We, the Non-Tenure Faculty Coalition #6546 AFT/IFT/AAUP, express our full solidarity with the Blue Ridge Federation of Teachers (BRFT) #3350 AFT/IFT/AFL-CIO as they struggle for a fair contract with the Blue Ridge School Board. We call on the Blue Ridge School Board to negotiate a fair contract in good faith with the members of BRFT.
The members of the BRFT face high turnover rates for teachers in their community, are underpaid, and receive inadequate benefits for their labor. They have been collectively bargaining for several months with the school board to try to improve the conditions of their labor and the conditions of education for the students at Blue Ridge. Their last contract expired in June, meaning that BRFT represented employees have been working without a contract for over three and a half months. Recently, BRFT had to call for a federal mediator to assist in the negotiations. Now, with negotiations still stalling, BRFT members may be forced to strike at the end of October.
BRFT represents over 110 teachers, aides, secretaries, drivers, library clerks, cooks, nurses and custodians. The work done by BRFT employees is invaluable to the mission of education at Blue Ridge. We call on the Blue Ridge School Board to bargain in good faith with BRFT.
In Solidarity,
Non-Tenure Faculty Coalition #6546 AFT/IFT/AAUP
