Principals' tentative deal: Will other unions follow?

The proposed contract-modification agreement between the Commonwealth Association of School Administrators - the principals' union - and the district includes employee givebacks, though union president Robert McGrogan declined to elaborate on the details.

Members of CASA are to vote Aug. 3 on the proposed amendments. All performance-based step raises for members will be upheld until the conclusion of that meeting, according to CASA's website.

Still facing a roughly $110 million budget shortfall, the district is asking the unions to help the district save $75 million.

Without those savings, district officials have said that more layoffs are imminent. In an unprecedented series of layoffs this spring, about 1,500 teachers lost their jobs. That doesn't include the roughly 1,200 other employees who also got pink slips.

The School Reform Commission didn't make good on its threat to cancel union contracts should the unions not come up with the requested amount in savings by June 30, but SRC Chairman Robert Archie has extended that deadline until the end of July, district spokeswoman Jamilah Fraser said.

It's not yet clear how the district will proceed with CASA and other unions if members vote against the proposed contract changes.

"We'd have to cross that bridge when we get there," Fraser said.