PITTSBURGH  FEDERATION  OF  TEACHERS

March 15, 2006

Dear PFT Colleague:

Last evening the members of the PFT Executive Board voted on two important actions. First, the members reaffirmed their recommendation that the tentative agreement between the PFT and the school district be ratified. Second, the Executive Board members authorized that a mail ballot of members be conducted, in compliance with Article 8, Section 3 of the PFT Constitution and Bylaws. This letter details the events leading to these important decisions by the union’s Executive Board.

Either tomorrow or the following day you will receive the mail ballot in which you will be asked to decide whether to vote in favor of the tentative agreement reached by the PFT and the PPS, which was narrowly rejected at a ratification meeting held on March 29, 2006. If you attended that meeting, you have your own assessment of why the tentative agreement, which was unanimously recommended by the PFT negotiating team and the PFT Executive Board, was rejected. It was the assessment of the leadership of the PFT at that time that at least some of the votes against ratification were registered as a protest over the procedures employed for the balloting that evening. Several members advised us of this opinion on that very night. Shortly after the balloting, some members emailed and telephoned the PFT advising that they did not fully understand certain provisions which were presented at the meeting.

In response to these concerns, the PFT’s regular membership meeting held on Saturday, April 1, 2006, dealt almost exclusively with issues of substance and procedure in connection with the ratification vote. The meeting lasted over five hours and provided every member in attendance the opportunity to express concerns over or ask questions about the tentative agreement. The meeting also enabled the negotiating team to answer all questions regarding the meaning and application of the tentative agreement’s provisions.

The PFT also fielded numerous emails inquiring into the meaning of various provisions of the tentative agreement, and its leadership met with concerned members to better understand the members’ desires. The PFT has also received calls, emails, and petitions from members requesting that another vote take place.

In response to all of the above, the negotiating team has taken several steps. First, since the March 29 meeting, the team has been in daily contact with district negotiators in an effort to determine what improvements could be made in areas identified by our membership since the rejection of the tentative agreement. We also set forth on the PFT’s website www.pft400.org the complete tentative agreement, as well as additional material providing clear explanations of negotiated provisions to ensure that every member fully understands those provisions. Additionally, negotiating team members have been fielding calls on a daily basis answering members’ questions about the tentative agreement. Interactions have also taken place during staff visits to various schools.

The PFT negotiators’ efforts to change the tentative agreement through our daily interaction with the district negotiators have been met with flat rejection. It is clear to us that further attempts to negotiate changes will not be productive. Based upon the foregoing, it is the reasoned judgment of the negotiating committee and the Executive Board that the tentative agreement previously reached should now be ratified by the membership.

Since the provisions of the tentative agreement and additional explanatory information have been in the possession of the membership for some time, the Executive Board has recommended that the tentative agreement be voted on again, through the mail ballot procedure. This process will enable those members who may find it difficult or impossible to attend a ratification meeting to cast their votes, thereby enabling as many members as possible to vote at this very critical time in the history of the district.

PFT negotiators and Executive Board members believe that the key elements of the tentative two-year agreement benefit our entire membership. Some of the provisions of the tentative agreement are as follows:

Maintenance of the ten-step salary schedule, a key strength of our entire membership’s compensation package, but especially important to younger members

A $3,000 salary increase effective September 2006 for those at step ten on the salary schedule
Uninterrupted increment movement, retroactive to March 1, for members on steps 1-9
The uninterrupted continuation of excellent medical benefits for all members, with no increase in the cost formula
The establishment of a union/district Health Care Cost Containment Committee, which will work to control and reduce costs of our medical insurance
New provisions to address issues of safety and security in our schools
Substantial additional compensation for those who will teach in Accelerated Learning Academies ($6300 + five pro-rata days)
An additional pro-rata Professional Development Day at the start of the school year
Continuation of the ITL program, increases for coaching and other supplemental services, increases in advance study credit and extended day differential

It is important to note, however, that the gains described above will not be in place until ratification of the collective bargaining agreement occurs. The tentative agreement outlined here and presented in its entirety on our website could be withdrawn by the school district. A concern of the PFT Executive Board and negotiators is that, if this recommended agreement is not ratified, the Board may withdraw the tentative agreement, just as the PFT would have the right to withdraw if the Board had failed to ratify on its side.

These negotiations have been extraordinarily challenging because our school district is facing economic and academic challenges. Furthermore, the changes through “right-sizing” of our school district, with the accompanying realignment of staff and resulting concern of many colleagues, cause real and understandable tension. The PFT Executive Board members recognize these very difficult circumstances and reemphasize the importance of ratification of this tentative agreement now so that our organization can fully focus on addressing the many other challenges facing our membership.

The PFT has secured the services of ELECTEC, Inc., which provides election services to labor unions and other organizations. ELECTEC will monitor and be responsible for the security of the mail ballot process.

After you receive your ballot, be certain to return it in the postage-paid, pre-addressed contract vote envelope to Iron & Glass Bank. Ballots must be received at Iron & Glass Bank by Friday, April 21st at 4:00 P.M.

ELECTEC will transport the ballots to the PFT office and supervise the ballot count process by members of the PFT Ballot Committee. ELECTEC will authenticate the ballot count and sign off on the final result.

Sincerely,