Green: Ready to Impose Contract Terms on Philly Teachers

The Philadelphia School Notebook reports that incoming SRC Chair Bill Green is ready to make waves:

Green also said that he was fully prepared to use the SRC’s special powers to impose a contract on the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers if a negotiated agreement cannot be reached, a bold step that prior SRCs have avoided. Whether such a move would survive a court challenge is unclear.

With the District asking teachers all at once for deep pay cuts, an overhaul of the compensation system, performance-based raises, dilution of seniority privileges, and changes in cherished work rules, the two sides have met without resolution since last spring.

“I hope we can have a negotiated settlement,” said the councilman when he was awaiting state Senate confirmation. “But whatever has to be done to have 100 percent good schools, if I have the power to do it, I’ll do it.”

Green was confirmed this week. No word yet on how teachers would respond if terms were imposed. As it happens, though, such a move is recommended by Philly Mag’s Patrick Kerkstra in his cover story on Philly schools.