RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS MUST END
CCEU PFT Executive Board members oppose the residency requirement currently imposed on PFT-represented paraprofessionals and technical clerical employees. Residency requirements for select groups are unfair, discriminatory and are an employer intrusion into the lives of its employees.
Ending residency for PFT-represented paraprofessionals and technical-clerical employees is one of the union's proposals in the current contract talks and has been part of the previous two negotiations. The District has refused to agree to lifting the residency requirement.
Many of the PPS employees who have a residency requirement are earning lower salaries than those who do not. The gentrification of several city neighborhoods combined with rising costs of water service due to Pittsburgh’s lead pipe crisis, are pricing working people out of the city.
The residency requirement must end. It is discriminatory and financially damaging to PPS employees.
The School Board members have the power to end it. The power is given to them by the state.
The Pennsylvania School Code governs residency requirements for the state’s 500 school districts. Only Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are authorized by the PA School Code to impose a residency requirement on its employees. No other school district in the state can legally impose a residency requirement.
In 2001, the School Code was amended to end the residency requirement for “professional employes, substitutes and temporary professional employes.” This amendment ended the residency requirement for all certificated employee such as teachers, counselors, social workers, nurses, principals, and superintendents.
The Code allows Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to continue a residency requirement on all other employees. Pittsburgh continues to impose its residency requirement on paraprofessionals, technical-clerical employees, custodians, secretaries, maintenance workers, food service personnel and many employees at the administration building.
There is only one way to end the residency requirement for PFT-represented paraprofessionals and technical clerical employees. And, that is for the School Board members to vote on the issue with at least 5 of the members voting to end residency.
The vote could be a contract ratification vote or simply a Board action.
We are NOT demanding a Board vote at this time, because it would be defeated. We must keep the pressure on by testifying at public hearings and writing to School Board members. We have to change the minds of the current School Board members or change who is on the Board.
The CCEU will remain committed and will continue to fight to end the District’s residency requirement imposed on PFT-represented paraprofessionals and technical clerical employees.
Ending residency for PFT-represented paraprofessionals and technical-clerical employees is one of the union's proposals in the current contract talks and has been part of the previous two negotiations. The District has refused to agree to lifting the residency requirement.
Many of the PPS employees who have a residency requirement are earning lower salaries than those who do not. The gentrification of several city neighborhoods combined with rising costs of water service due to Pittsburgh’s lead pipe crisis, are pricing working people out of the city.
The residency requirement must end. It is discriminatory and financially damaging to PPS employees.
The School Board members have the power to end it. The power is given to them by the state.
The Pennsylvania School Code governs residency requirements for the state’s 500 school districts. Only Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are authorized by the PA School Code to impose a residency requirement on its employees. No other school district in the state can legally impose a residency requirement.
In 2001, the School Code was amended to end the residency requirement for “professional employes, substitutes and temporary professional employes.” This amendment ended the residency requirement for all certificated employee such as teachers, counselors, social workers, nurses, principals, and superintendents.
The Code allows Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to continue a residency requirement on all other employees. Pittsburgh continues to impose its residency requirement on paraprofessionals, technical-clerical employees, custodians, secretaries, maintenance workers, food service personnel and many employees at the administration building.
There is only one way to end the residency requirement for PFT-represented paraprofessionals and technical clerical employees. And, that is for the School Board members to vote on the issue with at least 5 of the members voting to end residency.
The vote could be a contract ratification vote or simply a Board action.
We are NOT demanding a Board vote at this time, because it would be defeated. We must keep the pressure on by testifying at public hearings and writing to School Board members. We have to change the minds of the current School Board members or change who is on the Board.
The CCEU will remain committed and will continue to fight to end the District’s residency requirement imposed on PFT-represented paraprofessionals and technical clerical employees.