2023 Portland Association of Teachers strike

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Teachers marching in downtown Portland on the second day of the strike. Portland teachers march.jpg
Teachers marching in downtown Portland on the second day of the strike.

The 2023 Portland Association of Teachers strike was a labor strike involving teachers at Portland Public Schools (PPS), the largest school district in the U.S. state of Oregon. The strike began on 1 November 2023, and ended on 26 November 2023. [1] [2] Spanning 11 instructional days, this strike was one of the longest teachers' strikes in recent years. [3] The strike was organized by the Portland Association of Teachers (PAT), representing roughly 3,700 teachers and other employees. [1] The issues driving the strike included raises to match inflation, lower class sizes, and increased planning time. [4] [5]

Contents

Background

This was the first teacher strike in district history, [6] although PAT teachers had voted to strike in the past. In 2003, PAT teachers voted to strike, but then changed course, accepting a contract that included 10 days of unpaid work and a 1 percent raise. [7] In February 2014, PAT teachers again voted to strike, but the bargaining teams reached a contract at around 7 am on what would be the first day of the strike, averting any school closure. [8] The bargain included an agreement to hire 150 teachers, and 2.3 percent annual raises for the next three years. [9]

Teachers began negotiations with the district for a new contract months before their contract expired on June 30th 2023. [10] In October 2023, the union voted on a strike. [11] The vote closed on 19 October, with votes from 93 percent of the teachers. Of those who voted, 98.9 percent voted to authorize a strike. This commenced a 10 day work stoppage notice, after which a strike would commence if bargaining remained unsuccessful. [4]

On October 30, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek issued a statement concerning the strike, urging both sides to reach an agreement while saying that "going out on strike is not in the best interest of students or families". Kotek said that state intervention in education funding was "really a conversation for 2025". [10]

As PAT and PPS entered final mediation at the end of October, there was still a large gap between their offers on the negotiated issues. PAT proposed a cumulative 23 percent cost of living adjustment across 3 years against PPS's 10.9 percent proposal, and PAT proposed 440 minutes of planning time per week for elementary teachers against PPS's 400 minute proposal. PPS's chief of research claimed PAT's proposal would require the district to make $277 million in cuts. [12]

This strike was preceded by several high-profile strikes in public education: teachers in Los Angeles Unified School District and Oakland, California, went on strike in spring of 2023. [13]

Strike

Teachers picketing near Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School on the first day of the strike. Teachers picketing near Wells High School.jpg
Teachers picketing near Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School on the first day of the strike.

The strike began on 1 November. The strike closed schools for the district's 45,000 students. [13] On the first day of the strike, National Education Association president Rebecca Pringle and United Teachers Los Angeles president Cecily Myart-Cruz gave speeches to the striking teachers, outside Roosevelt High School. [14] [15]

On 8 November, Oregon's chief financial officer, Kate Nass, met with PAT and PPS bargaining teams. [16]

On 14 November, PAT provided a revised proposal in an attempt to reach a settlement. The proposal introduced cost-cutting measures such as a more flexible approach to class size reductions, adjustments to middle school planning time, and the removal of special education teacher stipends. [17]

PPS and PAT reached a tentative agreement on 26 November. Teachers returned to schools the next day, after 11 cancelled days of instruction. [2] On 28 November, PAT members voted to ratify the agreement, with votes from 93 percent of the teachers. Of those who voted, 94.7 percent voted in favor of the agreement. The same day, the school board unanimously voted to ratify the agreement. [18] Under the tentative deal, teachers would receive a 13.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment across 3 years. Although the agreement did not set explicit limits on class sizes, it would put in place "decision-making committees involving educators and parents" to identify ways to address high class sizes at a school-level. [19] [20]

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References

  1. 1 2 Mervosh, Sarah; Baker, Mike (1 November 2023). "Portland Teachers Are on Strike, Closing Schools in Oregon's Largest District". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 Saslow, Rachel (26 November 2023). "Portland Teachers' Union and School District Sign a Deal". Willamette Week . Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  3. ↑ Mervosh, Sarah (26 November 2023). "Portland Teachers' Strike Ends After More Than Three Weeks". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 28 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  4. 1 2 Griggs, Taylor (19 October 2023). "UPDATE: As Portland Public Schools and Teachers Union Stall on Negotiations, District Prepares for Unprecedented Strike". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  5. ↑ Brasch, Ben (2023-11-02). "Portland teachers are on strike, with schools closed. Here's what to know". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  6. ↑ "In Oregon, public school teachers are on strike in Portland". NPR . 2 November 2023. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  7. ↑ "Teachers avert strike, agree to work for free". CNN.com . 4 March 2003. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  8. ↑ Dungca, Nicole (19 February 2014). "Portland teachers strike: Tentative contract deal ends weeks of stress for teachers, parents". The Oregonian . Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  9. ↑ Dungca, Nicole (19 February 2014). "Portland teachers strike: What got union and district negotiators tentative deal?". The Oregonian . Archived from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  10. 1 2 Watson, Evan (30 October 2023). "'Not in the best interest of students or families': Oregon governor addresses looming teachers strike in Portland". KGW . Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  11. ↑ Boyette, Chris (2023-11-01). "Portland public schools will be closed Wednesday as teaches go on strike". CNN. Archived from the original on 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  12. ↑ Saslow, Rachel (31 October 2023). "Portland Teachers Will Go on Strike Nov. 1". Willamette Week . Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  13. 1 2 Rush, Claire (2023-11-01). "Teachers kick off strike in Portland, Oregon, over class sizes, pay and resources". AP News. Archived from the original on 2023-11-02. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  14. ↑ Silverman, Julia; Edge, Sami (2023-11-01). "Portland Public Schools strike draws 1000s of teachers to picket lines, and emotions run high". The Oregonian . Archived from the original on 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  15. ↑ Marine, Drew; Olson, Karli; Thomas, Adrian (1 November 2023). "Portland teachers begin 1st strike in PPS history; District says more state funds needed". Fox12. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  16. ↑ Girsch, Emily (8 November 2023). "State's chief financial officer meets with bargaining teams one week since strike began". KATU2.
  17. ↑ "Portland teachers cut proposal by $120M as strike cancels 9th school day". OPB. Archived from the original on 2023-11-15. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  18. ↑ Pate, Natalie (28 November 2023). "Portland teachers ratify contract with nearly 95% approval, school board passes unanimously". OPB.
  19. ↑ Pate, Natalie (26 November 2023). "Teachers reach tentative deal with Portland Public Schools". OPB. Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  20. ↑ Hammond, Betsy (24 November 2023). "Portland teacher strike now in 24th calendar day as negotiations resume". The Seattle Times . Archived from the original on 24 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
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