Minneapolis schools, teachers reach ‘historic’ agreement to avoid strike
District administrators and union teacher representatives held a joint press conference on Friday to announce a "historic agreement" between teachers and their district. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) administrators and Minneapolis Public Schools and Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) representatives held a joint press conference on Friday to announce a "historic agreement" between teachers and their district.
Earlier in the week, a tentative agreement was announced after teachers union members had planned to hold a strike authorization vote this week without a new deal.
Teachers have sought an increase in wages, in addition to increased support and better healthcare options. On Friday, MFT leaders called the agreement "the highest pay increase in 25 years."
In 2022, MPS teachers went on strike for 18 days, causing students to miss 14 days of school, as they sought pay increases.
Meanwhile, MPS officials have previously said the district faces a minimum $110 million budget shortfall due to a mixture of a loss of COVID-19 funding, inflation and declining enrollment.
District administrators and union teacher representatives celebrate a "historic agreement" between teachers and their district. (FOX 9)
On Thursday, district officials said the deficit still remains, and would likely grow further following the agreement.
"We will potentially be facing layoffs," MPS Superintendent Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams said.
Details of any agreement will not be shared publicly until after teachers vote to ratify the new union contract. Voting will take place May 8-10, and if passed, it would be ratified on May 14.
The tentative agreement does not include education support professionals (ESP), and the district remains in mediation on additional teacher contracts, officials said.