Teachers union warns members of changes district seeks

If the Philadelphia School District gets its way, a new teacher contract would include longer days, drastically different work rules in a third of all schools, and the end of job assignments based on seniority.

The district and its largest union, the 16,000-member Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, are engaged in lengthy daily negotiations to reach a new contract agreement.

The current pact expires at the end of the month.

In a letter sent to its members and obtained by The Inquirer, the union warned its members of a list of proposals the district has put on the table.

Reached last night, union president Jerry Jordan said teachers were not happy.

"We've certainly been getting a lot of calls from our members," he said, adding that talks were continuing.

"There has been no resolution to any of those items," Jordan said.

In a statement, a district spokesman declined to comment on the letter, calling it an internal union communication.

"It is not appropriate to comment on the PFT letter while we continue to negotiate," said Fernando Gallard.

Superintendent Arlene Ackerman has said she wanted the new contract to bring "serious changes" to advance her reform agenda for a district where half of all students cannot read or do math on grade level.

Jordan has been steadfast on the longer-day issue.

"We're in the same place - a longer day is not a better day," he said. "It's what you do with that day that matters."

Jordan has called for better teacher training and more support systems to boost teacher retention. He also wants more student supports.

A deal might be reached by the deadline, he said, but it can't be sealed until the district knows what it will get in state funding.

"No resolution to the budget is not good, period," Jordan said.

Among the proposals on the list sent to PFT members: increasing the teacher workday by 41 minutes, and by one hour 10 days a year; tying teacher pay to student test scores; eliminating all traditional teacher transfer rights; and cutting extra pay for teachers who teach a sixth class daily.

Teachers would be required to arrive 10 minutes before students do, and stay 10 minutes later. Middle school teachers would have less prep time, and the administration would get to direct all teachers' prep time for part of the week.

The district also wants to bring big changes to the 95 lowest-performing schools, with principals setting the "terms and benefits" for teachers.

The district also wants these teachers to work summer school, currently a voluntary job.

"I think that's totally inappropriate," Jordan said.