Teachers, Archdiocese reach agreement
By Lou Baldwin
Special to The CS&T
PHILADELPHIA — The Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Association of Catholic Teachers (ACT) Local 1776 has announced a new, three-year contract for 930 secondary school teachers in the 20 archdiocesan high schools.
The new contract, which was ratified by the ACT membership on May 28, is effective Sept. 1. It provides salary increases of $1,750, $1,900 and $2,000 — or approximately 11.9 percent — over the life of the contract.
There will also be increases in the employee share of health coverage premiums in the first and third years, and an increase in health co-pays in the second year.
The new contract, which was ratified by an approximate two-to-one ratio in voting by union members, represents the first time in two decades the two sides have come to an agreement before September.
The early and amicable settlement traces back to the fall of 2007, when archdiocesan Secretary of Catholic Education Richard McCarron approached Rita Schwartz, the union’s president, and asked whether the union would consider negotiating solely on monetary issues in the upcoming contract, allowing other issues to stand as they are.
The union agreed to do so.
“That’s what we did,” McCarron said. “We talked the issues through, we listened to one another, we compromised. It was a learning process and it was very successful. Now we can all go home and have a stress-free summer.”
The agreement was reached on the morning of the scheduled union meeting, when the ratification vote was taken.
McCarron then informed Auxiliary Bishop Joseph. P. McFadden, who oversees the Catholic schools, that a tentative agreement had been reached.
“He was elated when we told him it was ratified,” McCarron said.
Schwartz is a veteran of 17 often acrimonious contract battles, including the previous negotiations, when the union was within hours of going out on strike.
Last year, after Schwartz was approached by McCarron, the two sides signed a memo of understanding that they would focus on the money issues. Serious negotiations began in February.
“I think it is a very good agreement,” Schwartz said of the final result. “We received pretty good raises and the medical costs are moderately increasing. We were able to keep ‘Personal Choice’ as our medical plan, and the people are happy about that.
“They are also happy that nobody has to worry over the summer,” Schwartz added. “I’m hoping we have no more nail-biters in the future. If we can do it now, there is no reason we can’t continue to do it.”
Lou Baldwin is a member of St. Leo Parish and a freelance writer.