ASHEVILLE -- The Asheville City Association of Educators achieved the first-ever Meet, Confer, and Collaborate procedure in North Carolina. It was a powerful moment as ACAE members stood arm-in-arm with the Superintendent of Asheville City Schools, Maggie Fehrman.
Despite North Carolina’s long history of repressing public employee unions, this process is proof that when educators unite, we can create meaningful change.
“Since 1959, North Carolina has banned collective bargaining for public sector workers. This Jim Crow era law was adopted to undermine the multiracial solidarity and power being built in the public sector. And today, it prevents educators in our state from accessing the most basic and necessary tool that school staff across the country use to improve conditions for their students and co-workers,” said Tracey Barrett, Asheville City Association of Educators Vice President in her remarks during a press conference at Asheville High School.
“While we continue in the fight to change this unjust law, Asheville educators have chosen to exercise the rights we do have. We have the right to join a union, and a majority of us in Asheville City Schools have done so. We have the right to raise our collective voice, to express to decision-makers at all levels what we know our students need. And today, we have a new union right – the right to a formal process of problem-solving and collaboration with district leadership.”
Meet, Confer, and Collaborate creates a process for public school staff to have a formal representative voice to improve working conditions and student learning conditions. The meet and confer team of elected union members and administrators will create policy recommendations for adoption by the administration or the school board.
“One of our core union values is democracy and participation. When it comes to deciding what priorities, our union meet and confer team takes to the table, your voice has equal weight to mine and to everyone else’s—if you use it. So, if you want Meet, Confer, and Collaborate to be a vehicle for winning the changes you care about most, there is no substitute for you sharing your unique perspective,” said Tim Lloyd, Asheville City Association of Educators President.
This is a historic moment for educators across North Carolina and a turning point for the Asheville community because when workers are a part of school decision-making, our public schools are better for employees and our students.
“Educators are the experts when it comes to schools. We have degrees and advanced degrees in our subject areas. We study pedagogy and curriculum development. Many of us have specialized degrees in psychology, social work, nursing, and other fields. And union members are often the leaders among their coworkers within their school buildings,” said Tamika Walker Kelly, NCAE President.
Last March, in the wake of the shocking announcement of Lucy S. Herring Elementary’s imminent closure, Asheville City Schools staff gathered at the ACS Central Office with a demand: a formal voice in district decision-making to prevent similar crises in the future, a Meet, Confer and Collaborate process. ACAE members organized, advocated and fought for this victory.
Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction in the region, and its lasting economic effects have put schools in Western North Carolina at risk. Despite the obstacles, ACAE continued to fight for recognition and respect.
The work being done here in Asheville is part of a larger movement across the state to elevate educator voices, improve working conditions, and strengthen public schools. Today’s victory sends the message to school employees across North Carolina that organizing and building power works.
“I was talking to a custodian in our district. I asked him where he was working and he said that he was just a custodian at one of the elementary schools, and I told him ‘No.’ There is no ‘just.’ You are a custodian. Your job is as important to this building as everyone else’s. You are an important asset to this building. If we didn’t have you, it wouldn’t be safe for the rest of us to be in this building,” stated Carol Smith-Hill, EC Instructional Assistant and ACAE Member.
“Meet, Confer, Collaborate systemically says to all our staff: YOU matter. YOUR voice matters. YOUR perspective is needed in our district.”
This victory sends the message to school employees across North Carolina that organizing and building power works.
“Meet, Confer, Collaborate is not something your union does for you. It is YOUR voice, personally. It’s YOUR chance to bring the challenges YOU and your students face every day, to bring the solutions and ideas YOU know are needed directly to district leadership through your union as equal partners,” said Lloyd.
