District, blue collar union have tentative deal - layoffs averted
Complete coverage of the Philadelphia School District by the Philadelphia Inquirer's Kristen Graham.
District, blue collar union have tentative deal - layoffs averted
Kristen Graham
A tentative deal has been struck between the Philadelphia School District and its blue-collar workers’ union, officials said late Wednesday night.
The deal - which still must be ratified - appears to avert layoffs and the privatization of 2,700 jobs of members of 32BJ, Local 1201 - bus aides, mechanics, cleaners, building engineers and other workers.
Union officials confirmed the deal, but said they would release no specifics, including the number of layoffs averted, until members saw the terms.
The potential agreement comes after months of negotiations and public protests over the possible layoffs. About 500 employees would have lost their jobs on July 15, with the rest laid off by the end of the year.
Earlier, union leaders had said they put at least $20 million in concessions on the table.
"Under the four-year agreement that saves thousands of jobs, blue-collar workers will make direct contributions to keep schools open and to help the district solve budgetary problems," officials said in a statement.
Many of the union’s members earn under $30,000 annually, and some earn under $20,000 a year.
Members will vote on the contract on July 20.
The SRC would then have to formally approve it.
“This agreement will help keep public schools open, provide a clean and safe learning environment for our kids and saves jobs for thousands of hard-working men and women,” union chief George Ricchezza said in the statement.
The cash-strapped school district — its deficit for 2012-13 could be as much as $282 million — has said it needed at least $50 million in savings from “modernizing” transportation, custodial and maintenance services. It had solicited bids to see how much private companies would charge to perform the work.
But some members of City Council also made it clear that they wanted the district to come to an agreement with 32BJ, and part of the $40 million in new city money Council had agreed to give the district comes with strings attached.
Union leaders had also said they were worried by the news, first reported in The Inquirer, that the School Reform Commission was lobbying in Harrisburg for legislation that would give it the absolute right to cancel union contracts and impose terms on workers.
Those lobbying efforts stopped when members of the Philadelphia Democratic House delegration, angry that they were kept in the dark, confronted the SRC.
These are the guys who keep the schools operating. Good work!— jodydellabarba- Congratulaions going out to all district 1201 members especially the union reps and executive board. Thank you for you dedication and not giving up the fight to keep good people working in quality jobs! To all my union brothers and sisters: I hope you all realize how important it is to stand tall together. I am so thankful this long journey is looking like it is finally coming to a end.— boilmkr71
- Congratulations going out to all district 1201 members especially the union reps and executive board. Thank you for you dedication and not giving up the fight to keep good people working in quality jobs! To all my union brothers and sisters: I hope you all realize how important it is to stand tall together. I am so thankful this long journey is looking like it is finally coming to a end.— boilmkr71
- Great job by George Ricchezza who at every union event he appeared at, his voice for hoarse from fighting for 1201/32BJ.— gilligan
- Gave the house away and he keeps everything. Doing a great job, the district played chicken and george gave us up — outoftime
Somehow, I feel that the district got what they wanted. Show me the details.- And the taxpayer just got bent over again. We can't afford bloated contracts with crazy benefits any longer. Trim the fat, cut the dead weight, become more cost effective and efficient.— Taxpaying Voter
- Why is it the employees responsibility to trim the fat and become cost effective? Isn't that the SDP's problem? And really, are cleaning services and maintenance "fat" to be trimmed? Benefits are compensation. Give raises or roll in benefits, but you can't withhold both. SDP employees have foregone raises for multiple contracts. once again, it was not the employees fault the SPD can't balance its checkbook. — heybiff
- Yea, and where do you work pal..??? Every 1201 member pays taxes in this city too, not just you..!!! I pay my taxes on my house every year, and yet there are millions of unpaid taxes out there. Why aren't you screaming about that. I would pay a months salary to have you work in the winter with me after a major noreaster. I'd drag you out of bed at 3am to start shoveling the car out, cause we're usually due in at 4am. Oh, then you have to clear approx. 4 city blocks of 30" snow. Most of the time with a shovel. Where are you on days like this.??? Tucked in your warm bed after you call out sick... Most of the other times, we're working just as hard buddy. The grass isn't always greener on the other side my friend. I don't know what you do on your job, and you have no idea what I do.. So stop judging until you know all the facts... You are clueless..!!! — Scott333
- I agree with Penny. We don't know the details, but it can't be good for these already low paid workers.— tom-104
- Nice, a union with some sense.— krautmef1
- Yea lets thank our union president!! not really lets not, we could have had a contract already. Lets see how much I lose as one of these low paid workers, but some say we are overpaid don't I wish. What they need to do is cut all the people who don't do their jobs and keep the people who do their work, and the people who are 70 and can't see or walk make them retire. I know they need money to but they cannot perform the job. As a cleaner I know what the job is about. We do work and we do a good job. If they privatize like they have tried before good luck, it did not work out then it will not work out now. I am sure there will be some layoffs just not as many as they thought.I am glad they have come to an agreement but better yet we know something, for the past few weeks we knew nothing with 2 days left till layoffs we finally are told via the news not our wonderful UNION. I am anxious to see the details cause last meeting we were told we were going to have to give back $6000. 4 unpaid holiday and return some vacation time and pay some benefits. So lets see a cleaner just starting makes 24,000 maybe bring home, so if we give back all this now they will make 16,000 way to go better luck going to work at wawa for that kind of money.— mary9180
- @ Taxpaying Voter: Sure, things need to be fair all around. I'm a part time bus driver. Admittedly, it's a good quality job. On the other hand, I'm making literally $17,000 per year plus benefits. Again, it's a quality job but let's not get carried away. I make $17 grand per year. Is that dead weight? What do you want, that I should make $12,000 or $10,000? When will you be content, when everyone's a $9 ying-yang??— phillygarcon
- I knew it wouldn't be long before the union haters started commenting. Hey Taxpaying Voter. We are tax payers too and we're tired of (as you say) getting bent over!— boilmkr71
- Absolute disgrace but I'm not surprised at all. Keep it up, lazy Unions!! You've done such a GREAT job!! Keep those benefit$ coming $$$$$— boom dynamite
During the school year, you’ll frequently find her hosting live chats about the district on Philly.com. Please do pass along the scoop about what’s going on at your Philadelphia public school; Kristen welcomes tips, story ideas and witty banter at kgraham@phillynews.com or 215-854-5146.
You can also follow Kristen on Twitter here.
