Portland teachers union blasts district, files labor complaint

Portland Public Schools' headquarters building on May 9, 2017. (Stephanie Yao Long / Staff)

As Oregon school districts head into a tough budget year, Portland Public Schools' negotiations with its teachers union over their next contract have taken a sharp turn for the worse.

The Portland Association of Teachers filed an unfair labor practices complaint Thursday against the district with the Oregon Employment Relations Board, alleging Portland Public Schools isn't bargaining in good faith.

One step that it objects to: District management proposes cutting teaching jobs, potentially laying off teachers, and does not plan to shave two teaching days off the school year, union officials say. Under the current teacher contract, teachers agreed to be paid to teach two extra days a year as long as the district maintains all teaching positions. If the district proposes to cut teachers, it must first spend the money it would otherwise use to fund the two extra days of class to maintain every possible teaching job, the contract says.

For decades, the union's deal with the district has called for teachers to work 184 days per year, with about 174 teaching days and about 10 more for planning and parent-teacher conferences. Beginning in 2014-15, the district paid teachers 1.1 percent more a year to stretch the year to 176 teaching days.

The teachers union says the district is obligated to cut those extra days before eliminating teacher jobs.

District spokesman Dave Northfield disputed the union's position. "It's disappointing we are at this point with the union making false accusations," he said. "The district wants to negotiate a contract that is fair to the dedicated teachers in (Portland Public Schools) and provides our students" with a 176-day school year, like they have now, Northfield said. He said a school year of that length "enables us to continue the progress in student achievement and graduation rates. We remain hopeful that we can work together to reach an agreement."

The teachers union also argues that management's planned cuts to high school staffing are improper and that teachers are wrongly being asked to make up snow days without compensation.

"Portland educators are fed up with the ongoing dysfunction in Portland Public Schools," Portland Teachers Association President Suzanne Cohen said in a statement. "The district's lack of leadership has created a culture of disorder. This situation has harmed the very students and educators (Portland Public Schools) exists to serve.

"The Portland community cares deeply about its public schools," she continued. "Our students deserve better than the constant stream of scandals and crises at PPS. Educators desperately want to work with the district to find a solution."

The fight comes against the backdrop of a tough budget year for Oregon schools.

Interim Superintendent Bob McKean's proposed budget would axe 70 teaching positions. That budget assumes Portland Public Schools will have $23 million less than what it would cost to run as it currently does, due primarily to a shortfall in state revenue.

-- Bethany Barnes

@betsbarnes

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Email Bethany at bbarnes@oregonian.com

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