my dad is a giant iPad baby
You can donate to PAT's strike fund HERE, and you can send the PPS School Board a letter in support of teachers HERE. 📸s from @tallnutwalnut; PAT; and Marcia Howard
Today teachers at dozens of schools in Portland walked out, beginning the first ever strike by the Portland Association of Teachers. Says Labor Notes: "The 4,500-member union is demanding more counselors, more planning time for teachers, more support for special education students, smaller class sizes, and increased salaries and cost-of-living adjustments." Their demands also include other community resources like support for families facing eviction and better mental healthcare services for both students and teachers.
Members authorized a strike back in October—90% were in favor—but planning for action against the School Board has been occurring since 2022 according to Labor Notes. Union president Angela Bonilla came into office with the intent of revitalizing the union and winning a real contract for union members and not just scraps. Throughout much of this year the union has been organizing walk-outs; spreading the word to parents; and preparing students for the disruption any strike action would cause. In one case according to Labor Notes the union turned out so many people for a school committee meeting that the number of attendees violated the fire code. Their boldness has also directly influenced the militancy of at least one of Portland's other teacher unions—the Portland Federation of School Professionals, which turned down a tentative agreement in September according to Labor Notes because of support from PAT and to my understanding may also strike in the near future.
How long PAT's strike will go on is not immediately clear. It will shutter schools for the remainder of the week at minimum, as bargaining won't begin again until Friday. Past Friday? Who knows. The PPS School Board has seemed generally unprepared for a union that actually fights for a better contract, but likewise seems unwilling to acquiesce to PAT's demands even after months of bargaining. A particular source of contention seems to be the School Board's pay proposal, which PAT charges does not keep up with inflation. At last bargaining that I could find the School Board's proposal was a 10% pay increase over three years with a first-year raise of 3.4%—that was versus the union's proposal of an 8.5% pay increase in the first year, and then increases of 7% and 6% in years two and three. If this is indicative of the gap on other matters of bargaining this strike could last awhile even with mediation.
I know it's my responsibility and it's in my job description to meet with parents about student grades and I have done my part by calling and scheduling appointments but the bad part of me does not want the parents to show up because....I don't want to...talk....to them....