PAT Bargaining FAQs and Feedback

The Portland Association of Teachers (PAT) represents licensed educators in Portland Public Schools, including teachers, counselors, school psychologists, and other instructional staff.

Collective bargaining is the process in which Portland Public Schools (PPS) and employee unions negotiate agreements related to wages, benefits, and working conditions.

PPS and PAT negotiate contracts on a regular basis to ensure agreements reflect current needs, priorities, and available resources. At times, additional bargaining may occur to address specific issues through Memorandum of Agreement (MOAs) or Letters of Agreement (LOAs).

While proposals may change throughout the process, bargaining discussions commonly include compensation, benefits, staffing, workload, student supports, and working conditions.

No. Agreements are not final until both PPS and PAT reach a tentative agreement. The agreement must then be ratified by union members and approved by the PPS Board of Education.

PPS provides periodic updates on the bargaining webpage. These updates are intended to share general progress while maintaining the integrity of the negotiation process.

In most cases, bargaining does not directly affect day-to-day school operations. Schools continue to operate as normal while negotiations are underway.

Any potential changes would depend on agreements reached through bargaining as well as district-level decisions. If changes occur that affect students, families will be notified.

If bargaining results in changes that impact students or school operations, PPS will communicate directly with families.

A tentative agreement is first reviewed and voted on by union members. It is then presented to the PPS Board of Education for approval before becoming part of the official contract.

Yes. PPS welcomes questions from families and community members. Submitted questions may help inform future updates or be reflected in this FAQ. Please see the form at the bottom of this webpage.

The PPS Bargaining webpage is the primary source for official updates, including summaries, timelines, and agreements.

The current PAT labor agreement and related MOAs and LOAs are available our PAT Employee Labor Relations page.

In addition to the main contract, agreements may include Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs), Letters of Agreement (LOAs), and other topic-specific agreements.