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Impact of possible teacher strike on Pittsburgh, schools, families

Pittsburgh Public Schools and its teachers will be back at the bargaining table this week to negotiate a new contract and try to avoid a strike.

Both sides agreed progress was made during a 14-hour negotiating session on Feb. 16 and the union agreed to hold off on any plans of a strike for now.

Here’s how a strike could impact everyone involved:

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Students/Parents

  • Twenty-five thousand students would be impacted if teachers went on strike.
  • Many students rely on free and reduced lunches, which would be discontinued during a strike.
  • Thousands of parents would be forced to miss work and find someone to watch their children if a strike happens.
  • Mayor Bill Peduto has warned the impact a strike would have on an entire city.

Teachers

  • The Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers says they've been negotiating with the district for 18 months but little progress has been made.
  • Along with salary demands, issues like reducing classroom sizes and who controls teacher assignments have been at the forefront of negotiations.
  • If a strike occurs all pay and benefits for teachers would be put on hold until they are back in the classroom.

Pittsburgh Public Schools

  • Superintendent Anthony Hamlet says the district's goal is to be fair to the teachers and taxpayers.
  • The length of a strike is in part up to the PA Department of Education. The department can force teachers back into the classroom if it jeopardizes students completing 180 days of instruction time before June 15.
  • Pittsburgh teachers last went on strike in 1975.