FAIRFAX, VA – SEIU Virginia 512, the Fairfax Education Association (FEA), Virginia American Association of University Professors-American Federation of Teachers (AAUP-AFT) Local 6741, Virginia Professional Fire Fighters (VPFF), and UNITE HERE Local 25 brought workers and community members together Saturday for a Fairfax County town hall on affordability and statewide collective bargaining rights.
Held at the Fairfax County Government Center, “Collective Bargaining Town Hall: Our Communities, Our Future” brought together county employees, home care workers, educators, firefighters, families, and elected leaders to discuss how rising costs are affecting the people who provide essential services and care. Participants called for statewide collective bargaining rights to help workers negotiate for better pay, benefits and working conditions while strengthening the services Virginia families depend on.
Tammie Wondong, Fairfax Chapter Executive Board Chair of SEIU Virginia 512, opened the program. Fairfax County Supervisors Andres Jimenez, Rachna Sizemore Heizer, Dalia Palchik, and Jimmy Bierman followed with remarks supporting collective bargaining. Home care worker Teresa Champion, Fairfax County worker Yasmin Shafiq, Northern Virginia Community College professor Dr. Daniel T. Kirsch and Fairfax County Public Schools special education teacher Molly Cronin shared their perspectives. Athena Jones, Chair of SEIU Virginia 512’s Home Care Chapter, discussed workforce shortages and families’ need for reliable care. SEIU Virginia 512 President LaNoral Thomas explained collective bargaining and led an open conversation with workers, care recipients and family members, including an activity facilitated by AAUP. Tammie Wondong closed the program by encouraging participants to share their stories, stay involved and sign the statewide collective bargaining petition.
“Fairfax County workers fought to win our union for over 20 years,” said Tammie Wondong, Fairfax Chapter Executive Board Chair of SEIU Virginia 512. “For the first time, we have a union contract that provides guaranteed wage increases, real protections, and a voice in decisions that impact our workplace. We want our fellow public service workers and home care workers across Virginia to have that same opportunity.”
“We all know the pressure families are under. Housing, groceries, child care, transportation, and health care all cost more. At the same time, we’re struggling to find enough people to provide essential public and care services.” said Andres Jimenez, Mason District Supervisor on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. “Collective bargaining gives working people a direct voice in negotiating a binding contract that sets their wages, benefits, and working conditions. It’s not complicated. It’s fairness. And it’s also one of the most practical tools we have for tackling affordability.”
“Caregivers need the collective support that a union provides. The reality is that caring for older adults and Virginians with disabilities is a full time job that requires assistance 24 hours a day.,” said Teresa Champion, a home care worker. “The people providing that care need stability, too. We deserve pay and working conditions that allow us to keep doing this work, and a voice in the decisions that affect us and the people who count on us.”
“Every teacher, and every worker, deserves the chance to exercise this fundamental right to improve our working conditions and move our economy toward more affordability for everyone, one union contract at a time,” said Dr. Daniel T. Kirsch, Professor of Political Science at Northern Virginia Community College and an AAUP representative. “And every student deserves to be taught by empowered and fairly compensated teachers.”
“Working people should be able to afford a life in the communities they serve,” said LaNoral Thomas, President of SEIU Virginia 512. “Collective bargaining gives workers the power to sit down together with employers and negotiate a binding contract over wages, benefits and working conditions. We’ve seen progress here in Fairfax, but too many public service and home care workers across Virginia still lack that opportunity. Workers’ ability to have a voice on the job should not depend on ZIP code.”
LaNoral Thomas facilitated an open discussion with workers, care recipients and family members, beginning with an exercise led by AAUP. Participants shared their experiences and discussed how stronger worker protections can help address affordability and improve the services their communities rely on.
Tammie Wondong closed the program by encouraging participants to share their stories, remain engaged and sign the statewide petition supporting collective bargaining rights for public service and home care workers:
https://act.seiu.org/a/vacollectivebargaining-petition.
Virginia does not currently have a statewide collective bargaining law covering public employees. State employees are prohibited from collective bargaining, while local governments can decide whether to authorize it, or opt in. Organizers are calling for statewide collective bargaining rights for public service and home care workers, arguing that workers’ ability to have a voice over wages, benefits and working conditions should not depend on where they live or work.
The issue is particularly urgent for Virginia’s home care workforce. Approximately 28,000 consumer-directed home care workers provide Medicaid-funded care to older adults and people with disabilities across Virginia (1). Home care workers help people with essential daily activities including eating, dressing, mobility and bathing, as well as other household and social supports. Virginia is projected to need an estimated 124,500 additional home care workers by 2032 as demand for care continues to grow (2).
Saturday’s gathering was the third in a statewide town hall series, following events in Loudoun County on September 19 and Prince William County on October 3. Additional events are scheduled for Richmond on November 7 and Hampton Roads on November 14. Dates are subject to change.
- The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, “Protecting Independence and Supporting Virginia Families Starts with Strong Home Care,” March 2026.
2. PHI, Workforce Data Center — Virginia 2022–2032 State Employment Projections
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ABOUT SEIU Virginia 512
SEIU Virginia 512 stands firm in the belief that all working families deserve dignity, respect, fair wages, benefits, and a voice in the workplace. In 2026, we represent 18,000 workers, and we are working to organize over 28,000 more! SEIU Virginia 512 members advocate for good union jobs and justice for everyone in our community.
