Deal ratified: Albany teachers strike is over

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- After three weeks, the teachers strike is over in the Greater Albany Public School District.

Officials said the deal was ratified by the teachers and then by the school board, ending the second-longest teachers strike in Oregon history at 8:26 p.m.

Both students and teachers will be back in the classroom on Tuesday, officials said. However, Tuesday "will be a two-hour late start in order to get teachers into buildings and prepared to welcome students back into schools."

District officials also said "transportation services will NOT be provided to the: Periwinkle Child Development Center, Clover Ridge Early Intervention, Riverside Head Start, Growing Learners YMCA, and Kidco Young Roots. This is standard procedure any time GAPS has a 2-Hour Delay."

Details of the agreed-to contract were not immediately available.

But the Greater Albany Education Association released a statement that said "the agreement includes landmark improvements to support levels for students with learning differences, pathways to recruit new teachers and retain talented educators long term, urgently needed new school safety protections, and smaller classroom sizes for kindergarten students."

The union included a link to the "full contents" of the agreement.

Latest twist in the negotiations

This was the latest twist in the weeks-long strike.

A tentative deal was announced Sunday afternoon, but hours later fell apart.

Negotiations continued Monday and another deal was struck. That went to ratification votes by the teachers and then to the school board.

According to the Greater Albany Education Association (the teachers union), the deal with Greater Albany Public Schools fell apart at 3 a.m. Monday after being unable to reach an agreement on standard return-to-work terms.

Both parties said they want kids back in class, but the sticking point was how those days lost will be made up.

The district outlined its proposal to add 7.5 makeup days that were previously listed as non-student contact days to make up for the time lost. Under Oregon law, the agreement is separate from the contract, and does not require negotiation.

Meanwhile, the union said they want all 12 class days missed to be made up — nearly double what the district is proposing.

KOIN 6 News will have more information as it develops.