EAA MEMBER UPDATE: FORGING A NEW PATH

BULLETIN BOARD SUMMARY

THE ISSUE	THE REALITY
CBA Negotiations	Currently happening without member input; healthcare costs are eating our raises.
Budget	Members (and even the Treasurer) are blocked from seeing where our dues go.
Communication	Last-minute cancellations and ignored emails are the "persistent pattern."
Retaliation	Members are afraid to speak up. We are building a network to protect and support you.

Why We Are Meeting Today

The official EAA budget meeting was cancelled at the last minute. We are here to provide the transparency you deserve and to address the questions leadership has avoided.

Critical Concerns

• The "Pay Cut" Reality: Current CBA "increases" are being entirely wiped out by healthcare offsets. Leadership has the power to negotiate this but has not made it a priority.
• Lack of Representation: Many buildings currently have no union representatives, leaving educators without a direct line to leadership.
• Budget Secrecy: Former Treasurer Howard van der Sluis was restricted from seeing budget details. We believe your dues should be transparently reinvested in you, not administrative overhead.
• A Culture of Silence: We have heard from many members who fear retaliation for speaking out. This ends now.

The CBA: What We Know" Loophole

The current tentative agreement was negotiated behind closed doors. While leadership claims it provides a raise, the healthcare offsets and inflation mean many of us are actually losing money. We know other topics have been discussed in secret, but we have no way of knowing what they are or how they will impact us.

• Our Goal: A contract that reflects the actual cost of living in Alexandria.
• Our Demand: Transparency in the negotiation process—no more secret deals.

CBA Comparison: Proposed Improvements

Feature	All Licensed Educators	Education Support Professionals (ESP)
Step Increase	1	1
Second Step Increase	1 if employed by ACPS since 2010-11	-
COLA	2.0%	3.5%
Healthcare Offsets	25% / 75%	15% / 85%
2k Bonus	-	On 5yr anniversary date
Negotiation Representation	Not Announced	Not Announced
Other Topics	Not Announced	Not Announced

The Budget: Where Do Your Dues Go?

Your hard-earned money should be an investment in your support and your career. Currently, access to budget details is restricted even for the Treasurer.

• Our Goal: A "Member-First" budget where funds are used for representation and legal support, not high administrative salaries.
• Our Demand: An open-ledger policy where any member can request and view budget breakdowns.

THE MOST IMPORTANT NEXT STEP

The Next EAA Meeting: March 25th (Virtual) David and Howard will be attending this meeting to present these concerns directly to leadership. We need a "sea of faces" to show that we can no longer be ignored.

Action: Check your email for the sign-up link. Let’s show up in force to hold leadership accountable and "set the record straight."