Teachers' union to pols: Make the district negotiate

The head of the American Federation of Teachers met privately with elected officials in Philadelphia yesterday to urge them to call on the school district to return to the bargaining table days after the district unilaterally cancelled the contract with teachers and imposed healthcare benefits changes.

Randi Weingarten, AFT president, voiced outrage at the School Reform Commission's bombshell earlier this week, which came after 21 months of negotiations with the local chapter. She assailed it as a last-ditch effort to aid Gov. Corbett's fledgling campaign three weeks before the gubernatorial election.

"This is recklessness and a political stunt of the highest order to save a . . . governor from the bad acts he has already done to hurt these schools and hurt our kids and hurt our members," said Weingarten, seated next to PFT President Jerry Jordan and flanked by a dozen city and state Democrats during a news conference.

The SRC's action on Monday - hinted at only a day before in a vague classified ad - caught the union by surprise. SRC Chairman Bill Green said the benefits changes - most union members would be asked to contribute 10 to 13 percent toward their medical plans - would bring the union in line with other unionized teachers in Pennsylvania. The district will save $54 million this year and more than $250 million over the next four years, which officials claim will be used to add resources into cash-strapped schools.

The district and state education secretary have filed a lawsuit in Commonwealth Court, asking it to affirm the SRC's authority to impose the terms under the state takeover law.

The union offered last year to contribute to healthcare costs for the first time and made its latest proposal in July, Jordan said, but the district did not respond.

Jordan said the union plans to respond to the suit next week. He said he is concerned about the impact on recruitment and retention of teachers, adding that his office has fielded calls this week from several teachers who have asked about resigning.

City Councilwoman Janie Blackwell, who chairs the Education Committee and attended the meeting, said the district's absence from contract talks since July is "unconscionable." She also lamented the conditions for teachers and students. "We need a local school board," she said.

In addition to the meeting, the union held a citywide informational picket yesterday before and after school to talk to parents.

Julie Krug, whose daughter attends Greenfield Elementary in Center City, said the district's entire fiscal situation troubles her. "I feel like our teachers work really hard and they have a hard job, especially in Philly. And they need support," she said. "The lack of a fair funding formula sets us up for this."