PORTLAND, Ore. — A tentative deal to end a historic weeks-long strike in the Greater Albany Public Schools collapsed in the final hour early Monday morning.
The district had said Sunday night that a deal was "being finalized." The union bargaining team later confirmed that a tentative deal had been reached. That deal "imploded" around 3 a.m. on Monday after negotiations over return-to-work conditions broke down, the union said.
Striking teachers plan to resume picket lines at all 21 schools Monday morning. Classes remain canceled on Monday amid the ongoing strike.
The union said the breakdown came after 11 hours of negotiations when it and the district failed to come to an agreement on "standard return to work terms." The union also claimed that not enough school board members remained awake to authorize an agreement to the teachers' latest proposal or a counter.
"We are flabbergasted that after three weeks of strike, bargaining every day but two over Thanksgiving break, and nearly securing a full agreement today over the entirety of the contract except one appendix, this District’s bad faith power plays have now cost us an agreement," said Dana Lovejoy, a math teacher at South Albany High School and president of the Greater Albany Education Association.
According to the union, the district inaccurately stated that a "return to work agreement" had been reached over the weekend. The union said the teachers waited until 3 a.m. on Monday for the district to "reappear and negotiate" the final details.
Union members had planned to meet Monday and vote on whether to ratify the agreement. That vote has now been suspended until a new tentative agreement is reached. Over 50% of full union members must vote in favor for it to pass.
With the collapsed deal, the teachers strike now enters its third week. Hundreds of educators walked off the job on Nov. 12, marking the first strike by Albany teachers in nearly 40 years. Sticking points for teachers and educators have been increased safety measures, better pay and smaller class sizes, as well as more prep time and professional development opportunities.
This is a developing story and will be updated with more details as they emerge.
