Philadelphia school officials cancel contract with teachers' union to address health costs

Published January 08, 2015

The Philadelphia School District has canceled its teachers' union contract in order to take over the union-administered health care fund.

The surprise move Monday follows a hastily called meeting of the School Reform Commission, which oversees the district, and nearly two years of labor talks.

The district says it has no plans to cut wages of the 15,000 teachers, nurses and other members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. But it wants teachers to start contributing to their health coverage.

Union spokesman George Jackson tells The Philadelphia Inquirer the move is "outrageous."

Superintendent William Hite says union members need to share in the sacrifices made by families and others in the cash-strapped district.

He says the plan will yield more than $50 million in savings or new funding this year.

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