Pittsburgh School Board Approves New Contract With AFSCME

A new five-year agreement has been reached between the board of Pittsburgh Public Schools and the Pennsylvania American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

The Board approved the collective bargaining agreement at a special meeting held Monday evening. AFSCME Local 2924, with approximately 200 members, represents clerical workers.

“The members of (AFSCME) Local 2924 provide an essential service to our schools and central administration. They are the faces you see when you enter a school office, and the voices that greet you at every school. They spend the day meeting the multiple needs of students, parents and staff daily,” said Superintendent Linda Lane. “We are pleased to have reached a five-year agreement that will bring us labor stability with this very valuable group of employees.”

The new contract includes the following provisions:

• 5-year term (January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2015).
• 2-percent wage increase each year.
• Employees are required to submit updated criminal and child abuse clearances.

It also restores the district’s ability to adjust the workforce in response to the changing circumstances of the district, something which had been restricted by a no furlough provision contained in the prior collective bargaining agreement.

The contract was approved by members of AFSCME Local 2924 this past Saturday.