Philadelphia Principals Union Has New Leadership Team
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The union representing Philadelphia's public school principals -- which rejected a contract agreement earlier this year -- has elected a new president.
In June, the principals turned down a tentative agreement. Now, they've turned away their president for the last six years, Rob McGrogan.
Members of Teamsters Local 502 of the Commonwealth Association of Administrators have elected Longstreth Elementary principal Robin Cooper as their new president. Cooper says she was surprised her slate won:
"It was very grass roots and we were in contact with a number of administrators. But there was still a shock that it worked so well."
McGrogan believes his loss was linked to the tentative agreement he took to the membership in June -- one that provided a three percent bonus and held the line on health care. But members rejected it believing it didn't fully address working conditions.
"I believe that the election results are directly related to the proposed contract," says McGrogan.
He wasn't shocked by the results, and he says he supports the new leadership:
"I wasn't completely surprised. We had very passionate meetings."
Cooper is a 24-year veteran of the school district -- the last 18, as an administrator. She says members want to recoup wage concessions made in recent years, but they want to negotiate better working conditions too:
"Over time, it was a loss of trust and the work intensified and the loss of money and the work conditions. So, it was everything."
Principals are working under a contract extension. Negotiations are expected to resume when the new leadership team takes over in January.
