A proposed three-year contract would give raises to all Pittsburgh Public Schools teachers and other professionals, maintain current health plan contributions and, beginning this fall, increase the work day by 10 minutes.

Details were posted on the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers' Web site about 10 p.m. last night.

"The PFT negotiations team and executive board believe that the pact is well-deserving of ratification by the PFT membership," the union said.

The proposal would give raises of $2,100 a year to teachers and other professionals at the top of the 10-step salary scale.

That would boost top-scale pay to $75,800 for teachers with bachelor's degrees and to $79,800 to those with master's degrees by the end of the agreement. More than half of district teachers are at the top of the scale.

Beyond the salary scale, teachers may earn extra money for longevity, National Board certification, coaching or extra teaching duties. Under the last contract, a two-year deal, teachers at the top of the bachelor's and master's scales received $3,000 raises.

The proposal would provide a pay increase for steps one through nine. Those amounts were not immediately provided.

Under the last agreement, teachers who weren't at the top of the scale received step movement, but no raises. The value of salary steps has been unchanged since 2004.

The proposal has separate salary scales for other bargaining unit positions, such as social workers, counselors and psychologists.

In each case, those at top scale would receive $2,100 annual increases, and others would receive raises at each step as they move along the scale.

Raises would be retroactive to the start of the school year, though those making the jump from step nine to step 10 -- the most lucrative jump -- would be paid in two installments.

"Major roadblocks to an agreement had been the district's intentions to add two steps to the salary schedule, to delay salary schedule step movement and not have increases be retroactive," the union said.

Negotiators for the district and union reached a tentative agreement for about 2,800 teachers and other professionals about 6 a.m. Tuesday, after a 20-hour negotiating session.

The union and district are still working on agreements for PFT bargaining units representing about 600 paraprofessionals and about 60 technical-clerical workers. Contracts for all three units expired June 30.

The proposal for teachers and other professionals would maintain the employees' current health contributions -- at least 5 percent of premiums. Employee contributions last year ranged from $19 to $135.50 per month, depending on level of coverage and type of plan.

The district had been demanding relief from post-retirement health costs, and the proposal offers some help.

The contract would continue to provide health care to retirees not yet eligible for Medicare but would require higher contributions for those who retire after July 1. The proposal would eliminate district sponsored Medicare supplements for those who retire after July 1.

The work day -- now 7 hours, 6 minutes -- will increase to 7 hours, 16 minutes in fall 2008. The district wanted 7 hours, 30 minutes.

It was unclear last night whether the additional time would translate into longer days for students. The district last year opened eight accelerated learning academies with extended hours.

The proposed contract also establishes a "leadership review board," a point reflecting the union's concern about principals and other administrators.

The union posted terms of the proposed deal online last night after its executive board voted unanimously to recommend ratification to members.

PFT officials said they will mail ballots to bargaining unit members today and hold a membership meeting at 10 a.m. tomorrow at David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown.

Ballots must be returned to Iron and Glass Bank on the South Side by 4 p.m. next Friday. The ballots then will be counted at union offices and the results immediately announced.