Schools will be open today and tomorrow, a PFT spokesman said. The union must give 48-hour notice before striking. Yesterday, Kirsch and other PFT officials met to consider their options to challenge the imposed terms. Jerry Jordan, PFT vice president and chief negotiator, said Grant's comments were news to him, as the union was expecting more meetings to hammer out differences. Until there is an agreement, everything is really on the table.
Nothing is settled.
In addition, all union members will receive pay raises. Teachers will receive 17 percent over five years, while non-teachers will receive 12 percent. Among the latter are secretaries, paraprofessionals, substitutes, day-care workers and technical employees. I resent it, everybody does. The new terms do indicate that, come September, secretaries will work as long as some teachers, and longer than others.