After a marathon mediation session that started the evening of June 5th and concluded at nearly 3:30 AM on June 6th, your JESPA bargaining team has reached a Tentative Agreement with the district.
Click here for Highlights of the Tentative Agreement
As you know, this year’s negotiations were met with significant resistance. The district’s threat of impasse after just three hours of negotiations, the superintendent’s decision to hire a union-busting attorney, Brent Case, and the district’s refusal to bargain in good faith, have all heightened tensions and underscored the substantial challenges that lie ahead.
What does this mean for next year when our full contract is up for negotiation?
Similarly to how we felt at the conclusion of last year’s negotiations, we walked away from the table this morning feeling extremely agitated and determined to defend our contract from an unsupportive district and school board. Our issues of outsourcing and staffing have yet to be addressed in any significant manner and the door remains open for Jeffco to continue down the road of privatization.
This fall’s full contract negotiations are crucial for the existence of our union and bold actions should be expected. That bargaining campaign starts TODAY.
A Call to Non-Members: Now, more than ever, we need your support. If you’re not yet a member, consider this a call to action. Join JESPA today through early enrollment. There are no dues until September’s paycheck, but your early commitment will strengthen our collective voice. Stand with your colleagues who are already contributing, and help us fight for better wages, better health insurance, and against the privatization and understaffing of our jobs.
Join here and select Early Enrollment!
Why Join? Our union is only as strong as our members. With every new member, our ability to negotiate from a position of strength increases. Your membership signals to the district that we are united and formidable, ready to protect and enhance our working conditions. Your membership helps us bolster the resources we have on the ground through organizing, supports our ability to staff our legal team, and effectively pools our resources to be put to work the way we want our resources spent.
The collective strength and dedication of JESPA members, our supportive Jeffco families, fellow unions, faith institutions, and partners in Coloradans for the Common Good have been instrumental throughout these negotiations. With the support of our coworkers and our community, we stand strong and are proud to have reached this tentative agreement with such a large force of leaders attending every session and guiding our collective strategy.
Next Steps: The bargaining team will soon provide details on a membership ratification vote along with detailed information on the contents of the Tentative Bargaining Agreement. The next crucial step is for you, the JESPA membership, to review and vote on whether to ratify this agreement. Stay tuned for further details.
Members receive details first and get the most information in your home emails. If you are not getting those emails at your personal email address, ensure that you do by replying to this email with your personal email address to make sure your membership record is up to date!
In solidarity,
Trevor Byrne, Bus Driver and Bargaining Chair
Zander Kaschub, Kitchen Worker, JESPA President
Darcy Hassler, Paraprofessional and JCAP Treasurer
Sarah Smith, Early Childhood Instructor, JCPK President
Nikki Saunders, Health Aide, JCAP
Robert Elrod, Custodial Services, JCSSA
Tiffany Beastrom, Paraeducator, JCAEOP
