The Portland
Association of Teachers have been in contract negotiations with the Portland
School District since last spring and have been working without a contract
since July 2013. From the beginning of the negotiations, Portland educators
have been fighting for the Schools Portland Students Deserve.
After the
Board unilaterally declared impasse in November, the two-sides have spent
hundreds of hours at the table. The Board is claiming they have moved on the
teachers’ priorities, but all they had really done was back away from a few of
their take-backs on insurance and workload. At the same time, the Board is
refusing to improve current teaching and learning conditions and is insisting that
Portland educators continue to do more with less and less.
Recently,
the Board announced they have nearly $30 million of unanticipated money
available in their current budget. After spending millions on their own
priorities outside of the classroom, the Board voted to put $11 million in reserves
– bringing their contingency fund to over $34 million! The district has the
money to settle a contract that’s fair for teachers and good for students, but
so far is refusing to do so.
Portland educators’
top priorities are:Real workload/class size relief: The status quo is unacceptable to teachers, students and parents. It's not enough for the Board to just maintain current workload and class size levels.
- Hold educators economically harmless: At a time when the district is on solid
financial ground, there is no need to ask for additional financial
sacrifices.
- Stop targeting individual groups of educators: The district is targeting veteran teachers who
have dedicated their lives to their students by insisting on eliminating the
early retirement benefit. Additionally, the district wants to gut
protections - including eliminating all transfer rights - for school
psychologists, who work with our most vulnerable students and families.
- Strike a balance: In
an effort to reach a settlement, Portland teachers have expressed
willingness to move on some of the Board's priorities. In return, the
Board should provide some true improvements.
PAT members need your help and support. Here’s how:
·
Contact
your substitute pool and tell them not to cross a picket line. Thank you to
those locals - including East County, Canby and North Clackamas - for your recent
calls to your subs!
·
Show
your support directly to Portland educators:
o
Send
contributions that will help support their organizing efforts to:
§ 345 NE 8th, Portland,
Oregon 97232
o
Show
solidarity by showing up to an event – like PAT on facebook and visit their
websites (www.pdxteachers.org) to keep updated.
