MCPS Statement Concerning the Status of Negotiations with the Montgomery County Education Association

Per MCPS: Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) continues to be committed to beginning and successfully completing negotiations to establish new collective bargaining agreements with its three employee associations. This work is underway with two associations – the Service Employees International-Local 500 (SEIU) and the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals (MCAAP), with the basic ground rules in place and negotiations started.

MCPS would very much like to parallel this same work with Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA), or “the teacher’s union,” to agree on the establishment of basic ground rules – rules that are foundational to any successful contract negotiation and ensure a respectful and fair approach for all parties involved.

Communications with MCEA indicate that they will file an unfair labor practices (ULP) complaint against MCPS later today, which would have an unfortunate impact for MCPS employees by possibly inserting months of delays while holding up discussions over significant, necessary benefits and pay raises. The resulting administrative proceding from this action will take away valuable time in which discussions could occur, time that will just place both MCPS and MCEA not at the end of successful negotiations, but at the beginning.

At the end of the day, it is a responsibility and commitment of MCPS to serve our employees, so we wonder if this current state is serving their interests and, most importantly, the children and families in our district. MCPS continues to request that MCEA help all of us to move forward, establish ground rules today, and allow us to demonstrate the leadership that is required now. We hope that a mutually beneficial agreement can be reached in collaboration with MCEA and in accordance with our longstanding commitment to work together on behalf of students.