PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia teachers union and the School District of Philadelphia reached a tentative three-year contract agreement the night before the first day of the new school year.
The current contract expires next week, and the union’s 14,000 teachers in June had authorized a strike if a new deal couldn’t be reached. The new contract deal eliminates the threat of a strike.
“Even through this weekend, I was getting a little frustrated,” admitted Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Art Steinberg. “I’m not noted for being patient. And we sat down and had a frank conversation [Sunday] morning and got things moving.”
The terms of the agreement haven’t been disclosed, but the teachers had been seeking raises and an end to a controversial sick leave policy that increasingly penalized them as they took their allotted sick days.
The union said the deal “recognizes the hard work and dedication our members bring to the district.”
Superintendent Tony Watlington added, “This contract gives us stability, clarity and momentum to continue working in partnership with the PFT and to further implement our five-year strategic plan.”
Union members still have to vote on the deal.