Judge blocks SRC-ordered health care changes for teachers’ union

This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers won a favorable ruling Monday in city Common Pleas Court in its fight with the School Reform Commission.

On Oct. 6, the SRC unilaterally terminated the PFT contract and imposed health care changes that it said would provide schools more than $50 million in additional resources this year.

On Friday, the PFT filed several legal rebuttals, including a request that the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas grant a temporary injunction in the case.

After four hours of testimony Monday, Common Pleas Judge Nina Wright Padilla granted the union’s request – effectively preventing the SRC from imposing health care concessions until there is a ruling from Commonwealth Court.

The SRC had previously asked the Commonwealth Court to rule on the legality of its maneuver.

In its official statement, the PFT called Padilla’s ruling "a testament to the notion that these kinds of contract changes should be decided at the bargaining table."

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