Portland teachers strike, students miss 3 school days.
Oregon Public School Teachers Join Growing Labor Movement
OAN’s Stephanie Stahl
11:04 AM – Monday, November 6, 2023
Public school teachers in Portland, Oregon, are the latest workers to join the picket lines amid a growing organized labor movement that has rocked the United States this year.
On Monday, the Oregon school district canceled its third day of classes.
Negotiations are ongoing between the district and the Portland Association of Teachers, which represents more than 4,000 educators. The union organized a strike in response to several key issues, such as a need for higher wages and a cap on classroom sizes.
“Our kids deserve more than teachers that are absolutely exhausted and at the end of their ropes,” Sarah Trapido, a special education teacher at Kellogg Middle School said.
The district serves more than 49,000 students across 81 schools in Oregon’s largest city, according to its website.
The strike also marks the first time that teachers have walked off the job in the Oregon school district. The union has reportedly been in talks with the district for a new contract for the past several months. The previous contract expired in June.
Last week, Thursday and Friday classes were canceled. On Saturday, union members warned that if an agreement was not reached by Sunday, picket lines would resume at school sites at 8 a.m. on Monday.
The school district condemned the union’s proposal, saying that it would prompt hundreds of millions of dollars in additional spending and it would also mean more staffing cuts. In June, Oregon lawmakers approved a $10.2 billion K-12 budget for the next two years, however, school district representatives said that amount was not even enough.
“Funding has not kept pace with the needs of our students, nor our educators,” Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero told reporters on Wednesday. “We strive to offer a compensation that attracts and retains talent. But unlike a private organization, we don’t have record profits we can tap into.”
During the strike, class sessions and online instruction have been suspended. Guerrero announced that the district plans to convene with the union and a state mediator on Friday.
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What are the key issues that the Portland Association of Teachers is addressing through their strike?
Oregon Public School Teachers Join Growing Labor Movement
Public school teachers in Portland, Oregon, have joined the picket lines in the growing organized labor movement that is sweeping the United States. The teachers’ union, known as the Portland Association of Teachers, represents over 4,000 educators and has organized a strike to address key issues such as higher wages and a cap on classroom sizes.
The strike has resulted in the cancellation of classes for the third day in a row. Negotiations between the union and the school district are ongoing, with the teachers demanding better pay and working conditions. They argue that their students deserve teachers who are not exhausted and at the end of their ropes.
The Portland school district serves more than 49,000 students across 81 schools, making it the largest in Oregon. This is the first time that teachers in the district have walked off the job, and the union has been in talks with the district for several months to negotiate a new contract. The previous contract expired in June.
Last week, classes were canceled on Thursday and Friday as union members warned that if an agreement was not reached, picket lines would resume on Monday. The district has criticized the union’s proposal, stating that it would require significant additional spending and potentially lead to staffing cuts. Despite a $10.2 billion K-12 budget approved by Oregon lawmakers for the next two years, school district representatives argue that the funding is insufficient.
Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero expressed the district’s commitment to offering compensation that attracts and retains talented educators. However, he also acknowledged that funding has not kept pace with the needs of students and educators.
The strike by Oregon public school teachers is part of a larger labor movement that has gained momentum throughout the United States. Teachers across the country have been fighting for better pay, improved working conditions, and increased investment in public education. Their efforts have brought attention to the challenges faced by educators and the importance of supporting quality education for all students.
As negotiations continue between the union and the school district, the outcome of the strike will have far-reaching implications for teachers, students, and the future of public education in Oregon. It remains to be seen whether the demands of the teachers will be met and if this growing labor movement will continue to reshape the educational landscape in the United States.
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