Why are teachers in Portland, Oregon on strike? What are their demands?

Teachers in Portland, Oregon, are entering their second week on strike. This is the first teacher strike the city has ever seen, and after ten long days, there are no signs that the educators are letting up on their demands. The union has released public polling that shows widespread public support for the strike, particularly among parents who, in recent years, have grown concerned over the deteriorating quality of the education provided to their children.

The union provided an update on the bargaining process on 13 November, which shows some places where agreement has been reached with the school district. However, on other demands, the district has outright rejected the teachers’ offers.

Early this week both sides returned to the negotiating table, with the union reporting that following guidance from the mediator, the day was spent “preparing a comprehensive package that narrowed the scope of our proposals to focus squarely on the issues of highest importance, while attempting to address the interests of management that we could agree with.” Both sides undertook this activity, and the union stated that the offer they received showed that “management is completely unwilling to meet the needs of educators and students.”

What demands are being made by the unions?

For example, the union has demanded that “all District employees must disclose any conflict of interest or personal ties to companies and organizations considered or used in the process of Professional Development or Curricula.” This has been rejected, which raises questions related to corruption within the district and its procurement process.

Smaller class sizes

On class size, which is a central sticking point for the union, and in their words, they have heard “crickets” from the district on their proposal that would cap class sizes at each grade level at the following levels:

The union has responded to the silence from the district, arguing that their “refusal to contractually commit to any kind of hard limit on class size perpetuates the unacceptable status quo on workloads, which are impossibly high for educators (especially in Title I schools), and deeply affects the level of service educators are able to provide to students.” Class sizes are a major concern for parents across the state, with a poll finding that 87 percent a strike to reduce class size, and 91 percent supported a strike to force the district to increase funding to attract new qualified education.

Pay and benefits

Regarding pay, the union asks for COLA of 8.5 percent in Year 1, 5.5 percent in Year 2, and 4 percent in Year 3. The district has countered with 4.5 percent, 3 percent, and 3 percent. So far, the union has said that “in lieu of a COLA that keeps up with inflation, management is offering a one-time stipend for educators with 13 or more years of experience (approximately $785) while all other educators would receive $260.” The offer was described as “insulting” when compared t the retention bonuses and COLAs offered to teachers in nearby districts.

The district has also rejected the union’s proposal to implement a family and paid medical leave program. Additionally, striking teachers have pushed back against a proposal to alter their retirement benefits, lowering their total allocation in the long run.

The remaining demands and negotiations can be found on the union’s website.