February 28, 2024
PHILADELPHIA--The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and School District of Philadelphia are thrilled to jointly announce the settlement of a Tentative Agreement (TA) to a one-year contract extension to the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The Tentative Agreement is a milestone for both the Union and the District, and it represents a significant investment in the dedicated educators and support staff that, with care and expertise, help shape future generations. Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington and PFT President Jerry Jordan have both expressed their shared goal of not just saying they value educators--but showing them.
Jordan shared the Tentative Agreement with PFT members in an e-mail this morning.
The terms of the Tentative Agreement include the following:
- Every PFT-represented employee will receive a five (5) percent salary increase in September 2024.
- Employees eligible for "step" increases will receive their scheduled step movement.
- All active PFT-represented employees will receive a retention and reengagement bonus of $1,200 to be paid by June 2024.
- The Designated Schools Program will be extended to run through August 30, 2025. Bonuses of $2,500 will be paid in June 2024 and September 2025 to eligible teachers.
- During the term of the Agreement, the Superintendent or designee and the Federation President or designee will meet to identify shared interests from the Strategic Plan and will discuss methods of implementation of those shared interests.
On the Tentative Agreement, President Jerry T. Jordan noted:
I am elated by this Tentative Agreement. Educators' working conditions and students' learning conditions go hand in glove, and that goes well beyond investing in classroom supplies. It means that the professionals that give so much of themselves and pour their hearts into educating our young people must be fairly compensated.
This agreement, settled more than six months before the expiration of our current CBA, is a forward-thinking down payment on a long-term commitment to ensuring that our schools are fully staffed with qualified teachers and support staff. Amidst a precipitous decline in teaching certifications issued in Pennsylvania and a real challenge in filling vacancies, this Tentative Agreement seeks to stem this tide in two significant ways:
- recognizing the impact of the educators who are currently doing the work, through a pay increase, bonus, and scheduled step increases
- increasing our District's competitiveness in hiring new employees through higher wages
This union has been at the forefront of working towards real solutions. That means addressing issues at the District level, legislatively, and by winning real, significant wage increases for every single member of this union. I thank Dr. Watlington for recognizing this shared mission. I am proud of this agreement and look forward to discussing it with my members.
Superintendent Tony B. Watlington, Sr., Ed.D expressed similar enthusiasm, and said:
We are excited to reach an agreement with the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers for a one-year contract extension that reflects the deep value we have for our PFT members including: teachers, librarians, school nurses, counselors, psychologists and social workers, secretaries, paraprofessionals, classroom and non-teaching assistants, and many other valued employees.
In the School District of Philadelphia, schools are the primary unit of change, and highly-qualified, well-supported, stable teachers over time, is the number one lever for accelerating academic achievement. This proposed contract fairly supports the needs of our PFT members while helping us Accelerate Philly and become the fastest improving, large urban school district in the nation. I am thrilled that we can move forward with confidence, upon contract ratification, to continue our focus on improving academic outcomes and help our students imagine and realize any future they desire.
The ratification of the Tentative Agreement will occur during a Special PFT Membership Meeting the evening of March 6.
###