Negotiations between the Philadelphia School District and its teachers were expected to last through the weekend and, if necessary, into next week when school starts, both sides said Friday.
"Our expectations are that we will have a successful beginning of the school year while we continue to negotiate," said School District spokesman Fernando Gallard.
The first day of classes for the district's 134,000 students is Monday.
The district does not appear to be considering imposing contract terms on teachers, at least in the short term.
"I don't know of any discussions about that," Gallard said.
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers spokesman George Jackson said the union is prepared to stay at the table.
"Negotiations will continue until we can reach a deal," he said. "That's our understanding."
The district is seeking $103 million in concessions from the 15,000-member union, which includes teachers, secretaries, counselors, nurses, librarians, and some aides. It wants salary cuts of 5 percent to 13 percent, trims in health insurance, longer school days, and flexibility in assigning teachers to schools without regard for seniority.
The union has offered to make changes in health care that would result in "millions" in savings for the district. It also has agreed to take a one-year wage freeze, though teachers with less experience would continue to advance on the salary scale and earn "step" increases. Those increases cost the district about $14 million annually.
Source: Philly.com
No comments:
Post a Comment