The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that the Executive Board of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers voted unanimously earlier this evening (Feb. 15) to authorize PFT President, Nina Esposito-Visgitis, to call a strike if necessary. President Esposito-Visgitis released the following statement:
“On Monday, the PFT Executive Board got a clear message from our members that they are willing to go on strike if necessary. I am honored that the Executive Board and the members continue to trust the Negotiations Team to advocate for the issues that are important to them and their students.
I want the community to know that our educators want to be in school with your kids, but we will fight for what we know is in the best interests of students and schools.
There are a number of important issues that we still need to resolve that will affect students on a daily basis. The negotiations team is prepared, as we have been for the last year and a half, to stay for as long as it takes on Friday to get this contract settled.”
The PFT is in negotiations with the District for three separate contracts: Professionals, Paraprofessionals and Technical-Clerical employees. All three contracts expired on June 30, 2017. The members of all three units have been working with out a contract since that date.
The PFT must give the District 48-hours written notice of our intent to strike. The PFT and the District have an all day negotiations session scheduled for Friday, February 15th beginning at 9:00am.
The two sides will have an all-day negotiating session on Friday, Feb. 16 to see if a deal can be struck, as previously reported in the New Pittsburgh Courier. To read the Courier’s previous story on the possible Teachers’ Strike, click https://newpittsburghcourieronline.com/2018/02/14/pps-teachers-strikewill-it-happen/
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