Contract Agreement Reached Between Philly Teachers And School District
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There's finally a tentative agreement in the long-running contract talks with Philadelphia's public school teachers.
Finally, a handshake across the table. It's been four years since Philly teachers had a new contract, and five since they received a pay increase.
Details aren't being released, but negotiators have reached agreement on a contract that would run through 2020.
"We just stayed with it. And I'm glad that we were able to get to a tentative agreement before the close of the school year," said Superintendent William Hite.
Not that it was ever easy, says Jerry Jordan, President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, who says work rules and financial issues went right down to the wire.
"This was a fight right until the very, very end. There were a lot of issues that were still on the table that were pulled off at the end," he said.
Jordan will explain details of the deal to his 10,000 members at a Saturday webinar.
A ratification vote is set for Monday night at 6 PM at the Liacouras Center.