Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT), an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and the School District of Philadelphia jointly announced the settlement of a tentative agreement to a one-year contract extension to the existing collective bargaining agreement. The new agreement includes a 5% salary increase in September 2024, a retention and re-engagement bonus of $1,200, bonuses of $2,500 to be paid in June 2024 and September 2025 to eligible teachers in the Designated Schools Program, and other benefits.
“I am elated by this tentative agreement,” said PFT President Jerry Jordan. “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.”