The Portland teachers strike enters the boardroom

Several hundred educators and supporters rallied outside Portland Public Schools headquarters Tuesday evening before the first PPS school board meeting since the district’s first-ever teachers strike began. The rally brought the picketing directly to its elected leaders.

“It’s day five of the strike, and guess what, y’all? We are winning,” Angela Bonilla, president of the Portland Association of Teachers, addressed the crowd, who responded with claps, cheers and celebratory music.

“I’ve been walking the picket lines at schools,” she said, “and seeing all y’all today, seeing thousands of educators and families and students and community members and union allies, … it gives me a lot of joy. And for our bargaining team, it strengthens our resolve.”

The group held signs as they entered the board room. They chanted, “Contract! Contract! Contract!” and “Safe schools. Fair pay. Or we do this every day.” Though many left after the initial rally, the boardroom was packed. The meeting overflow area was full.

Chair Gary Hollands addressed the audience at the start, letting everyone know Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero and other senior leadership would not be present as they remained at the bargaining table.

“We were grateful to meet alongside them today,” Hollands said, “and know that … everyone is doing a great job representing everyone’s priorities and working towards a settlement.”

Leaders from PAT, as well as SEIU Local 503 and the Portland Federation of School Professionals, addressed the board during union updates — a standing agenda item.

SEIU and PFSP represent classified staff in Portland schools. Both unions are in prolonged contract talks with PPS, and as of Friday, both unions have independently requested mediation in their own contract negotiations with PPS.

Classified educators, some during public comment, spoke about their frustrations during the Tuesday meeting. They argued the district’s requirement that they pick up duties such as reading coaching for the duration of the strike makes them scabs who cross the picket line and that it violates their contract.

“This school closure is being treated like an inclement weather day or an emergency closure,” said classified employee Amaru Moon. “Why are our staff expected to work during a school closure? Are you afraid of us unifying with teachers on the picket line?”

Moon said that, unlike snow or ice, the district has control, adding this is not a natural disaster but a man-made one.

“I miss my job; I miss my students,” Moon said. “I am asking you all tonight to remember who you volunteered to serve. At the end of the day, this impacts thousands of students in Portland. And there is no one else to blame for your own mismanagement than yourself.”

Frankie Silverstein, who serves as the student representative to the board, spoke about the frustrations she and other students have been feeling during the strike — things she said have been issues with the district for a while. She said many students feel they’ve been exploited and kept out of the loop.

“Students have been used as bargaining chips by both sides,” Silverstein said. “And I want to say it’s disappointing that I even have to use the term ‘sides’ when we should be united as a district serving the students.

“But we feel used, especially considering we haven’t been provided with enough information to feel properly educated about the situation,” she said. “What information has been available has been one-sided and difficult to access.”

Bonilla acknowledged board members have been more involved in bargaining negotiations this week. She said director Michelle DePass, vice-chair Herman Greene and chair Hollands joined “at the table” with PAT on Tuesday to discuss what a settlement might look like. She said they listened for three hours to their priorities and returned to share the district’s.

“Today, because of the board members at the bargaining table for the first time in about 10 months, I felt like we finally had a breakthrough at the table,” Bonilla said. “It is unfortunate that we had to wait until 40,000 students were out of school and 3,700 educators were on picket lines for us to see that breakthrough.”

Most PAT supporters left the boardroom after the union updates concluded. Earlier in the day, Gov. Tina Kotek stepped into negotiations, calling on PPS and PAT to meet with the state’s Chief Financial Officer Kate Nass and her team this week. The district’s finance team met with Nass on Tuesday. The union’s team is set to meet with her Wednesday.

District communications released this update later in the evening:

“We thank our mediator for her support over recent weeks. After two days of productive conversations, our bargaining team will use tomorrow to refine counter proposals. We plan to share these electronically with our mediator and PAT to keep the process moving, and have confirmed plans to meet in person again on Thursday if we do not settle the contract tomorrow.”

Kristian Foden-Vencil and Kristyna Wentz-Graff contributed to this story.