Philadelphia's teachers union voted to ratify their three-year contract with the School District of Philadelphia on Thursday night.
About 70% of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers' voting members approved the terms of the new contract, according to the union. The new deal includes annual 3% pay increases, a $1,400 bonus and five weeks of paid parental leave. It takes effect Monday.
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"I am thrilled that we were able to secure these truly historic wins for our members," PFT President Arthur Steinberg said Thursday. "…Come Monday, our members will now be protected by our strongest contract yet."
PFT is the largest union in the district. It represents 14,000 teachers, librarians, nurses and social workers, among other employees.
He added that the new collective bargaining agreement "will provide better opportunities for advancement and support the reality of working in the classroom all while enhancing the learning environment for our students and better positioning PFT and the district for the future."
The contract also includes changes to the district's 3-5-7-9 sick time policy, which penalized teachers for using their 10 allotted sick days. Previously, teachers faced escalating consequences as they used more sick days, including meetings with district officials and potential suspensions. Now, the policy is more lenient.
Steinberg also praised the district for lowering the threshold necessary for teachers to reach "senior career teacher" salaries. Teachers now need 10 years of experience, a master's degree and 30 credits; they used to need a master's degree and 60 credits.
"This allows us to compete a little more with the suburbs," Steinberg said. "We're not up to them in salary yet, however, the structure of it makes it less likely for them to poach our teachers now."
Other parts of the agreement include up to $5,000 for nurses to receive their school nurse certifications, an amended bereavement leave policy, a tiered raise system for secretaries and paraprofessionals, and additional funding for teachers, school psychologists and nurses to use on materials.
"This is a historic moment for our members and we are proud of the contract we were able to settle on their behalf," LeShawna Coleman, the union's chief of staff, said after the ratification meeting. "When this contract takes effect on Monday, it will better position both PFT members and the School District of Philadelphia going forward. … We're excited to see the ripple effects of these changes for many years to come."
PFT reached an agreement with the school district Sunday evening — hours before the first day of school. It came with the possibility of teachers strike taking effect after the current deal expires this Sunday.