Newsflash Medford teachers reach settlement
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he Medford Education Association (MEA) reached a tentative three-year contract agreement with the Medford School District on February 21st to officially end a 16-day strike. The strike began February 6th, when the 600 teachers and support staff in Medford walked off the job to protest for higher salaries, more prep time, cost of living adjustments, reconfigured class loads, and protections for special education teachers. The district has more than 13,000 students, making it the eighth largest in Oregon. MEA and the school district were able to come to an agreeable settlement. "Together we stood strong for Medford schools and the students we serve,” MEA President Cheryl Lashley said. “We know that it will be important to take needed steps in healing, but with the solid support of our community, teachers have a foundation to build upon. We are grateful for all the support that continues to pour in from the community. Most of all we are glad to be back in our classrooms with our students providing them with the quality services they deserve." With the strike over, Medford teachers returned to doing what they do best—teaching students. For many educators, returning to their classrooms was an emotional experience as they got to connect once again with their students after two weeks of separation. Dorine Moore, a math teacher at North Medford High School reported, "My students were amazing. They came running in 20 minutes before class to give me tons of hugs. During class, they honored my request to use our class time for working."
Credits: Thomas Patterson
Teachers, students and community members showed their solidarity for Portland Public School teachers during negotiations.
PORTLAND SCHOOL BOARD AGREES TO NEW CONTRACT WITH TEACHERS
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ortland Public Schools signed off on a new contract with the Portland Association of Teachers (PAT), ending the chance of a teachers' strike. The deal came after a marathon 23-hourlong bargaining session that was the culmination of 10 months of negotiating with district officials. After a near-unanimous vote on February 5th to authorize a walkout if a new contract could not be reached, PAT thoroughly prepared for the event of a strike and put pressure on district officials to hammer out a deal in time. The district's board ratified the contract unanimously at a March 3rd meeting, four nights after teachers voted to accept the tentative agreement reached between negotiators last month. The board agreed to a new three-year contract with the 2,900 teachers. The school district also agreed to bring on a minimum of 150 new educators next year
to reduce the teachers' workload. The new deal also allows PPS to add two instructional days in the next school year and up to three days for professional development. Teachers will receive a 2.3 percent pay increase every year over the next three years. Even with a new contract in hand, PAT educators are determined to keep their activism going in order to ensure that teachers across Oregon have access to the resources and tools they need to best teach their students. “As we return to ‘regular life’ and find ourselves buried in work, please keep the fire of activism burning,” Steve Lancaster, PAT bargaining team member, said in a message to fellow educators. “Remember how much further we still have to go to reach our ultimate goals. Achieving a school environment that is just survivable is not nearly enough. So recharge while we regroup, and prepare yourself for the next battle to win back our schools!”
TODAY’S OEA | APRIL 2014
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