Pittsburgh Public Schools teachers edge closer to going on strike
The Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers moved a step closer Thursday night to going on strike as soon as next week.
Nina Esposito-Visgitis, president of the teachers union, emphasized that she and other union leaders would prefer to reach an agreement with Pittsburgh Public Schools district officials during an all-day negotiation session Friday.
“I want the community to know that our educators want to be in school with your kids, but we will fight for what we know is in the best interests of students and schools,” Esposito-Visgitis said in a statement following a meeting of the union's executive board.
“The negotiations team is prepared, as we have been for the last year and a half, to stay for as long as it takes on Friday to get this contract settled,” she added.
The board unanimously agreed to give Esposito-Visgitis the authority to call a strike if necessary — a move in line with a vote by union members this week.
The union must notify the district at least two days in advance of the intent to strike.
On Monday, 94 percent of 2,453 members voted in favor of authorizing a strike should negotiations falter.
One-year interim agreements for teachers, paraprofessionals and technical-clerical employees all expired on June 30, and members of all three groups have been working without a contract since then.
The Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board appointed a third-party fact finder in October to review the negotiations, which include health care benefits, extending contract lengths and salaries.
Both sides have agreed to abandon a performance-based salary schedule and return to a traditional salary schedule in 2017.
A disagreement persists over how to create new salary schedules for teachers hired since the start of the performance-based salary schedule and how much in raises to give to other teachers.
The union sought raises of 2 percent for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years and 2.5 percent in 2019-20, according to a fact-finder's report. The district offered 1.5 percent raises.
Also among the sticking points is the district's proposal to allow principals to set class schedules and teaching assignments, whereas teachers currently have the power to override those decisions. Though the fact-finder report released in November recommends upholding the district's proposal, the PFT wants to preserve teachers' control over scheduling preferences.
The PFT, which represents about 3,000 teachers, paraprofessionals and technical-clerical employees, last went on strike in 1975. The strike lasted 54 days, according to the union.
Pittsburgh Public Schools, run by a nine-member school board, has more than 50 schools and about 26,000 students.
Natasha Lindstrom is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 412-380-8514, nlindstrom@tribweb.com or via Twitter @NewsNatasha.
