Dear PAT Colleagues,
Your PAT Bargaining Team met with the District Team on May 5th and again on May 12th. The purpose of those meetings was to set ground rules and to exchange initial proposals. PAT made our initial proposal on May 5th, and PPS made a partial District Initial Proposal on May 12th. You can watch the May 5th and 12th sessions here.
As you know, our collective bargaining agreement went into status quo after its expiration on July 1st of 2020. We were scheduled to begin successor bargaining right after Spring Break of 2020. Needless to say, things didn't go as planned and we found ourselves bargaining throughout most of the 2020-21 school year over issues related to teaching during a pandemic. With our CBA nearing a second year in expiration, we have agreed to enter into a very limited scope of negotiations with the District in the hopes that we can obtain a successor agreement before the end of this school year.
The issues that PAT has brought forward include a COLA for the 2020-21 school year of 3.5% and another 3.5% for 2021-22. We are also seeking to make a revision to the way that class load/case load overages are paid, an extension of early retirement insurance benefits, and a package of programs and benefits that we believe will help PPS to attract, develop, support, and retain educators of color.
The District has brought forward the issue of COLAs, offering 2% for 2020-21 and 2.5% for 2021-22. In addition, they wish to discuss a proposal for a new initiative they are calling the Accelerated Cohort program, changes to our safety language as it relates to the Student’s Rights and Responsibilities Handbook, and Middle School schedules. The District has not yet fully delivered their proposals regarding safety and Middle School schedules, but you can view what they have provided so far, as well as all PAT proposals, on our website.
We have had two meetings with the District in the last two weeks, which you can view on our YouTube channel. We are scheduled to meet with the District again on Wednesday, May 19th, where we expect to hear the remainder of the District’s initial proposal. A number of other dates have been calendared to continue bargaining with the mutual goal of arriving at a settlement before summer break. If successful, this will ensure that we start the 2021-22 school year with a fully in-force CBA and allow us time to enter into full negotiations during the fall and winter of the 2021-22 school year for a new CBA that would take effect July 1st of 2022. It will also allow for retroactive payment of the 2020-21 COLA before the start of the next school year.
As always, our success in bargaining depends on you and your support, so thank you for taking time to stay informed and engaged in this important process!
In Solidarity,
Your PAT Bargaining Team-
Steve Lancaster, Chair
Emy Markewitz
Francisca Alvarez
Charity Powell
Andre Hawkins
Thea Keith
Portland Association of Teachers
http://www.pdxteachers.org/