The Portland Public Schools (PPS) and the Portland Association of Teachers (PAT) have reached a tentative agreement, ending the first-ever strike in the district’s history and setting the stage for 43,000 students to return to school on Monday, November 27th.
For several months, the union has negotiated with the district to secure a new contract following the expiration of the previous agreement in June. In this district, the starting annual base salary is approximately $50,000.
The teachers’ strike in Portland commenced on November 1.
PAT President Angela Bonilla, speaking at a press conference on Sunday evening, highlighted the significance of this achievement and the agreement, saying, “This strike was historic. We won improvements on all of our core issues.”
Bonilla further emphasized the collective effort to achieve the agreement, noting, “Educators, parents, families, and allies all stepped up and stuck together until we were able to finalize a deal.”
The agreement, which still requires ratification from the 3,500 teachers and the PPS board with votes scheduled for Tuesday, encompasses various improvements.
Bonilla elaborated, “Educators have secured improvements on all our key issues…These changes will make a huge difference on priorities like mental health supports for students, educator workload relief, and safe and welcoming school environments.”
The contract agreement, estimated to cost around $175 million over the next three years, includes provisions for target class sizes, educator planning time, and measures to protect students and teachers from extreme classroom temperatures.
Additionally, the agreement outlines a cost-of-living increase over three years and plans to make up 11 instruction days lost during the strike.
In a communication with its members, the union’s bargaining team described the agreement in an email as “a watershed moment for Portland students, families and educators.”
PPS Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero, in a statement, acknowledged the forthcoming challenges: “This contract will cost roughly $175 million over the next three years. As we have said before, it will involve making significant cuts during our spring budget process for the upcoming school year, and we will handle those as with all budgeting – with input from our community.”
He also expressed excitement about the return to school, saying, “Our whole school community is excited to welcome our students and educators back.”
The district’s spokesperson, Will Howell, noted the ongoing process towards a full agreement but assured that the contract did not need a board or PAT approval before students return.
