PFSP members SHOWED OUT for our bargaining session yesterday! Nearly 50 members packed the room to observe sessions with management — we had so many observers we needed to change rooms! PFSP took decisive action around our ground rules, and then continued to present additional articles around PROFESSIONAL EMPOWERMENT, focusing on Clarity in Job Duties and increases to our Leaves.


PFSP Proposals


GROUND RULES


After management’s continued denial of our longstanding and demonstrable practice of paid release time for all our bargaining team and recorded sessions – we declined to bargain ground rules with the district and rescinded all proposals on the subject. We will continue to invite members to our bargaining meetings, whether that is via zoom during the work day or in person in the afternoons.



PERSONNEL FILE, JOB DUTIES AND ORIENTATION


On the bargaining survey, we heard that many people have felt a nagging sensation of “workload creep” or that every year their job responsibilities expand a little bit more. Many also expressed that their supervisor didn’t understand the contract or their job. Our proposals addressed this in the following ways:


  • Supervisors have to review the job descriptions with members when they are hired or placed in a new site;
  • Provides members faster access to their Position Guide, and created a process for members to request a review if their Position Guide lists more tasks than can be completed;
  • Ensures that additional duties, such as bus riders, are both voluntary and offered in order of seniority;
  • Proposes a robust mandatory in person orientation; 
  • Ensures members have access to basic materials, including computers, paper, and access to private space for confidential meetings;
  • Allows verbal warnings and letters of expectation to be removed from the employees personnel file after a period of time without additional incidents;
  • Ensures that there is only one District personnel file, and that principals and admin are not keeping files that employees to not have the right to inspect. 


LEAVES


On our bargaining survey, when asked about quality of life, overwhelmingly members wrote in to say that parity in leave accrual was a priority for them this bargaining cycle. When we prepared for our meeting with PPS, we: 


  • Created “definition” section that included an expanded definition of family based on language from Paid Leave Oregon and Portland’s Ordinance 2026-073;
  • Proposed parity with PAT, with increases to Family Leave, Personal/Emergency Leave, and Bereavement Leave;
  • Proposed new paid categories such as Immigration and Citizenship Leave, Education Related State Agency Leave, and Acute Injury Response Leave, and expanded current Professional Development leave to include all PFSP members; and 
  • Proposed a process for PFPS members to take yearlong leaves of absence to address personal business. 


Management Proposals

Management did not present any new articles, but they passed us responses on our two proposals from last session.


BREAKS AND LUNCHES

They agreed to having breaks and lunches at the midpoint of the shift, but they want to change it so that if you are working more than an eight hour shift you need to work ten hours before you are eligible for a third break, rather than just nine hours.


EMPLOYEE EVALUATIONS AND EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE 

The District agreed that employee evaluations and performance improvement plans should be non-disciplinary. They accepted some changes to protect probationary employees from being discharged without just cause, but did not want to agree to use the full progressive disciplinary process. 


Our next bargaining session will begin at 9am on April 2nd at the PEC. If you are on site, come stop by on a break, otherwise, please RSVP for the Zoom link.