The Columbus Education Association teachers union ratified a deal with Columbus City Schools in Ohio on Sunday that paved the way for students and teachers to return to classrooms.
The teachers union approved the three-year agreement with approximately 71% voting in favor of ratifying, ending a strike that disrupted the first week of the new school year, according to a CBS affiliate in the city.
COLUMBUS CITY SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS UNION COME TO ‘CONCEPTUAL AGREEMENT’
The Columbus Education Association celebrated the ratification with a series of tweets touting the benefits of the agreement.
When we fight together, we win together! CEA fought for our students alongside our community, CEA won for our students, alongside our community. #ColumbusStudentsDeserve
— Columbus Education Association (@ColumbusEA) August 28, 2022
“When we fight together, we win together! CEA fought for our students alongside our community, CEA won for our students, alongside our community,” the teachers union tweeted.
Some of the points of the agreement the union was touting included climate control for all classrooms, class size cap reductions, a new parental leave program for teachers, and limitations on the number of positions that can be outsourced.
Columbus Board of Education President Jennifer Adair issued a statement Sunday evening celebrating the agreement and the return of students to in-person learning.
“Months ago, the Columbus City Schools Board of Education entered contract negotiations with the Columbus Education Association (CEA) with one overriding goal: Put children first. I am pleased to say that this new agreement does just that. This is a contract that keeps students at the center of all we do and supports our Board’s educational mission for Columbus City Schools. Together with CEA leadership, we have created an agreement that recognizes the critical role all CEA members play in achieving our mission,” Adair said.
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Students in the largest school district in Ohio returned to in-person classes with their regular teachers on Monday after starting the school year virtually with substitute teachers last week.
The agreement ended the one-week strike, which began at the end of the day on Aug. 21, and the nearly six months of labor negotiations between the school board and the teachers union.
