ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- Members of the Albemarle Education Association showed up in numbers at Thursday's Albemarle County School Board meeting, and they continue to urge the board to consider adopting collective bargaining rights for employees.

Last week, the Charlottesville School Board endorsed collective bargaining for staff in the Charlottesville City Schools division. Now, the Albemarle Education Association is working to convince the county board to do the same.

A sea of red shirts flooded the auditorium floor Thursday night. During the public comment period, several teachers and other faculty members expressed their desire for collective bargaining rights.

They say having such rights will allow employees to have a say in their pay, benefits, and working conditions.

Katrina Callsen, the chair of the school board, said the board will discuss a collective bargaining resolution at the Feb. 23 meeting.

Mary McIntyre, the vice president of the Albemarle Education Association, offered a statement saying in part, "We are very hopeful that the board will form a task force with the AEA to create a joint resolution granting collective bargaining rights to all public school employees in Albemarle County."

She also says the association is extremely encouraged by the way the board acted so quickly.

Back in May of last year, the Albemarle County School Board voted against recognizing collective bargaining for employees.