(Reuters) - New York City has struck a tentative $6.4 billion five-year contract deal with the teachers union that includes more than 15% in pay hikes over five years and expands remote learning programs that began during the coronavirus pandemic.
The contract, covering some 120,000 teachers and other school workers, also calls for a $3,000 ratification bonus for each member and establishes an annual cash payment – set to reach $1,000 by 2026 – to help in recruitment and retention.
"I'm probably one of the few modern-day mayors that was a member of a union," Mayor Eric Adams, a former police officer, said at a press conference on Tuesday announcing the agreement. "I know what unions do for this city."
While the previous contract expired in the fall, the negotiations were smooth compared with talks in some other major cities.
In Los Angeles, teachers joined a three-day strike in March by the union that represents school support staff, effectively shuttering the second-largest U.S. public school system. The union reached a new deal with the city in April.
New York's contract expands voluntary virtual learning, which will offer flexible class scheduling including weekends and evenings and will eventually be available to all high school students and some middle school students.
David Banks, the education chancellor, told reporters that while remote learning is not a substitute for in-class lessons, it can help students at risk of dropping out to complete their course work.
The proposed deal would allow most teachers to reach $100,000 in salary within eight years of getting hired, according to union officials.