November 26, 2025 Organizing Committee Update
Dear Members,
As you go into the holiday weekend we wanted to provide some updates about the ongoing bargain and future plans to work towards a competitive contract. This is a long email, but has a lot of useful content!
First, thank you for your participation in AEA's November survey. It is important both the Bargaining and Organizing Teams hear from members to ensure we are on the right track. We learned a lot about how members stay informed and what bargaining efforts they have participated in, which will help focus our efforts. We used these survey results to help guide us when planning union and community activities for the next few months. We cannot be successful without you - please continue to read these emails and let other members know of events going on in their area. We are stronger when we are united.
There is a lot of information below about next steps and the work we need to do as we look towards February. Please do not hesitate to reach out to members of the Organizing Team if you have any questions.
All Member Meeting Date Change
We are moving the December 8th all member meeting to January.
We will send out the details as soon as we have a location secured, but be sure to mark your calendars when that date is announced.
Our member meetings have been very successful and highly attended - Thank you! As we watch our countdown clock to February 11th, it is more important than ever we talk to as many members as possible. If you have friends in your building you know may not have time to read these emails or attend a meeting, please try to chat with them about the bargain, make sure they know when meetings are happening, and let them know why you support our bargaining team.
📢 Potential Strike FAQ’s
We know members have a lot of questions around a potential strike and what it will look like for you. We have tried to summarize the most frequent questions we have been hearing below.
FAQ’s
Will we be covered by health insurance during a strike?
Yes.
Will we receive “back pay” if we return from a strike, or will the days we were on strike be deducted from our pay?
Your pay will remain the same. Most likely, the days on strike will be added to the calendar so students go to school 170 days required by law, forcing members to work past May 22 into the summer break. The number of days is determined by the time we are out on strike.
Do we have to make up days after the strike at the end of the year? What if I already have travel plans?
Most likely, the days on strike will be added to the calendar so students go to school 170 days required by law, forcing members to work past May 22 into the summer break. The number of days will be determined by how long we are on strike.
What am I supposed to do during a strike?
During a strike, the AEA organizing team will have planned pickets. We are holding picket trainings in January to be prepared and find picket captains who will communicate with members in their zones. If we get closer to a strike we will clearly communicate what the expectations and plans are for members.
For more FAQ’s about voting and a potential strike we put together a document that can be updated frequently.
We know this is not everything, please keep sending your questions! If you want to learn more about the bargain, please visit the AEA website
📣 City-wide Informational Picketing December 18th
We are organizing city-wide informational picketing December 18th 4:30-5:30pm.
This is a step in engaging the community and ensuring we are telling our story. We will have four picketing locations (more information to come) and will invite the press to get the word out.
Please save the date and time on your calendar so we can have as many educators as possible participate!
If you are willing to be interviewed by the media while attending a picket, please let NEA-Alaska Communications Director Nora Morse know at nora.morse@neaalaska.org.
🍏 PTSO PTSA Engagement
We know the Anchorage community supports our educators and there are many people who want to stand with us for better wages and ensure we stay in the classroom.
We are working to engage our friends on PTSO’s and PTSA’s. If you would like to help or have connections with your school’s PTSO/PTSA please let us know or share the graphics below. These graphics are also attached here.
📆 Important Dates
December:
12/2: School Board Meeting 6pm at the Ed Center (East and West zone schools prepare to testify)
12/6: ASD Budget Solution Workshop 11am-1pm Bartlett High School
12/16: School Board Meeting 6pm at the Ed Center
12/18: Informational Picketing 4:30-5:30 Locations TBD
January: All member meeting date TBD
1/6: School Board Meeting
1/8: Rep Council at 5pm Zoom link to come
1/10: Picket Captain Training
1/16-17: NEA-Alaska Delegate Assembly
1/20: First Day of Legislative Session
1/20: School Board Meeting
1/27-29: AEA/ASD Arbitration
February:
2/11: End of the 90 day countdown
For us to be as effective as we need to be, it requires all of us. All 3,000 members have a role in this effort. This isn’t just one person’s fight or one group’s fight; it’s our fight, and the outcome impacts every educator in the district.
In Solidarity,
The AEA Organizing Committee
Chelsea Ambrose
Jacob Bera
Rhiana Gay
Natasha Graham
Rebecca Haviland
Dan Maclean
Christi Sitz
Will Voelkerding