Please read the following message from our SEIU colleagues, and sign their petition:

During the worst pandemic in recent history, cafeteria staff and custodians worked in-person without adequate staff or support. Right now there are more than 50 unfilled custodian positions in our schools which makes it impossible to adequately clean bathrooms and sanitize high touch surfaces. It's clear that we need more helping hands to do the work of feeding our students and keeping our schools clean, sanitary, and safe.

Sign this petition: We Need Safe and Healthy Schools! that calls on Portland Public Schools to raise wages and hire enough staff to make our schools safe, healthy places for the children in our community!

PPS has enough money to make our schools safe and healthy:

• Oregon's Student Success Act passed in 2019 ensures strong, ongoing, K-12 funding.
• $50 Million dollars unspent in the 2021-2022 PPS budget. 

PPS must pay competitive wages. Starting wages of $14.40 an hour for cafeteria staff and $16.70 for custodians will not attract or retain quality workers.