ALBANY, Ore. — For the first time in nearly 40 years, about 600 teachers and other educational staff in Greater Albany Public Schools went on strike on Tuesday after mediation between it and the district failed.
Teachers started picketing at all 21 district schools around 7:45 a.m. A larger rally is planned at 1 p.m. at South Albany High School.
In anticipation of the strike, the school district had already told parents that schools will be closed on Tuesday.
Monday's mediation session lasted into early Tuesday morning and ended with no deal. The district said it presented the union with an offer late Monday night, increasing teachers' cost of living from seven to nine percent. The bargaining team added that they're aware they need to increase wages.
The Greater Albany Education Association said it has not seen meaningful movement from the district when it comes to pay, school safety and student resources. The union's website also mentions calls for smaller class sizes and better staff retention, and claims that the district hasn't followed Individual Education Programs for students with learning differences.
This marks the first strike by Albany teachers since the late 1980s. The rank-and-file membership voted on Oct. 29 to authorize the union's bargaining team to call a strike, if necessary, after nine months of negotiations with the district. The union said 92% of members voted to support the strike.
Over the weekend, teachers and their supposed rallied outside the district building.
The school district sent a message to parents Saturday evening, saying that it had received a new proposal at the close of that day's mediation session that included a revised salary schedule and concessions on insurance coverage. However, it said there are still gaps between the district and union proposals, totaling $2.86 million in the first year of the three-year contract and $1.92 million in the second.
Because Monday was Veterans Day, a federal holiday, Friday was the teachers' last working day before the strike and so they were ordered to turn in keys and computers, according to district communications director Becca Mallery.