Salem-Keizer Public Schools teachers vote to strike

Salem-Keizer Public Schools teachers have voted to strike, for the first time in the district’s history.

Salem Keizer Education Association leaders said they're still hopeful an agreement can be reached at a mediation session scheduled for Monday. If it can't, they will provide a required 10-day notice to strike.

That puts the earliest strike date at April 4.

Students and staff currently are on spring break, meaning they would come back for just a few days before a strike, which would shut down schools for about 39,000 students.

The union represents about 2,300 teachers and other educators.

The union said 99% of SKEA members participated in the strike vote, and 94% voted to strike.

“Today, Salem-Keizer educators have made it clear that they want our bargaining team to continue to fight for a contract that makes substantial improvements for students and educators in our neighborhood public schools,” SKEA president Tyler Scialo-Lakeberg said.

“We remain hopeful that we’ll reach a fair deal at the table without having to resort to a strike and were encouraged by positive movement during this past Wednesday’s mediation session, but we will continue to prepare for the possibility of a strike if we determine it is necessary to reach a fair deal,” she said.

District spokeswoman Emily Reverman said in a statement they are aware of the strike vote.

"We know that a strike will cause lasting impact to our schools and community. The district is focused on reaching a fair and responsible contract for our licensed staff during mediation. The parties are working together, making progress and are looking forward to being back at the table on Monday," she wrote.

Why did Salem-Keizer Public Schools teachers vote to strike?

SKEA’s latest contract with the district expired in June 2023, meaning the district’s educators are working without a contract.

On Sept. 26, Superintendent Andrea Castañeda called for state mediation, which began Dec. 6.

The union declared an impasse Feb. 15, but has continued mediation.

Several items remain unresolved, including how the district defines a full-time worker.

The union argues the district is trying to change the way the district understands teacher workload. They say the district's proposal would give teachers part-time pay for full time work.

Castañeda says the district's proposal would not do that.

The union has been stocking up on signs, and held a “practice picket” March 6. On March 16, SKEA held a day-long strike training for representatives from each school.

SKEA members began voting on the strike Monday, and voting closed Thursday.

What have the union and district reached agreement on?

SKEA and the district have tentatively agreed on 17 of 21 articles in the contract.

Those articles detail, among other things, employee safety, sick leave, and employee evaluations.

Outstanding issues center around compensation and insurance, workload and scheduling.

What happens if Salem-Keizer Public Schools teachers strike?

District officials have said that in the event of a strike, they will close all schools.

Classified employees will continue to work and be paid, they said. Classified staff work in custodial and maintenance, transportation, technology, security, library media, instructional and community support, administrative clerical support, language services, student services, and construction services.

ASK ESP, which represents about 2,500 district support staff, reached a three-year contract agreement with the district on Feb. 23.

Will Salem-Keizer School District serve meals to students during a strike?

The district has said it plans to provide grab and go meals at some school sites.

Details of locations and times have not yet been provided.

Would a strike extend the school year for Salem-Keizer schools?

Officials did not say whether a strike would extend the school year.

Last fall, Portland Public Schools educators went on strike for 26 days, costing students 11 days of classroom time.

Teachers agreed to make up all 11 days during the remainder of the school year, including canceling the first week of winter break and extending the last day of school by three days.

Layoffs at Salem-Keizer Public Schools expected soon

The strike vote coincides with an expected mass layoff at the district.

Castañeda has said hundreds of employees will lose their jobs, as of June 30, to help address an expected budget shortfall next school year.

Despite getting a record amount of money from the state in this year's legislative session, decreasing enrollment, increases in staff and the end of federal COVID-19 relief funds are contributing to the shortfall, Castañeda has said.

The exact amount of the shortfall won’t be known until bargaining has concluded and labor costs are factored in.

"In early 2023, the state projected that school personnel costs would increase by 5.45% over the two years of the biennium, a projection that has proven wildly inaccurate," Castañeda said.

"Salem-Keizer Public Schools’ personnel costs are increasing by over 14% for the same period. In the coming months, Salem-Keizer will be losing hundreds of positions due, in part, to a funding model that does not consider the significant growth in staffing costs in Salem-Keizer and across Oregon," she said.

Last December, Castañeda announced about $31 million in cuts. At that time she said she would announced further cuts, of about $40 million, in late winter or spring.

Previously announced cuts include eliminating 46 positions, senior leader salary concessions, reducing district purchasing, reducing conference travel, and reducing the amount of money contributed to a safety cushion for the Public Employees Retirement System debt service account.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Tracy Loew covers education at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips: tloew@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem-Keizer Public Schools teachers vote to strike