WOODBURN, Ore. — The Woodburn School District and the Woodburn Education Association (WEA) reached a tentative agreement late Wednesday evening, avoiding a strike that was set to start on Monday.
WEA, the union that represents the district's staff, said in a news release that the groups came to the tentative agreement following a 13-hour long mediation session. Earlier in the day, about 350 teachers and members of the community held a rally outside the district headquarters where the mediation took place, WEA said.
The bargaining process began in June 2022, according to the union. The district and the union were stuck on negotiating multiple issues including class sizes, teacher pay and allotting time for teachers to prepare lessons. In early April, Woodburn teachers voted to authorize the strike.
Specific details about the tentative agreement have not been shared publicly. But Kathia Ruiz, a teacher and a member of the union's bargaining team, called it progress.
"The tentative agreement represents significant progress toward what the Woodburn teachers were fighting for: more control over essential time to prepare lessons and contact families, reasonable limits on class sizes and caseloads for students, and improving compensation to attract and retain teachers in Woodburn schools," Ruiz said.
"The community support and strong solidarity among our members helped make important gains for Woodburn schools," said Misha Pfliger, a teacher and WEA bargaining team member. "Staff leaving the district has affected so much, especially students of color, students in poverty, and students with disabilities. This tentative agreement will make things better for students."
The Woodburn School Board is expected to vote to ratify the agreement during its next meeting.