PORTLAND, Ore. — Two weeks after Portland Public Schools teachers reached a contract agreement with the district, ending a near month-long strike, other unions within PPS are now demanding new contracts.
Custodians and nutrition service workers are members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and are some of the lowest paid employee's district-wide.
Union members said they had been negotiating for a contract for close to a year.
“This is not normal,” Chris Walters, the lead food service assistant at McDaniel High School said.
He and other SEIU members said the union sent its most recent contract proposal to PPS in October. While there have been some tentative agreements on issues between SEIU and PPS, they remain far apart on wages.
“We’re looking for fair wages for our people,” Walter said. “We’ve got a lot of people who have to work two or three jobs.”
Currently, nutrition service workers start at $17.25 an hour, Walters said. Custodians begin at just above $19.
The union hopes to raise salaries to $25 an hour by the end of the proposed contract.
“It’s a huge issue for us,” Walters said.
SEIU isn’t the only union still bargaining. Portland Federation of School Professionals (PFSP), which represents paraeducators and others, is also bargaining with Portland Public. Union members have twice rejected a tentative agreement. Since then, the union president has stepped down and two new bargaining members joined negotiations.
"I mean their membership wasn't happy with it," Walters said.
Educators are now also calling on wage hikes for their colleagues.
"I know they're fighting for a fair contract, and they deserve it so much," Brittney Caraboa said.
Portland Public Schools did not immediately respond to our interview request, though they have previously said the agreement with teachers will lead to budget cuts.
Still, other unions are still awaiting a new deal.
"You know we want a fair contract," Jim D’Arcy, a member of SEIU's bargaining team said.
Portland Public Schools and SEIU will resume bargaining on Monday. There is also a mediation session scheduled for January.