NEW! On August 28th, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT Local 3) members voted to ratify the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the School District of Philadelphia. The agreement will be in effect from September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2028.
“I am thrilled that we were able to secure these truly historic wins for our members, and now that the Agreement has been officially ratified, come Monday, our members will now be protected by our strongest contract yet,” said PFT President Arthur G. Steinberg. “As we say, the working conditions of our PFT members are also the learning conditions of our students, and for at least the next three years, these conditions provided by this new CBA 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.”
Read our full press release here.
On the evening of Sunday, August 24th -- less than one day before students return to school -- the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT Local 3) and the School District of Philadelphia reached a historic tentative contract agreement.
“The PFT is thrilled that we have been able to reach a tentative agreement with the School District of Philadelphia on a three-year pact ensuring that school will open on time, as well as three years of labor peace,” said PFT President Arthur G. Steinberg. “This contract recognizes the hard work and dedication our members bring to the district and allows them to have peace of mind that they will be able to provide for their families while continuing to educate the children of the School District of Philadelphia.”
Read our full press release here.
Join fellow PFT members to make picket signs and build solidarity ahead of a potential strike. Clever slogans, picket chant suggestions, and friends and family are welcome. RSVP here: https://bit.ly/pftstrikesignup.
In a 94% to 6% vote, members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers overwhelmingly supported a motion to authorize the PFT Executive Board to take appropriate action should the union and School District of Philadelphia fail to reach a contract agreement by August 31, 2025.
With a one-year extension of the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire on the last day of August, PFT President Arthur Steinberg called a special membership meeting on June 17, 2025, to provide an overview of the status of contract negotiations with the District. Following introduction of a motion to give the Executive Board authority to call a strike when they deem it appropriate, members voted strongly in favor. Read our full press release here.
The PFT Collective Bargaining Team has made progress on several high-priority issues identified by you through surveys and member meetings. Overall, however, collective bargaining is moving slower than we'd like due to uncertainty around state and local education funding. We continue to urge City Council and Mayor Parker to increase local funding for Philadelphia public schools, and provide some predictability in light of the Pennsylvania General Assembly's penchant for delivering the state budget late and after the school year ends.
As members of the PFT, you can help build support for our contract demands. Download and share the "Building a Better Future for Philadelphia" contract explainer (see below) with colleagues and neighbors. Contact your members of City Council. Share why you support a strong new labor contract with us to amplify on social media.
Our allies at PA Schools Work built a tool that allows you to download fact sheets on how Governor Shapiro's budget proposal will impact every school district in the Commonwealth. Download, share, and contact your state representatives.
At a meeting with District counterparts on March 18th, the PFT Collective Bargaining Team submitted proposals for a new contract on behalf of our more than 14,000 members. Highlights include:
Elimination of the District's 3-5-7-9 personal illness leave policy
1 prep day per quarter
Extra time for special education teachers to prepare for IEPs and other documentation
Expanding the Para Pathway program to include all represented employees without a Bachelor's degree or teaching certification
Increased prep time
Paid parental leave
Stronger language on termination pay
Compensation for oversized classes
The entire set of contract proposals can be downloaded by clicking on this link. (Note that economic proposals will be submitted at a later date.)
PFT is negotiating a contract that makes sure our public schools are building a better future for Philadelphia. A growing city can only thrive with strong neighborhood public schools that are well-staffed and resourced. Download our contract explainer here.
On December 5, 2024, the PFT transmitted an Act 88 notice to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Mediation, as required by law to initiate collective bargaining sessions with the School District of Philadelphia. The PFT Bargaining Team - which consists of President Arthur Steinberg, Treasurer LeShawna Coleman, General VP Wendy G. Coleman, Secretary Cyndi Bolden, and Middle Schools VP Denise Rogers - will begin regular meetings with the District to negotiate a labor agreement on behalf of the nearly 14,000 members of the PFT.
We will be posting updates of note as they occur. Members are encouraged to sign up for email updates from the PFT as well.
Solidarity forever!