PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The first day of school in the Philadelphia School District was also the last day of the current teachers' union contract, and negotiations were going down to the wire.
“We’re on the brink of a strike vote this evening,” said Philadelphia Federation of Teachers president Jerry Jordan in a message to his 13,000 members. “If the District is committed to a contract that values their educators, a fair contract can absolutely be reached today.”
The one-year contract between the school district and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers expires at 11:59 Tuesday night. The PFT has scheduled a 6 p.m. online membership meeting at which the union said “next steps” would be discussed.
“We’re in negotiations as we speak and have been there since last week,” said Philadelphia School District Superintendent William Hite, who added he expected an agreement “soon.”
“We’re going to be actively pursuing an agreement. And I don’t know when soon is. And soon could be before midnight or it could be afterwards. We will see how that goes.”
Mayor Kenney, speaking at the opening of the new SLAMS/Powel school building in University City, told reporters that he understood the union’s need for assurances about safety.
“Certainly people have concerns over their working conditions and environmental issues, and we’re working our way through them,“ Kenney said.
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“We have a lot of old schools that need a lot of attention, and I’m sure we’ll figure it all out.”
As she welcomed students on their first day back to the Science Leadership Academy Middle School, fifth and sixth-grade teacher Hilary Hamilton said she hoped a new contract would recognize the efforts of teachers through the pandemic.
“We have worked really, really hard, and will continue to [work] really, really hard for our students.” Hamilton told KYW Newsradio.
“I’m really excited to see that acknowledged by our district, hopefully.”
Hite said negotiations were also taking place over a vaccine mandate for school staff.
“We’re having a separate conversation with all of the unions around the mandate,” Hite said. “We hope to have something out no later than next week.”
The district was also negotiating with its school principals, whose contract also expires at midnight.
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