In the News

DATE: 11/21/24

KGW (NBC 8): Albany teacher strike continues with classes cancelled

KGW (NBC 8): Albany teachers demand School Board resign amid week-long strike

'Greater Albany Public Schools canceled classes through Thursday with hundreds of educators now in their second week of a strike. 

"We are here because we’d like to support our teachers," said Jerry Wang, a junior at West Albany High School. "A lot of teachers have expressed their gratefulness for us being out here, but we also feel grateful for them being here, too."

Wang has been conducting the school band as it plays in support of teachers picketing outside the school district's building. 

"We follow our teachers wherever they go in the mornings," he added. 

About 600 teachers and other educational staff walked off the job last Tuesday after mediation between the union and the district failed. It's the first time teachers in the district have been on strike in nearly 40 years.  

Teachers and educators are asking for an increase in cost of living pay, more safety measures and smaller class sizes.

"Class size is the big one," said Jenn Stadstad, who has been a PE teacher at Calapooia Middle School for 25 years.

Stadstad is also part of the bargaining team and said that teacher pay is not a big sticking point right now. Instead, the focus has been on class sizes and getting more prep time for high school and elementary educators. 

"We both have given some salary scale back and forth, but that hasn’t been a big issue for us," she added. 

Despite the upbeat band tunes being played, the union expressed frustration in a Facebook post Wednesday morning, saying that they're signing a community-organized petition that demands the school board resign. 

"We have always approached the bargaining table in good faith, seeking solutions," the post said. "However, after the last four days, it's clear that the school board refuses to prioritize Albany students or offer a fair contract that gets teachers back in safe classrooms. That's why we're joining parents and families across our community in demanding the school board resign." 

"I do know that a lot of school board members are getting a lot of heat from the community because these people want their kids back in school," Stadstad said.

KGW reached out to each five school board members for their response and only heard back from one.' 

KPIC (CBS 4): Albany teachers' strike reaches day eight as union demands School Board resignations

'The teachers strike in Albany continues as teachers have now entered the eighth day of their strike.

The Greater Albany Public School (GAPS) District remains closed as of Wednesday, and is set to be closed Thursday, November 21, 2024.

Some teachers in the union are now calling for members of the school board to resign, claiming they've lost faith in the board.

"We're asking them to step down because they're unwilling to make the sacrifices needed to put our kids first," said Toby Zanotti, a math teacher at Calapooia Middle School. "They've continued to offer flat proposals. They haven't listened to us about professional development, they haven't listened to us about class size. They've really just failed the students [and failed] to deal with special education students, and students who are on individual education plans. So they're not supporting kids in the way that we need them to."

Union members have called out two board members in particular, following another series of failed negotiations over the weekend.'

KEZI (ABC 9): Striking teachers, community members call for school board member's resignation

'Striking teachers and community members have reportedly demanded that members of the Greater Albany Public Schools district’s school board resign their positions, claiming that the board has been stonewalling on negotiations that are now in their ninth day, union officials said on Wednesday.

Officials with the Greater Albany Education Association, which is the union representing the picketing teachers, said that a ‘mega picket’ and rally was held on the morning of November 20 in which teachers joined the call from community members in demanding that the school board’s members resign. A community letter-turned-petition circulated the community on Tuesday, filed by West Albany High School parent, identified as Stacey Bartholomew, and Sheree Speaks-Mahi, an Albany community member, who voiced their frustration of a lack of progress in negotiations, union officials said.

“In the best interest of everyone, we ask that you step down,” said Bartholomew and Speaks-Mahi in their letter-petition to the district. “More than a dozen statewide, local, and federal elected officials in Oregon have publicly condemned the GAPS School Board and Superintendent for your handling of this matter, and role in the breakdown of mediations. GAPS teachers in negotiations both days this weekend reported that two School Board members who attended played central roles in delaying an agreement. We have no faith in this School Board to address this crisis.”'

Oregon Public Radio (OPB): OSU and Greater Albany strikes continue; Benton County employees vote on agreement

Albany Teachers Call For School Board Resignations

Administrators for Greater Albany Public Schools seemed optimistic Tuesday night that they could reach a settlement with the licensed educators union, but it didn’t come to fruition.

Educators reported being close enough to make a deal but blamed a “habitual delay and lack of preparedness from GAPS management” within mediations preventing it.

“Although this has already been the longest strike in GAPS history, the district has dragged their feet to reach an agreement,” union leaders wrote in a recent press release, “and now has prematurely canceled school for two more days despite scheduled mediation with ample opportunity to resolve the dispute.”

...Wednesday marked the seventh day of missed school for Albany students. Without an agreement soon, they may soon match the 11 days students in Portland Public Schools had to make up a year ago when the teacher’s strike canceled school for most of November.

The Albany teachers union says they’ve lost faith in the school board members who have been involved in mediation in recent days, though they didn’t name the two members involved. They argue the board members have been “key in blocking” an agreement. The union has called on those board members to resign immediately.

Parent Stacey Bartholomew and community member Sheree Speaks-Mahi filed a letter-turned-petition on Tuesday as well, saying Albany families are offering a vote of no confidence in the school board and calling on them to resign.

This is distinctly different from what happened in Portland last November. There, the union requested board members get more involved to move stalled negotiations forward.

“We’ve been striking in the freezing rain as this School Board shows up again and again and again not only unprepared to negotiate but actively resisting reaching an agreement,” said Toby Zanotti, a 16-year math teacher at Calapooia Middle School who also serves on Albany’s teacher bargaining team. His statement was sent in a recent press release from the union.

“The students and families of Albany deserve better,” he said. “We have lost faith in this School Board to act with integrity in the community’s best interest, or fulfill the most basic requirements of their positions.”'

Albany Democrat-Herald: Tensions rise, as Albany strike enters second week

KMTR (NBC 16): Albany Teachers Strike Surpasses One Week After Weekend Mediations Fail

DATE: 11/20/24

KGW (NBC 8): Albany teacher strike continues with classes cancelled

DATE: 11/19/24

KVAL (CBS 13): Albany teachers strike surpasses one week after weekend negotiations fail

'The historic teachers strike in Albany continues, officially crossing the one-week mark Tuesday.

Picket lines continued at all 21 Greater Albany Public Schools Tuesday morning after mediations over the weekend failed.

Educators on the line say that this weekend's most recent round of negotiations were the most frustrating, citing the behavior of two school board members as the primary cause for the lack of progress.'

DATE: 11/18/24

KVAL (CBS 13): Elected officials join Albany teachers on strike, demand resolution 

KATU 2 (ABC News): Latest on the Albany School District Strike

DATE: 11/17/24

Albany Democrat Herald: As teachers strike, some GAPS students tag along

FOX 12: Classes cancelled for Albany schools Monday amid teacher strike 

KEZI 9 (ABC): No class in Albany schools as strike continues

DATE: 11/16/24

KOIN (CBS 6): Greater Albany Schools teachers' strike mediations continuing through weekend

Good print and video story covering the march on Thursday, and using our frame of it as coming in protest of the failure of mgmt to make a single agreement in 14 hours of mediations on Wednesday. Establishing this narrative helped us then raise media interest and pressure on District over weekend. 

Yahoo News picked up and ran this CBS 6 story

DATE: 11/15/24

KVAL (CBS 13): No resolution in sight as Albany teachers' strike threatens further closures

KOIN (CBS 6): Greater Albany teachers, district make 'significant movement' towards agreement  

DATE: 11/14/24

Oregon Public Broadcast (OPB) - Teachers take to picket lines in Albany, in district's first strike in decades

'Hundreds of teachers, families and children marched and chanted on sidewalks throughout Albany Tuesday morning, many with red and white signs in hand. It was the first day of the Greater Albany school district’s first strike in nearly 40 years. 

Despite ongoing mediation sessions – including one that went until roughly 2 a.m. Tuesday — district officials and leaders of the Greater Albany Education Association have yet to agree on a contract.

...Strike participants were scattered Tuesday morning throughout the district’s 21 schools. Picketers held signs that read, “On strike for safe schools,” “GAEA demands great public schools for all,” and “On strike for our students.” One said, “Maestros en huelga,” or “Teachers on strike.”

...The differences at the bargaining table are largely about money and what should be prioritized when spending it. Union educators claim the district has funds it can spend on teachers that it’s withholding, though conversations are taking place across the region about districts not getting enough money from the state.

Union leaders say they’ve presented an alternative economic proposal that bridges the difference between prior management and union packages. But they claim the district has “refused to engage on it.”

“GAPS has a $15 million budget surplus and will be receiving a projected $27 million in state funding just in the next three years,” union leaders said in a press release. “Despite this, the School Board and Superintendent have starved GAPS schools of the resources for their students.

“GAPS is one of the only districts in Oregon that fails to provide one-to-one aide support for students with [Individual Education Programs],” they said, adding that “rampant violations of legally binding IEPs” are a major strike issue for educators. 

“Under management’s best economic proposal, GAPS educators would still be the worst paid out of 35 comparable districts,” they argue, “and crisis-level learning conditions for students would be left to continue.”

Union supporters include parents, children and even a few pets

Many participants on the picket lines Tuesday — and even some of the pet dogs who joined — wore red, a symbol across the country for supporting union educators. A Bluey mascot, the spitting image of the cartoon dog, attended as well.

Hannah Mahler and Areli Brambila are both mothers from Lafayette Elementary School who brought their kids to join Tuesday morning.

When asked why they decided to come out, one of Brambila’s older daughters — in a Pokémon T-shirt and holding a Sonic the Hedgehog stuffed animal over her head — said cheerfully, “Support our teachers!”

Brambila expanded on the sentiment, saying she brought her kids to support the safety of the children and to get a “better education.” Both of those reasons referred to class sizes.

“Having a big classroom, it’s just too hard for one teacher,” Brambila said. “Coming from an educator,” she said of herself, “it was really hard. So, having multiple teachers in one classroom, or smaller classrooms, that is fantastic for the teachers, [for] that one one-on-one education.”

Mahler has three children at Lafayette. She said she brought her kids out to show their love for the teachers because they “work so hard” and take such good care of her kids.

“We’ve been there for two years now,” she said, “and every single teacher is so wonderful.”

Albany educators rally community support

Jess Boland is the instructional coach at Calapooia Middle School. She and other local leaders arrived at their school early Tuesday morning – around 6:30 a.m. – to prepare for a rainy day on the picket lines. They set up a tent across the street to protect signs, personal belongings and other materials.

One of the organizers offered her home down the street for participants to use the restroom since they couldn’t go in the school building, and they would be out all day, picketing before a collective rally that afternoon at South Albany High School.

Calapooia picketers joined three other school groups at a nearby busy intersection — dozens of demonstrators across four corners — looking to garner more attention. 

Staff and supporters from Waverly Elementary School had a similar strategy. They chanted and held signs on the sidewalk along the much busier Pacific Blvd. 

“A lot of our schools are kind of in our little communities, so it’s nice to get out on those main strips and show our support,” Boland said.

Boland said negotiations have been going on for months, but they haven’t made the kind of progress educators like her want to see. 

Boland said they all want to return to their classroom as soon as possible and don’t want to miss the instructional days. But they also want their voices to be heard and their messages received.

To the students, Boland said: “We love you. We’re fighting for you. And we can’t wait to be back as soon as possible.”

Students will remain out of class during the strike, and classified workers will report to work. Gardner said the maintenance crews will take advantage of the opportunity to clean schools and do building repairs while students aren’t there.

CBS 4 (KPIC) - West Albany HS football team worried over season as teacher strike continues (Also run by CBS 11, KCBY)

'... West Albany High School's (WAHS) teachers aren't the only ones on the strikeline, the Bulldogs' football team members are also showing up to rallies with picket signs in hand.

They say their coaches, who are also teachers at the school, have their back all year long, so it’s their honor to have their backs when they need it.

"Everything the coaches put into us molding us into young men and people in the community - showing that support for those people that are in our lives on a daily basis,” said Ashton Wusstig, senior, WAHS.'

ABC 9 (KEZI) - Families feeling effects of Albany teachers strike

'...Reynolds said his wife works nights at the hospital so she has to sleep during the day. And while he said he supports the teachers’ fight, Reynolds admitted it could lead to challenges for families like his. But some teachers on the picket lines have a deeper understanding for what those parents are up against.

"We're both working parents, I have an infant at home too, and I have the issue of childcare while I'm out here,” GAPS teacher Brandi Woods said. “So I can empathize with that worry and that struggle. But the sooner this gets resolved by the district the sooner we'll be back in and this won't be an issue."  

NBC 8 (KGW) - Albany teacher strike entering second day 

Several great TV spots from late Tuesday evening that yesterday's roundup missed:

CBS 13 (KVAL) - Greater Albany teachers striking for the first time in nearly 40 years (TV spot)

Fox 12 - Hundreds of teachers begin historic strike in Albany (TV spot)

CBS 6 (KOIN) - Albany teachers go on strike following failed negotiations

Albany Democrat-Herald: Albany schools remain closed Friday, teachers strike continues

KGW: Albany schools cancelled for the week due to teacher strike

DATE: 11/13/24

NBC 8 (KGW) - 'Don't feel like they hear us': Albany teachers strike for first time in nearly 40 years

'Hundreds of educators in Albany walked out of class Tuesday morning for the first time in nearly 40 years.

About 600 teachers and other educational staff in Greater Albany Public Schools went on strike after a mediation session between it and the district ended without an agreement.

"We just don't feel like they hear us," said Ken Beiser, a teacher who is also on the union bargaining team.

Beiser said the union and the school district bargained until 2 a.m. on Tuesday and did not reach a deal.

"There just wasn't sufficient movement," Beiser said.

The union and the district have been bargaining for the past nine months and progress has been slow. Beiser said 20 articles of the next 3-year contract are still not settled.

In late October, teachers voted overwhelmingly — 92% — to authorize the strike.

"This has been a long time coming," said Erik Ihde, a social studies teacher at West Albany High School.

Teachers and educators are asking for increased safety measures, better pay and smaller class sizes.

"I once had a class size of 42," Ihde said. "Over the last 28 years, we've never pushed back like this, and I've steadily seen my class size increase to unhealthy numbers."

The school district canceled class on Tuesday in anticipation of the strike. Some students and band members came to school despite the closure to show support for their teachers.

"The general sentiment among the student body is that the district has been failing us," said Jerry Wang, a junior at West Albany High School.

Many students and teachers believe it's time for a change.

"It's a historic day in Albany. It's a historic day for education in Oregon," Beiser said.'

Fox 12 (KPTV) - Hundreds of teachers begin strike in Albany, classes canceled

'...Teachers hit the picket lines at about 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday at all 21 schools in the district, the first strike since 1987 in Albany.

Many students used the day off school to show support for their teachers.

“Teachers don’t get breaks to go to the bathroom, don’t get support when students are causing a disturbance or a safety hazard, or not enough of it,” said Regulus Martinez, a student at West High School. “It’s not only unfair for them but unfair for the students expected to learn and benefit from that environment.”

“As soon as the community says we’re asking for too much, we’ll back off. As soon as our teachers say stop, we’ll stop and we’ll settle for what the district has given us. Until then, this fight is real,” Lovejoy said.

Both sides resume negotiating Wednesday. A time has yet to be determined.'

ABC9 (KEZI) - Greater Albany Public Schools teachers go on strike after negotiations fall through

'Teachers at Greater Albany Public Schools have gone on strike after weeks of negotiations did not result in agreement between the union and the school district administration.

As a result, all 21 schools across the district closed early Tuesday morning. The final mediation attempt between the teachers and the district began on November 11 and lasted more than 16 hours, according to Greater Albany Education Association officials. But negotiations fell apart by 2:30 a.m. on November 12, and GAEA declared a strike.

Kevin Masson is a math teacher at South Albany High School and communication lead for the union. He said the last mediation fell apart due to the district not prioritizing their needs.

“The district is focusing a lot on the financial concerns, even though that isn't necessarily our biggest focus point. Our biggest concern is safety and class size. Overcrowded rooms make it difficult to maintain discipline in the room, ensure safety for our students, as well as managing our workload," he said.

...GAEA officials said those articles would address issues like understaffing, violence from students, violations of Individual Education Programs, pay, and class sizes, and compensation.

On October 29, 600 teachers in the district voted to authorize their first strike since 1987. An overwhelming 92% of them voted in favor of going on strike. On November 12, Albany teachers officially went on strike after emergency negotiation sessions did not produce satisfactory progress on a new contract. All 21 schools in the Greater Albany Public Schools district will not have classes while the strike is ongoing.

South Albany High School sophomores Myles Dilts and Jaden Goeke were on the strike lines supporting the teachers.

"This is kind of upsetting that the district is pulling school away from us," Dilts said. 

"I'm glad they're doing this. Unfortunately, it does take time out of school," Goeke said. "But this is a good payoff."'

KOIN - 600 Albany teachers go on strike following failed mediations 

'...The strike follows nine months of negotiations in which the teachers asked for better pay, school safety, and smaller classes, among other things.

"The fact that the teachers are begging for covered guaranteed bathroom breaks, I’m running out of words to explain how upsetting I find that,' parent Kat Martinez said. 'We love our teachers. I hope my kids get to go back to school real real soon."

The union also said that the school district has a budget surplus of $15 million, however despite that extra money, under the districts best proposal, the teachers would still be the worst paid out of 35 comparable districts.

The final round of negotiations lasted into early Tuesday morning. However, the union said they couldn’t reach an agreement.'

ABC 2 (KATU) - Albany teachers strike for first time in 40 years, ask for smaller class sizes, more resources

The Oregonian - Albany public schools closed as teachers go on strike

CBS 13 (KVAL) - Albany teachers strike for the first time in nearly 40 years 

Oregon Public Broadcast (OPB) - Greater Albany Schools cancels Tuesday classes as educators go on strike 

NBC 8 (KGW) - Albany teachers go on strike for first time in nearly 40 years  (separate from KVAL piece with same headline)

Albany Democrat-Herald - Albany teachers begin strike, first since 1987

The Oregonian - In Albany, a teachers strike reverberates statewide

Yachats News - Teachers in Albany hit the picket line Tuesday in strike over class sizes, pay, planning time

Fox 12 (KPTV) - Hundreds gather for rally ahead of looming Albany teacher strike

Teachers in Albany are preparing for the possibility of hitting the picket line on Tuesday. The Greater Albany Education Association (GAEA) met with the district officials from Greater Albany Public Schools (GAPS) on Saturday for a day of negotiations. Hundreds of community members gathered for a rally outside district offices to cheer them on. It was a large crowd that union president, Dana Lovejoy said should speak volumes.

“I was overcome with emotion when I stepped out. The support, it’s unbelievable,” Lovejoy said. “We felt like maybe this was just our fight, and then coming out here and being reminded of the support that we have from our community, it’s pretty powerful. It gives us a lot of strength to go back in and keep fighting this fight.” .....

Parents and students also attended the rally to show their support, including Peter Epp who has two kids in the district.

“We’re here because we want our teachers to know how trusted they are, how valued they are and we want to encourage our teachers as they ask for what they need. And we want to encourage our board and superintendent to better reflect how much we value our teachers,” Epp said.

ABC 9 (KEZI) - Albany teachers union rallies ahead of potential strike next week 

It was not just the community of Albany who is supporting the potential strike, but fellow teachers and nurses from across the state also made their way to Albany to show their solidarity. Lovejoy said their ongoing rallies show their determination and willingness to fight for change within the district.

“I think the showing of the outside -- of not just the teachers, the community in Albany, the community of Salem, and the representatives -- I think that it shows that they have an understanding that the schools and this community are important, and that they impact more than just Albany,” Lovejoy said.

CBS 4 (KPIC) - Albany teachers 'Ready to Strike' following mediation with school district 

The mediation began at 8 a.m. to which Greater Albany Education Association (GAEA) President Dana Lovejoy says they made way with just one issue: classroom size.

"We've had some conversations internally about other articles, but the only one we've met with the district on is class size... to work towards coming to an agreement," says Lovejoy. "We're working on schools that the community deserves. We are working with the youth and the youth are our future. So having the support not only from Albany, not only from the teachers, but also the community of Albany and surrounding areas means so much to us."

This is just the latest talk in an ongoing effort by teachers to reach agreements with the district.

A past attempt failing as recently as Thursday.

Teachers are asking for smaller classrooms and better resources for students with individual behavioral needs.

This strike even drawing the concern of parents who came out in support.

"I totally get it, every time I have a hard conversation with my five year-old I think 'our teachers deserve so much more' cause she's managing over 20 students and I just have the one, I have one five year old, so I get it. She's from Maple Lawn Preschool that the district closed last year and we still talk about how special our Maple Lawn teachers were,"says parent Candace Wells.

NBC 8 (KGW) - Greater Albany teachers rally before going on strike

NBC 16 (KMTR) - Albany teachers prepare for strike after talks fail

The great coverage is continuing this morning, with KVAL setting up outside of mediation for the second time, and running spots ticking down to the strike on their 9am and noon broadcasts. 

A new radio piece this morning picked up our economic messaging of Albany teacher salary being lowest among 35 comparable districts made it in, plus the district surplus - 

KXL 101: Albany teachers strike possible Tuesday

Hundreds of teachers, community members and other supporters came out to the greater Albany Education Association’s rally before the union strike deadline of November 12th. After nine months of bargaining, 92% of nearly 500 union members voted in favor of a strike.  If it happens Tuesday, it will be the first teacher strike in Albany since 1987.

Union President Dana Lovejoy has been in the district for 19 years.  She says Albany teacher’s salaries are the lowest among 35 comparable Oregon districts, affecting recruitment, retention and classroom safety.

The district says it’s disappointed about a possible strike and that it would not be able to meet the pay increases, class size limits and staff retention strategies that the union’s asking for.  The union counters, pointing to the district’s $15 million surplus.

NBC 8 (KGW): 'We Cannot Stand By': Greater Albany Public School Teachers vote to authorize first strike in nearly 40 years

Yahoo News (picked up KOIN piece nationally): Greater Albany teachers union to hold first strike authorization vote since 1987

Oregon Public Broadcasting: Albany teachers overwhelmingly approve strike authorization as negotiations continue

CBS 10 (KTVL): Albany teachers vote on first strike in decades amid safety and staffing concerns

CBS 6 (KOIN): Albany teachers vote to strike for first time since 1987, District accused of violating programs

ABC 9 (KEZI): Greater Albany teachers set to strike November 12 if demands are not met

FOX 12 (KPTV): Albany teachers' union authorizes strike as bargaining talks with district stall