The Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT) disclosed on Sunday that they have reached a tentative agreement with the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) for the upcoming 2023-24 school year. The union is set to present this agreement to its members on Monday, marking the educators’ first day back to school.
While the specific terms of this agreement remain undisclosed pending a review and subsequent ratification by union members, the DFT has scheduled the voting period between Monday’s meeting and Thursday noon.
This announcement is notably timely as it coincides with the expiration of DFT’s two-year contract, originally slated to end on June 30th. However, both parties had mutually agreed to extend the contract until Sunday.
“We in Detroit work against what seems to be insurmountable circumstances every day, yet we make miracles happen,” Lakia Wilson-Lumpkins, DFT president, told Chalkbeat. “We deserve the highest increase ever. One that raises our maximum salary out of last place in the Metro Detroit area.”
There’s a lingering question about the duration of this new contract. Insider remarks from a DFT building representative suggest the possibility of a one-year term. This decision could be strategic, allowing the union to negotiate under the new teacher bargaining rights signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. These rights are expected to be enforced in 2024.
Central to the recent negotiations were wage adjustments. A brief retrospect shows that in 2021, both DFT and DPSCD concurred on a 4% pay rise for seasoned teachers. This also saw the starting wage for novice educators being set at $51,000. The pay cap for a seasoned instructor with a bachelor’s degree currently stands at $69,000.
For context, it’s worthwhile noting the pay structure in neighboring districts. Recent contracts in Dearborn and Grosse Pointe schools awarded top-tier union members with bachelor’s degrees upwards of $76,000. Similarly, Birmingham’s school district’s 2021-23 contract saw teachers at the same educational and professional level earning over $80,000.
With the decision now in the hands of union members, voting commences tonight, and will be concluded by Thursday noon. As the school community keenly awaits the outcome, students are prepped to return to their classrooms on August 28th.
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