Philadelphia Federation of Teachers

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) represents the teachers and many other employees of the School District of Philadelphia. It is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers and a member of the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO. The PFT is an important voice in education politics, including debates over school funding, facilities and charter schools.^[1]

1 Leadership and membership

The PFT's website lists Arthur G. Steinberg as president and Wendy G. Coleman as general vice president, with a treasurer, a secretary and vice presidents for different school levels. Steinberg succeeded Jerry Jordan, who had led the union since 2007; the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO lists Steinberg as the representative of PFT Local 3 on its executive board. The union says it represents more than 14,200 people working in Philadelphia public schools: teachers, librarians, school nurses, counselors, psychologists and social workers, secretaries, paraprofessionals, classroom and non-teaching assistants, supportive services assistants, Head Start and early-learning center staff, Bright Futures teachers and staff, food service managers, and professional and technical employees.^[1]

Every school or work location has an elected PFT building representative, backed by regional staff representatives and by information and personnel officers who take calls about emergencies. The union also administers a Health & Welfare Fund (dental, prescription and vision benefits) and a Legal Services Fund. Since 2023 it has worked with the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO on "Union Experience Fairs" that introduce students to union apprenticeship programs.^[2]

2 Bargaining

School employees bargain under Pennsylvania's Public Employe Relations Act, which allows teachers to strike in defined circumstances after mediation and fact-finding; see Public Sector Bargaining in Pennsylvania. The employer is the school district, governed by the mayor-appointed Philadelphia Board of Education, which replaced the School Reform Commission after the state-created commission ended in 2018. The district's funding comes from the city, the state and federal sources, and those streams strongly affect what it can offer; see Pennsylvania State Government and Philadelphia.

3 The 2025-2028 contract

The collective bargaining agreement posted on pft.org runs from September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2028. Its compensation article provides a 3 percent increase to all salary schedules on each of September 1, 2025, September 1, 2026 and September 1, 2027, and a lump-sum retention and re-engagement bonus of $1,400 for employees on the payroll at ratification, paid in the last payroll of October 2025. It also sets an annual $7,500 bonus for teachers who hold National Board certification, and lump-sum bonuses for eligible teachers who remain in schools designated by the Superintendent: $2,500 in September 2025 and 2026, and up to $5,000 in September 2027 and 2028. The PFT posts the contract, the 2026-2027 salary schedule and a summary of each of the contract's 32 articles on its site.

Other articles cover union security, fair practices, seniority and layoffs, a just-cause standard for discipline, professional development, the Peer Assistance and Review (PAR) program, and a dispute-resolution procedure with a three-step grievance process followed by arbitration. Article XXVIII, "Resolution of Differences by Peaceful Means," says the parties will settle differences peacefully and that the Federation will not engage in strikes or work stoppages during the agreement, and Article XXIX has the District agree to fund and not unilaterally abrogate the contract's economic provisions. Exact language matters in an individual dispute, so members are directed to the posted agreement and to their building representative.^[3]

4 Role in education policy

The PFT says it advocates politically on behalf of members and students, and describes its commitments as reducing class sizes, expanding early childhood education, making schools safe and orderly, and providing resources for teachers, staff and students. It is also an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers and of the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO; school funding and charter school policy are matters it weighs in on before City Council and in Harrisburg. Its political involvement is part of Labor and Politics in Philadelphia. Also see Pennsylvania State Government and Philadelphia for state education funding.

See also: Organized Labor in Philadelphia, Teamsters in Philadelphia.

References

1. Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, "About the PFT," pft.org (viewed October 2026); Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO, Executive Board, phillyaflcio.org.
2. Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, "About" and "FAQs," pft.org; Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO, "Union Experience Fairs," phillyaflcio.org.
3. Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, "Contract and Salary Schedules" (Collective Bargaining Agreement for September 1, 2025 to August 31, 2028), Article XII, pft.org.