PPS Unions

Within the Portland Public School District, there are five union organizations that are represented among the district staff. These Unions have incredible say over policy and the day-to-day operation of PPS. During Board of Education meetings, unions have a designated public comment section, and are also called upon to provide testimony during the passing of resolutions. Below is are list and a brief synopsis of each union that is recognized by the Employee and Labor Relations department of PPS.

ATU (Amalgamated Transit Union)

The ATU represents school bus drivers in PPS, according to PPS's ATU Page. The union protects transit workers by helping them organize local unions, negotiate collective bargaining contracts between its members and their employers, representing members in disputes with management, and making sure that employers adhere to the provisions of their collective bargaining agreement. Portland's local 757's website contains additional information.

DCU (District Council of Unions)

The DCU represents all skilled maintenance (e.g. painters, electricians, carpenters, etc.) Warehouse Workers, and Television Services, according to PPS's DCU Page. The Unions affiliated with the DCU include :

• Bricklayers Local No.1
• Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters
• Cement Masons Local Union 555
• Electricians Local Union 48
• Glaziers Architectural Metal and Glass Workers Local Union 740
• Laborers Local 296
• Linoleum and Carpet Layers Local Union 1236
• Machinists District Council 24
• Painters District Council 55
• Plasterers Local Union 82
• Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union 290
• Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 16
• Teamsters Local Union 206

PAT (Portland Association of Teachers)

The PAT represents teachers, school counselors, school psychologists, teachers on special assignment (TOSA), media specialists, and athletic coaches, according to PPS's PAT Page. It represents 3,587 teachers as of November 2023. According to their website, the PAT focuses on: "protecting our profession and advocating for frontline educators". The PAT includes the sub-organization PAT Substitute Teachers, which represents substitute teachers who have different contracts. PAT is affiliated with the Oregon Education Association and the National Education Association.

2023 Strike

In September 2023, PAT voted to go on strike, which started on November 1st, 2023, giving the school district a 10-day notice before the strike began. This was the first large-scale teacher strike in Portland history. Among PAT's demands was planning time, which would have changed planning time from 320 minutes per week to 440. The final agreement was made on November 26th, with the new contract providing a "13.8% cumulative cost-of-living increase over the next 3 years and about half of all educators would earn an extra 10.6% from yearly step increases", according to PPS. The deal also increased classroom planning time by 90 minutes for elementary and middle-school classrooms starting in the 2024 school year.

SEIU (Service Employees International Union)

The SEIU represents nutrition services food service assistants, lead food service assistants, custodians, and head custodians according to PPS's SEIU Page. The SIEU local 49 states that it's union represents "more than 15,000 healthcare and building service workers, including certified nursing assistants (CNAs), respiratory therapists, emergency department technicians, pharmacists, phlebotomists, dietary aides, housekeepers, janitors, security officers, and airport workers in Oregon and Southwest Washington".

PFSP (Portland Federation of School Professionals)

The PFSP represents clerical staff (e.g., administrative assistants and school secretaries), Paraprofessionals, Occupational and Physical Therapists, Campus Safety Associates, as well as Community Agents, according to PPS's PFSP Page with membership around 3,500. PFSP is a part of the American Federation of Teachers national union. Portland's local 111's website contains additional information.

2023 Contract Negotiations

In September of 2023, the PFSP negotiated a new contract with PPS that offered a 3% increase in raises. Members of the union objected to this contract, arguing that the contract would "lock in the losses in purchasing power they suffered over several years of high inflation." It was voted down twice by the union. Similarly to the 2023 PAT strike, PFSP negotiated a three-year contract that would provide "an immediate 6.25% increase retroactive to July 1, 2023, followed by 4% July 1, 2024, and 3% July 1, 2025. The agreement runs through June 30, 2026."