Yesterday many of our members attended the No Kings Day rally in Portland, where we were met with an outpouring of community support. Solidarity Officer Zeinab Saab spoke at the No Kings Labor Rally alongside Governor Kotek and labor leaders from across the state – you can watch her remarks here. Members wearing FFAP swag were recognized and approached by others expressing solidarity with our position. The energy and visibility of our membership at today’s rally is a reminder of the broad support behind us as we work toward a fair contract.
Yesterday also marked significant movement in bargaining. Two proposals were exchanged in each direction, and by end of day there was evidence that the political pressure and sustained action of our members may have at long last broken the log jam. The tone and substance of today’s negotiations felt meaningfully different.
Management’s opening proposal of the day contained familiar elements on COLA and healthcare. While we appreciated the continued engagement, it did not yet reflect restorative pay. In response, we submitted a counter that addressed our key priorities: compensation, PT pay ratio, pay for advanced degrees, and restorative pay. We also accepted management’s insurance cap proposal, recognizing that these caps affect more than just FFAP and that a fair deal requires good faith on both sides.
Management’s second proposal showed real and welcome movement. There was meaningful progress on pay for PT faculty, as well as inclusion of the PT pay ratio increase and advanced degree pay. We want to acknowledge this shift — it reflects what sustained pressure and principled bargaining can accomplish.
Our ask at this time is simple: we expect to be paid for the work we do. Before the strike, faculty and APs put in significant effort to prepare and minimize harm to students. When we return, there will be real and substantial work waiting for us. APs need to catch up on projects, faculty need to recover lost instructional time and make students whole as well. We are not asking for anything beyond fair compensation for that work — the work done before, and the work that lies ahead. That is a reasonable standard, one any employer should be able to stand behind, and we have been consistent and clear with management that any agreement must reflect it.
At 9 PM we passed back what would be the final proposal for the day that addressed compensation on those terms. We delivered it directly to management with a clear message: we want to be back in our classrooms and offices as early as Monday. We are close. But we need management to come back today with a proposal that gets us there.
Management caucused for approximately an hour before closing out the evening. We are cautiously hopeful and expect to hear back through the mediator this afternoon. We will update members as soon as there is news to share.