Erin McCann Ciani.
AURORA | A crowd of education support professionals and parents rallied Tuesday outside an Aurora Public Schools Board meeting this week, pressing district leaders to allow classified employees to unionize.
Employees and supporters told board members they saw the push for unionization as a matter of fairness and equity in the district.
The workers, known as education support professionals or ESPs, submitted a proposed policy to the board they say would create a path for union recognition and collective bargaining.
Several board members said they supported placing the issue on a future agenda for discussion.
Currently, only licensed teachers in the district are unionized.
District records show that the school system employs about 1,800 non-union workers, which include paraeducators, bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria staff and others.
They say they deserve the same opportunity for representation as the district’s approximately 1,600 licensed teachers.
“For me, the right to bargain is about fairness, respect, and having a real say in the decisions that affect our jobs, our students, and our schools,” paraeducator Adalis Montoya of Aurora Highlands School said in a statement. “We show up every day for our community, but too often our voices aren’t at the table. A union and the right to bargain would let us stand together to fight for fair pay, safe working conditions, and the resources our students deserve.”
The rally this week followed a petition effort last semester in which organizers said more than 60% of non-union employees signed on in support of organizing, supporters said. They say collective bargaining would improve working conditions and retention in a district that relies heavily on support staff.
Currently, non-unionized teacher hourly wages range from $16.19 to $55.57, according to APS records. The salaries included substitute teachers, bus drivers, temporary employees and more.
Union advocates said in a statement that some managers in the district intimidated workers to discourage organizing. They told board members they must pass a policy to prevent what they describe as “union busting” and guarantee a formal process for recognition.
District officials have previously expressed support for classified workers, though no formal policy has ever materialized.
The board did not take action Tuesday but is expected to consider the proposal at a future meeting.
It is a fundamental right to unionize. For too many years the gap between the wealthy and working people who do the work that makes the oligarchy wealthy has grown unchecked. Just last year, S&P 500 CEO’s salaries jumped an average of 7.5% to 9.7%. Did you get that kind of a raise? We can’t stand in the way of workers to unite to bargain for increases to stagnant wages!
Good for them. Go for unions