To promote educational excellence, the Alabama Education Association serves as an advocate for its members and leads the advancement of equitable and quality public education in Alabama.
AEA wins settlement for AIDB employees
Alabama School Journal | November 2020
In March, school operations were suspended by order of the state of Alabama as a result of the pandemic. The school shutdowns caused members to raise concerns about pay and benefits. As members reported issues to AEA, AEA leaders and local UniServ Directors sat down to negotiate agreements aimed to support educators.
Recently, AEA’s powerful voice has proven crucial once again, winning four Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind (AIDB) employees their full compensation for the period of the shutdown.
When AIDB shut down due to the pandemic, AIDB personnel – including four AEA members – were unable to perform their jobs. The state government ordered further that state employees unable to work as a result of the shutdown be paid their regular compensation for the period of the shutdown. The employees involved in the AIDB settlement held two positions at AIDB. The employees received his or her full compensation for their first position during the shutdown but did not receive compensation for the second position of bus driver during the same period.
After months of negotiation, AEA won a $29,000 settlement for its members. All four AIDB employees named in the settlement will receive the full compensation for the bus driver position for the period of the shutdown.
Charmelle Lewis, the AEA UniServ Director for AIDB said, “This is a collective victory for our four members. AEA was able to help these educators receive their full compensation legally due to them.”