On March 20, 2024, the Prince William County School Board ratified the Collective Bargaining Agreement with its employees’ exclusive bargaining agent, the Prince William Education Association (PWEA), with an effective date of July 1, 2024, until June 30, 2027. This is the first Collective Bargaining Agreement for Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS). The agreement includes the school division’s certified/licensed personnel and classified employees (except those persons excluded from the definition of employee in the resolution).
The three-year agreement addresses issues such as association and board rights and responsibilities; grievances; and salaries, stipends, and benefits.
“I am proud that PWCS is one of the first, and largest, school divisions in the state of Virginia to have reached a Collective Bargaining Agreement,” said Dr. Babur Lateef, Chairman At-Large Prince William County School Board. “Having great teachers and great staff to support our students is critical. We will continue to ensure we are the best place to work and provide competitive wages for our employees.”
PWCS remains committed to building on the strong foundation of this agreement and continuing to bargain in good faith for the continued benefit of all employees through annual wage negotiation.
Prior to 2020, Virginia prohibited collective bargaining for public employees. During the 2020 Legislative Session the General Assembly passed, and the Governor signed, a bill that gave school divisions the option of adopting a resolution allowing collective bargaining for School Board employees. The local option is codified in Virginia Code § 40.1-57.2 and was effective May 1, 2021. The School Board adopted its amended resolution allowing collective bargaining in December 2022.
More information is available on PWCS website.