Fayette County’s teachers and staff deserve the right of collective bargaining | Opinion

In Fayette County, our public schools are the heart of our community. From bus drivers who greet children at dawn to teachers who stay late tutoring students, the people who keep our school system running do so out of love, commitment, and pride.

Yet, the same educators and school staff, who give so much of themselves every day, are denied a basic right: the ability to collectively bargain for their wages, working conditions, and safety.

Kentucky law currently prohibits public employees, including teachers and classified staff, from engaging in collective bargaining statewide. It is legal at the district level, but would require the school district to pass a resolution in support. So right now, more than 6,000 Fayette County Public Schools employees have no guaranteed voice in decisions that shape their classrooms, their work environments, or their futures.

This must change.

Permitting collective bargaining doesn’t just support our educators it strengthens our schools. When teachers and staff are at the table helping to shape policy and negotiate fair terms, it creates more stable and effective learning environments for students. Districts that support collective bargaining often see improved morale, higher retention, and better outcomes for children.

Here in Fayette County, we pride ourselves on being a forward-thinking district. We talk about innovation, equity, and inclusion. But how can we live those values if we exclude our frontline educators from having a formal say in their own working conditions?

This isn’t just about teachers it’s also about bus drivers, cafeteria workers, paraprofessionals, custodians, and countless others who form the backbone of our school system. These dedicated professionals deserve the right to advocate for fair treatment and respect through a legally recognized bargaining process.

Let’s be clear: collective bargaining does not guarantee any one result it guarantees fairness. It provides a structured way for employees and the district to come together, negotiate in good faith, and work toward shared solutions, it builds trust, it reduces turnover, and it honors the professional expertise of those doing the hard work every single day.

If Fayette County wants to be a leader in public education, then we must lead on labor rights too.

That’s why we are asking the Fayette County Board of Education to place a resolution supporting collective bargaining for teachers and school staff on the agenda for the August planning meeting so it may be considered and voted on at the August action meeting. The time to act is now.

Let’s support our educators by standing up for their right to collectively bargain. Our students, our schools, and our entire community will be stronger for it.

Amy Beasley is president of the Bluegrass Central Labor Council.