SALEM, Ore. — For the last nine months, Salem-Keizer School District has been trying to avoid a strike by teachers and other school staff members over contract negotiations. It is the second largest school district in Oregon.
In the most recent bargaining round, the district is proposing a two-year contract worth $37 million for teachers, which would raise salaries by approximately 9%. For the district's support staff, which includes custodians and instructional assistants, they are proposing a three-year contract worth $45 million.
Both contracts would include a 13.5% salary bump over three years.
The total package the district is offering is $82 million — the best offer it said it can afford.
"The agreement we reach will still be less than our staff deserve, and more than our school district can afford," said Superintendent Andrea Castañeda.
In addition to the contract proposals, Castañeda said on Tuesday that the district will need to cut approximately $30 million in budget costs, which will result in at least 5% of employees to be laid off, cutting hundreds of jobs.
Union leaders have said that the district already lacks enough staff. Edie Buchanan, president of Salem-Keizer education support staff union, said that the district has been understaffed since the pandemic.
"We know things are strapped," added Tyler Scialo-Lakeberg, president of the Salem-Keizer Education Association. "But we believe that they could reprioritize how we do spend money and where we spend money."
However, the districtwide budget cuts have already began. In December, Castañeda said she plans to freeze pay for 63 senior administrators and contribute $30,000 of her own salary last year and this year.
Castañeda said the state needs to do more to help fund its education system.
"Oregon's funding formula is collapsing under the weight of the real costs of paying our staff what they deserve and providing the schools or students and community needs," she said.