Salem-Keizer Public Schools seemed poised to follow Portland’s historicteachers strike from November with one of their own this spring.
But that changed early Tuesday morning when the Salem-Keizer Education Association reached a tentative agreement with district administrators, wrapping up about 11 months of bargaining in the state’s second-largest school district.
The deal still has to be ratified. But for now, this means Salem teachers won’t go on strike. Union members authorized a strike last week but hadn’t finalized a start date. Both sides have repeated over the last several months their desire to avoid a strike if possible.
“When educators began [bargaining in April 2023], we knew our contract needed to be revamped from the bottom up, and that’s what tonight’s tentative agreement represents — a new start for students and educators in Salem,” SKEA President Tyler Scialo-Lakeberg said in a recent news release.
“There is always more to do to build the schools our students deserve,” she added, “but these new investments in school safety, educator workload and scheduling, and this new start on addressing class size, mark a paradigm shift in how our public schools will operate on a day-to-day basis.”
The association represents more than 2,600 licensed employees, including teachers, nurses and counselors, who serve more than 40,000 students at 65 schools.
District officials said the $42.5 million cost of the increases over the next two years include a 9.75% increase in compensation, one-time bonus payments and other provisions. In addition to wage and benefit increases, the district said there will be a “new prioritization around the issue of elementary class ratio.”
Throughout mediation, Superintendent Andrea Castañeda has stressed the impact of the district’s financial shortfall going into the upcoming budget season. She’s also emphasized the need for a different funding model from the state.
“We are pleased to reach a fair and respectful contract that recognizes the quality and commitment of our educators,” Castañeda said in a statement. “In reaching this agreement, we demonstrate that shared interests and a determination to stay at the table can lead to fair and responsible contracts.”
Educators will be invited to informational town halls in the coming weeks to learn specific details about the contract and will then vote on ratification, according to the union. A timeline for member ratification has not yet been set. The tentative agreement must be ratified by union members and then by the Salem-Keizer school board before taking effect.
“This was a difficult bargain,” Vice President Maraline Ellis said in the union press release, “but SKEA members fought hard and used their collective voice.”
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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