In a collective move towards better working conditions and job security, education support staff at Aurora Public Schools are escalating their campaign for the right to unionize. These workers, including paraprofessionals, custodians, bus drivers, and more, are calling for recognition amidst reports of what they consider unequal treatment within the district. According to Westword, as many as 100 supporters showed up in red shirts at the APS Board of Education meeting to make their case for union representation.
At the heart of the issue is the claim by many in the support staff that they are essential to the functioning of the schools, but without a union, they lack the bargaining power to negotiate wages, benefits, and job training. "We do work that is critical to making our school run," Brandi Edmonds, an educational assistant at Clara Brown School, told CBS News Colorado, emphasizing the weight of their roles in the educational system. The push for unionization is a move towards gaining a voice in the decisions that directly affect their roles and the wider student community.
Demonstrators at a rally and subsequent school board meeting underscored the low starting wage of $16.19 per hour, with a wide disparity among different roles. Che Castor, a paraprofessional voicing grievances with their pay, told 9News, "The work is still stacked on us, we get more and more responsibilities, but not with the pay." The apparent wage stagnation clashes with the rising cost of living, leaving many workers feeling undervalued and stressed about their financial stability.
Despite the challenges faced by the support staff and the contention over administrative tactics, APS officials have denied knowledge of intimidation or threats against unionizing efforts; the district released a statement highlighting a lack of representation in the claims, stating, "We have no knowledge of threats or intimidation. That is not representative of who we are as a district." Yet at the board meetings, support was shown by both staff and community members, with the likes of Kevin Vick, the president of the Colorado Education Association, telling the board, "Districts that have a union partnership have much lower turnover rates," according to Westword. The push for organization among the classified employees of APS continues as they seek both fair treatment and better engagement with the district for future negotiations.
