PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — With their contract expiring at the end of the month, members of Philadelphia’s teachers union made picket signs on Wednesday for a possible strike.
Dressed in their red PFT T-shirts, a few dozen members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers gathered at the National Association of Letter Carriers union hall in the city’s East Torresdale section to create the strike placards. Teachers used markers to write phrases such as “A fair contract is our Super Bowl,” and “Don’t let our pay be a fraction of what it should be.”
In June, the union voted to authorize a strike, and PFT president Art Steinberg said the School District of Philadelphia needs to take it seriously. “Events such as this let them know that if we get to the point that we have to call a strike, that we can do it in a moment’s notice,” he said.
The current one-year extension expires Aug. 31, just six days after the school year begins. “I would hope the District then displays more of a sense of urgency,” Steinberg said, “knowing how difficult it would be for kids and families to come back into school — then all of a sudden have the rug pulled out from under them and have to start arranging child care.”
Emily Cohen, a longtime English teacher at George Washington High School, said the main contract issues for her include wages and giving new parents paid leave.
“It’s really all about fair salaries, making sure our benefits are maintained or improved and also taking care of the younger teachers as far as paid parental leave,” she said.
“People need to know that this is not about greed. This is about taking care of teachers so that we can then become the best teachers for your students.”
With less than a month to go, Steinberg said he’s willing to meet with the district every day to get a contract done, although he added both sides haven’t begun to deal with the main issues and aren’t close to a deal yet.
In a statement, the School District said it “highly values its teachers and support staff” and remains in active negotiations with the union in hopes of reaching a deal as soon as possible.
“More than 50 years of research shows that the single most important factor in student academic growth is a highly qualified, well-supported and stable teacher as well as principal over time,” the district said. “We look forward to working with the PFT on a proposal that honors the hard work of our educators. As we approach the expiration of the current contract, we're optimistic that we can reach an agreement with PFT that serves our students, our staff, and our families.”