Pittsburgh Teacher Salaries To Jump Under New Contract

PITTSBURGH, PA — Pittsburgh Public Schools directors on Tuesday approved 4-year contracts with its teachers, paraprofessionals and technical-clerical workers that the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers membership ratified earlier this month.

The contracts provide greater than 10 percent pay increases at the top step and greater than percent average pay increases on all steps across the four years for teachers; 14.2 percent or greater pay increases across the four years for paraprofessionals and 12 percent or greater pay increases across the four years for technical-clerical workers.

“The union and the district have agreed to strong contracts for the PFT-represented employees in the Pittsburgh Public Schools," Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers president Billy Hileman said in a release. "The salary and wage agreements are real progress in an inflationary economy.”

The contracts also provide stipend increases for athletic coaches, student services department chairs, certified registered nurse practitioners and instructional teacher leaders. Additionally, city residency requirements have been lifted for paraprofessional and technical-clerical workers.

“It is my firm belief that both parties bargained in good faith to achieve agreements that pay a fair wage, provide good benefits, find ways to save money, and expand opportunities to fill vacancies by lifting the residency requirement,” Hileman said.