This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.
Less than a week after abruptly canceling a contract vote, the union representing Philadelphia principals and administrators has agreed to a new set of voting dates.
Rather than vote all at once, members of Teamsters Local 502 of the Commonwealth Association of School Administrators will be able to cast their ballots at one of three meetings — Wednesday, Thursday or Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the CASA office on North Broad Street. Members must vote in person during one of the three sessions.
The union was set to vote on a new, four-year contract at a meeting on June 1, but members pressed their leadership for more details. Many wanted to see the specific salary schedules associated with the proposed contract, said president Robert McGrogan. The union has since published those details after consulting with the School District.
Members also wanted to be sure their salaries would be paid out over 12 months, even though under the new agreement they would only work 11 months out of the year. McGrogan said a 12-month payment system protects employees who make automatic monthly payments or are having their wages garnished in some fashion. Under their current contract, Philadelphia principals and administrators work 10 months out of the year.
At this week’s meetings, members will vote on a contract that includes a 3 percent bonus and modest pay increases for some employees. In 2014, CASA agreed to steep concessions in order to save the cash-strapped School District roughly $20 million. This time around, the district has a small surplus to work with, even though it still faces long-term financial difficulties.