SALEM, Ore. — The Salem-Keizer teachers union, Salem-Keizer Education Association, has declared an impasse in negotiations with the school district over a new contract. The decision escalates tensions and increases the possibility of a strike.
Four articles are still outstanding. Two of the biggest are teacher workload and class sizes.
"From the moment of impasse forward, the tone and the stakes changed dramatically," Salem-Keizer Superintendent Andrea Castañeda said.
The impasse pauses bargaining sessions. The two sides now have a week to offer their best and final proposals.
"If we don't make some changes, we might as well just go home,” said Tyler Scialo-Lakeberg, the Salem-Keizer teachers union president, about the school district. “Because it's not working as it is.”
Scialo-Lakeberg added that it’s imperative that smaller class sizes are agreed to in bargaining.
Some parents agree.
"My daughter here at Wright (Elementary School) is in kindergarten, and she has an absolutely amazing teacher,” Jenna Zenk said. “She is unfortunately given a class of 28 kids."
The school district would also like to see smaller class sizes, Castañeda said, though currently, they face a large budget deficit.
"What's hard right now is that we have negative $32 million dollars," Castañeda said. "And in the face of having to cut over $30 million from our budget, we cannot possibly add $10 million in staffing."
The other big concern in negotiations is teacher workload: Educators want consistent eight-hour workdays. Currently, they said their schedules can change suddenly if a meeting is added to the end of their day.
"Someone should know their work shift for that week, for that month, and not have it changed in an unpredictable manner," Scialo-Lakeberg said.
The school district refuted, saying that parent-teacher conferences and school events make them unable to grant stringent eight-hour workdays.
Both sides, though, are close to an agreement on teacher salaries. Salem-Keizer has offered a 9.5% salary increase over the next two years. Educators are close to an agreement on that article, Scialo-Lakeberg said.
Still, she said the $37 million contract offer is not enough.
"Our district has been spending out of control for years,” Scialo-Lakeberg said. “They have been hiring more people at the district level."
This school year, Castañeda has cut her own salary by $30,000 and frozen the salaries of 63 senior administrators.
"We're going to have to be able to get creative on both sides," Castañeda said.
She’s also joined leaders from Portland Public Schools in calling for more school funding from the state legislature.
“The formula is unfair and inequitable," Castañeda said.
KGW reached out to Gov. Kotek’s office for a response. They did not previously respond, although in late 2023, Kotek said the state would have to reexamine education funding.
Castañeda said district staff is fully focused on preventing a strike. However, if a strike does occur, school and childcare will be canceled. The district is working to still provide meals to families, she said.
The district is also working with other community services to fulfill childcare needs. However, Castañeda said other facilities would likely not be able to replicate Salem-Keizer childcare services.
If teachers do strike, they must notify the district at least 10 days in advance.