About Us
From the beginning,
the Saint Paul Federation of Teachers has worked, and will continue to work,
for better schools for children and for better working conditions for all
members. Many of the problems that
face the public schools and staff are continuing problems. Members must forever be on the alert to
protect what they have and solve new problems as they arise.
Problems that confronted Saint Paul teachers prior to 1918
were:
• the lowest
wages paid teachers in any city of its size in the nation; and
• pay increases
only to those teachers designated by principals, superintendent, of
Commissioner of Education.
Highlights from over ninety years.
• June 18, 1918
The Saint Paul Federation of Women Teachers Local 28 received its charter from the
American Federation of Teachers.
• February 19, 1919
The Saint Paul Federation of Men Teachers Local 43 received
its charter from the American Federation of Teachers.
• September 2, 1919
First time teachers marched in a Labor Day Parade
• 1920 – 1925
First salary schedule; Defeated Merit Pay; Teachers’ Tenure
Law, Right to choose textbooks in own subject; First group insurance for
teachers in US
• 1928
Full salary for regular teachers
• 1936
Minnesota Federation of Teachers organized
• 1938 – 1946
Strengthening of Tenure Law; Salary Increase, Accumulative
sick leave of 90 days begun
• November 25, 1946
First organized Teachers strike in the United States held in
Saint Paul by Local 28, the women’s union
• 1946 – 1951
Free textbooks to be provided; Salary increments for MA and
PhD; Single salary schedule; Sabbatical leave; School Board established
• September 30, 1957
Merger of Local 28 and Local 43 into one union, the Saint
Paul Federation of Teachers Local 28
• 1965 – 1968
Largest salary increase in history in Saint Paul Schools
• 1969
First Mary McGough Award given for outstanding contribution
to the advancement of education in the Saint Paul Schools
• 1970
Scholarships for children of Saint Paul begun
• 1971
Scholarship Trust Fund established
• 1972
SPFT Local 28 becomes exclusive bargaining agent
• 1984
Elementary planning time of 50 minutes becomes part of
contract
• 1986
ER&D (Educational Research and Dissemination) begun
• 1989
Strike averted at last moment in December with intervention
of Mayor George Latimer
• June 18, 1993
75th Anniversary
• 1998
The Minnesota Federation of Teachers and the Minnesota Education Association merge to form Education Minnesota.
• 2000
Vote Yes For Kids campaign wins Saint Paul School Referendum
lead by SPFT
• March 14, 2006
SPFT launches first-ever Professional Conference
• November 27, 2006
SPFT commemorates the 60th anniversary of the
1946 Teacher Strike
• 2009
ER&D Program trainers offer full complement of AFT
ER&D strands
• October 8, 2009
SPFT receives an AFT Inaugural Innovation Grant for the CareerTeacher Project
• 2010
SPFT negotiates contract language for PAR (Peer Assistance and Review)