virginia. I have never asked for thanks, nor do I consider my job heroic. It has become an endurance test against the accumulation of external accountability that is determined by those less invested in educational outcomes but heavily invested in political and financial outcomes. Since my first year teaching in Virginia (2003) the layers of expectations have grown disproportionate to what should be normal. Teachers are not represented. The effort to make collective bargaining nearly impossible in Virginia is a play for status quo power in the hands of politicians and interest groups that profit from standardized tests and budget money going to testing platforms. Add to that, the absurd hysteria over political footballs such as CRT and a pandemic response meant to be protective of all people in crowded schools. Because the changing climate of education seems to be drifting further from what’s best for students, it is important that teachers have a voice strengthened through collective bargaining from which they can have a chance to do what’s best within the environment they know best.

I am not providing an attachment however I am opposed to this bill because it guts all worker rights if working for the Commonwealth in any capacity. It makes treating workers with dignity optional everywhere.

At a time when we should be empowering workers to improve working an living conditions for the citizens of the Commonwealth, these bills purposely seek to strip power from the middle class. Introduced by a party supposedly against government over-reach, these bills go directly against the mantra of local control. This is as unAmerican as it gets: stifling the ability of workers to ban together to improve their working conditions as a whole. In this case, it's even more damaging, as these bills seek to limit the power of the workers who are in charge of educating and protecting the public in the state of Virginia. In a time when we are struggling to fill these positions statewide, it is nonsensical to add another barrier to the recruitment and retention of highly-qualified and talented individuals. This is not the time nor the place for political posturing. This is the time for common-sense legislating. Therefore, you must vote NO on these measures.

Dear Legislators, Teachers must have a voice when it comes to collaborating working with the government. We have been through a period that has illuminated so many problems in the education system. It is ludicrous to leave us out of the conversation. We are the ones that know what works best for our students. People who make administrative decisions, including you, that have never been in the classroom in the last few years do not have the information to accurately make decisions in students' best interest. Sincerely, Amanda Wolfe

I am writing in opposition to any actions that would rescind or undermine education workers' recently-won collective bargaining rights. In many localities around the state, it is highly unlikely that education workers will be able to meet the requirements set forth in the bill as currently written. I am proud to live and work in the first Virginia locality to recognize our collective bargaining rights. This recognition did not come easily. My colleagues and I worked hundreds of unpaid hours to gain these rights, which will help improve our working conditions and our students' learning conditions. To change the playing field after we have invested so much of our personal time and resources into securing these rights would honestly be a slap in the face; not just my own face but the faces of my colleagues, the school board, and the students of Richmond Public Schools. The desire to change the rules when one does not like the outcome is a sign of poor character; I urge you to display your better natures as you debate these bills.

Delegates, As a high school teacher in Winchester, VA, I ask that you avoid repealing any positive movement towards collective bargaining. Education is incredibly difficult, and having the support of a union, a union representative, or a collectively bargained contract can be very helpful. Collective bargaining gives educators the back up in the face of shifting political headwinds, and allows for teachers to focus on what their job entails: teaching Virginia's youth. These bills before you would stall or reduce the momentum that educators in VA have worked towards over the past years. If you are "for" teachers or education, you need to be for collective bargaining. Thank you, Mike Siraguse

Teachers' jobs are incredibly difficult. Collective Bargaining and educator-negotiated contracts are essential for improved classrooms, educator recruitment and retention, and better working conditions.

These bills will repeal educators' progress toward gaining collective bargaining. They will silence educators' voices. School decisions will not be able to capitalize on the experiences and skills of their experts in their school systems, the educators. Why deny educators a seat at the table? Why squelch expert input? Educators are the experts in our schools. Bargaining with educators benefits our students' learning conditions. It improves educator working conditions, and ultimately benefits our Virginia communities. Bring the experts to the table. I urge you to vote no on these bills. Sincerely,

As an elementary school teacher working in a school with a large population of students who are of low economic status collective bargaining is key to ensure the best for our educators and students. Collective bargaining must be maintained and expanded. This will allow teachers to work with their school boards to have competitive wages in turn attracting the best educators possible to our schools. It will allow teachers to have a voice in negotiating our contractors. It is about working with school boards not against them to create a better environment for educators allowing us to provide our students with the high quality education they deserve. This also help with retaining high quality educators, which is so important to our students success. I implore you vote no to any legislation that will limit or take away our right to collective bargaining. Thank You for your time.

As a former teacher and current leader of an education union, I understand that when the folks who know the names of our students have a seat at the table, great things can happen. Educator-negotiated contracts help recruit and retain the top-notch teachers that our students deserve. Educators have used contract negotiations in the past to secure smaller class sizes, increase one-on-one attention for students from professionals like nurses and counselors, and make improvements on safety issues. No contract should be one-size-fits-all. Educator-negotiated contracts provide school districts with the freedom to tackle each school's local challenges head on. All Virginia workers should have the right to join a union and the right to bargain collectively so that they have a voice at work. The right to bargain collectively for a contract is not only a better bargain for our public service workers, it’s also a better bargain for our communities. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of public sector workers and their dedication to the jobs that protect our community and fuel our economy. Our nurses, first responders, teachers, and many more stepped up, putting their lives on the line to ensure that we all continued to thrive and survive. These workers are our situational experts and without their expertise, we would have been lost during the pandemic. Collective bargaining rights enable public workers to fight for better services for the communities they serve. Public service employees work for the state, its cities, and counties, providing vital services such as law enforcement and protections, healthcare, sanitation, and education. They advocate for things that benefit the entire community: up-to-date equipment for emergency responders, smaller class sizes, classroom resources, adequate training, and better staffing ratios in hospitals to name a few. Collective bargaining will also mean stronger local economies. Virginia public service workers make 14% less than the national average and 18% less than private sector employees right here in Virginia. It is not the time to repeal the collective bargaining progress we have made, but instead support and strengthen it so that hard-working public service workers can support their families and put money back into our local economies.

To whom it may concern, Please vote No on the bill that infringes on teachers rights for collective bargaining. Collective Bargaining is an important part of a teachers voice and to be able to negotiate our salaries. Collective bargaining gives teachers a seat at the table for our voices to be heard and our ability to have a say in important decisions for our students and families. Thank you Mrs. Abdale

Say NO to the bills that take away Collective Bargaining. Employees in the state of VA deserve Collective Bargaining. Teachers, firefighters and Policeman deserve a position in determining what happens in their profession. For too long they have had to sit back and let others who are not part of their profession, decide what happens in their profession. Give them a voice to determine what is in the best interest for their profession. Teachers work day and night to provide what is in the best interest of students- no one knows better then they do how to achieve this- they deserve a voice in the decision-making We will lose the best teachers, firefighters and policemen if we take away this critical opportunity for them to have a voice in their professions. Say NO to the bills that take away Collective Bargaining.

Good morning honorable members of the Committee, Massachusetts is often said to have the strongest public schools in the nation. Did you also know that Massachusetts Educators also have strong collective bargaining rights. Massachusetts invests in education. With the current staffing shortages, show Virginia families and educators that you are in strong support of education by supporting collective bargaining rights. Virginia educators earn 7k below the national average and many are abandoning the profession. Can you blame them? Sincerely Brian McGovern

We know what are students need more than anyone. I work out Special Education students every day. They always asking why do we have to do this or that. They ask why people who don't know them make them take test they know that they will pass. I want to speak for these students who fight a different type of battle every day. Let us who know what to do have a say. Most of you have no idea what special needs children fights every day because you have never been around my students.

These bills will repeal educators' progress toward gaining collective bargaining. They will silence educators' voices. School decisions will not be able to capitalize on the experiences and skills of their experts in their school systems, the educators. Why deny educators a seat at the table? Why squelch expert input? Educators are the experts in our schools. Bargaining with educators benefits our students' learning conditions. It improves educator working conditions, and ultimately benefits our Virginia communities. Bring the experts to the table. I urge you to vote no on these bills. Sincerely,

To whom it may concern, Please vote No on the bill that infringes on teachers rights for collective bargaining. Collective Bargaining is an important part of a teachers voice and to be able to negotiate our salaries. Collective bargaining gives teachers a seat at the table for our voices to be heard and our ability to have a say in important decisions for our students and families. Thank you Mrs. Abdale

I have been ignored in the workplace while having seizures because people did not recognize them and some did not know what to do. This could have harmed me and it did in some cases because I was scrutinized at my job by fellow employees and it held me back from advancing and a number of times cost me my career. Signs need to be put up in every workplace for not only the protection of the individuals with epilepsy, but for others to assist them also

Say NO to the bills that take away Collective Bargaining. Employees in the state of VA deserve Collective Bargaining. Teachers, firefighters and Policeman deserve a position in determining what happens in their profession. For too long they have had to sit back and let others who are not part of their profession, decide what happens in their profession. Give them a voice to determine what is in the best interest for their profession. Teachers work day and night to provide what is in the best interest of students- no one knows better then they do how to achieve this- they deserve a voice in the decision-making We will lose the best teachers, firefighters and policemen if we take away this critical opportunity for them to have a voice in their professions. Say NO to the bills that take away Collective Bargaining.

Good morning honorable members of the Committee, Massachusetts is often said to have the strongest public schools in the nation. Did you also know that Massachusetts Educators also have strong collective bargaining rights. Massachusetts invests in education. With the current staffing shortages, show Virginia families and educators that you are in strong support of education by supporting collective bargaining rights. Virginia educators earn 7k below the national average and many are abandoning the profession. Can you blame them? Sincerely Brian McGovern

We know what are students need more than anyone. I work out Special Education students every day. They always asking why do we have to do this or that. They ask why people who don't know them make them take test they know that they will pass. I want to speak for these students who fight a different type of battle every day. Let us who know what to do have a say. Most of you have no idea what special needs children fights every day because you have never been around my students.

The price of energy affects the poor and working man much more than it does any rich politician or or entitled class. The idiocy espoused by the Biden administration and the leftist politicians in America is it is not just laughable, it is anti-American and impacts impacts each one of us in a negative way. Stop the spread of communism in our country. Put America First. Let us together make America Great Again.

These bills will repeal educators' progress toward gaining collective bargaining. They will silence educators' voices. School decisions will not be able to capitalize on the experiences and skills of their experts in their school systems, the educators. Why deny educators a seat at the table? Why squelch expert input? Educators are the experts in our schools. Bargaining with educators benefits our students' learning conditions. It improves educator working conditions, and ultimately benefits our Virginia communities. Bring the experts to the table. I urge you to vote no on these bills. Sincerely,

HB 1201 Unemployment benefits should be carefully controlled. We must avoid providing disincentives to work.

HB 118 Yes, include solar!

HB 1243 Mammography must be optional, based on the woman's choice. For a lot of thinking women it is wrong (does not make sense) to invade breasts with radiation in an effort to "detect" breast cancer.

HB 126 Yes, by all means.....Proton therapy works, I think.

HB 1288 Yes, by all means.....And rate reviews must allow for the power of solar to help us save the environment.

HB 153 Yes, by all means.....no state funds should be paid to workers illegally impaired.

HB 1160 I am in favor of this----a necessity nowadays to keep our communities healthy.

HB 263 If this bill will help to ensure that banks will be able to help people save money in virtual currency and add that to FDIC-like assurances for saving consumers......it has my blessing.

HB 225 -- It is a good idea to carefully define this disorder in the bill. Make sure NOT to simply repeat psychiatric jargon in the wording of the law, or it will be uninterpretable by the public that is being served. At a minimum, provide a clear definition of autism in plain English in the bill.