PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Public Schools (PPS) has reached tentative agreements with two unions the district has been negotiating with for months.
The agreements are with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Portland Federation of School Professionals (PFSP), who represent custodians, nutrition service workers, paraeducators and more. Both agreements need to be ratified by union members and approved by the school board.
Union members told KGW that after months of bargaining, they are optimistic that both deals will be approved.
"We feel that it's an improvement over the last contract, but it definitely does not meet all of our needs," said Chris Walters, a lead food service assistant at McDaniel High School and member of the SEIU bargaining team.
The union has been bargaining with PPS for more than a year, Walters said. A couple weeks ago, a tentative deal was reached that includes a 15.5% wage increase for nutrition workers over three years and a 12% increase for custodians, Walter said.
On Monday, PFSP also reached a tentative agreement.
"It makes me feel seen a little bit, too, in that regard,” said Yasmin Correa, a PPS paraeducator, “so, I'm really happy about that."
PFSP’s deal includes a 13.5% cost of living adjustment, Correa said. Despite the adjustment, workers didn’t get everything they wanted, she added.
Neither did SEIU workers.
"We're still not getting living wages," Walters said.
Even with the pay increase, nutrition service workers still start below $20 an hour. Walter said, however, he still sees the agreement as progress.
Both of the tentative agreements come months after Portland teachers agreed to a new contract, ending a strike that lasted nearly a month.
Workers said they are relieved that school will likely be undisturbed by another strike.
"I think we're all breathing a sigh of relief that we're dodging another strike," Walters said.
Both unions are hopeful the tentative agreements will be ratified and approved in the next two weeks.
KGW reached out to PPS on comment about the tentative agreement but have not yet heard a response.
A previous version of this article incorrectly identified a cost of living increase as a wage increase.