Union leaders urge ratification of St. Paul teachers contract

Executive board of St. Paul Federation of Teachers had raised stakes on talks, which brought a tentative deal Friday.

February 24, 2014 at 5:28PM
Feb. 18, 2014: Hundreds of teachers, children, parents and supporters of the St. Paul Federation of Teachers rallied in front of the St. Paul school district headquarters.
Feb. 18, 2014: Hundreds of teachers, children, parents and supporters of the St. Paul Federation of Teachers rallied in front of the St. Paul school district headquarters. (Susan Hogan — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The executive board of the St. Paul Federation of Teachers has recommended that union members approve a new two-year contract negotiated with the school district last week.

Details of the agreement are to be released at a news conference set for 3 p.m. Monday.

The board's vote came Sunday night, in advance of a membership meeting set for 4:30 p.m. Monday, according to a tweet by union president Mary Cathryn Ricker.

She could not be reached to comment.

Two weeks ago, the executive board had raised the stakes on the current round of bargaining by setting a strike authorization vote for Feb. 24.

The school district then held a news conference warning of potential strike impacts and the union organized a rally outside school district headquarters last Tuesday during which parents and students joined scores of teachers in backing the federation's contract goals.

On Friday morning, after a mediation session that lasted nearly 24 hours, the two sides announced they had reached a tentative deal. The agreement, which is to run through the 2014-15 school year, is expected to include provisions relating to class sizes, standardized student testing and early learning, as well as wages and benefits.

The two sides began negotiations nine months ago.

about the writer

about the writer

Anthony Lonetree

Reporter

Anthony Lonetree has been covering St. Paul Public Schools and general K-12 issues for the Star Tribune since 2012-13. He began work in the paper's St. Paul bureau in 1987 and was the City Hall reporter for five years before moving to various education, public safety and suburban beats.

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