Emergency Measures on the Agenda for the January 7, 2025 Legislative Meeting (WTU CBA)

Council of the District of Columbia

Committee of the Whole

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

 

MEMORANDUM                    

 

TO:                 Nyasha Smith, Secretary to the Council

              

From:            Phil Mendelson, Chairman

                                               

DATE:            December 23, 2024

 

RE:                 Request to Place Emergency Measures on the Agenda for the January 7, 2025 Legislative Meeting

 

 

            This memorandum is to request that the following measures be placed on the agenda for the January 7, 2025 Legislative Meeting, at the request of the Mayor:

 

  • PR25-1094 – Working Conditions and Compensation Agreement between the District of Columbia Public Schools and the Washington Teachers’ Union, Local #6 of the American Federation of Teachers Approval Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2024
  • PR25-1095 – Working Conditions and Compensation Agreement between the District of Columbia Public Schools and the Washington Teachers’ Union, Local #6 of the American Federation of Teachers Emergency Approval Resolution of 2024
  • Please note that the resolution numbers may change with Council Period 26

 

This proposed resolution with the accompanying emergency declaration resolution would approve a collective bargaining agreement between the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and the Washington Teachers’ Union, Local #6 of the American Federation of Teachers (WTU) covering approximately 5,776 teachers employed by DCPS. The Chief Financial Officer estimates the agreement will cost the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) approximately $52.1 million in fiscal year 2025 and a total of approximately $238.9 million from fiscal year 2025 through fiscal year 2028.

 

The agreement provides for a 4% bonus in lieu of a wage increase for Fiscal Year 2024, a 2% wage increase for Fiscal Year 2025, a 3% wage increase for Fiscal Year 2026, a 3% wage increase for Fiscal Year 2027, and a 4% wage increase for Fiscal Year 2028. The agreement also increases bargaining unit members’ optical, dental, and legal benefits. The agreement includes Athletic Trainers as part of the bargaining unit for the first time. Lastly, the agreement includes several new changes to working conditions including additional morning planning time for all teachers and expanded planning time protections for Special Education, English as a Second Language, and Cooperative teachers.