A Brief History of PAT

by Virginia Ross

 1900’s-1960’s

Only Portland, Astoria, The Dalles and Baker have high schools.

Administrators form the Portland Association of Educators.

Oregon’s first teacher retirement system, Teachers’ Retirement Fund Association (TRFA), is established for teachers and administrators in Portland. (1911)

First statewide retirement law enacted. (1945)

Martha Hull, Jefferson H.S., elected NEA President (1957).

President Kennedy issues Presidential mandate allowing Federal employees to bargain collectively; leads to push across the country for public employee collective bargaining. (1963)

First Fair Dismissal Law passes by the Oregon Legislature giving due process for termination for “tenure” teachers.

Teacher Standards and Practices Commission established allowing for peer control over certification. (1965)

Teachers’ Voice in Politics established in Portland.  It is the first political action committee for educators in Oregon. (1965)

Teacher-Board Bargaining Consultation Law passed in State; one of the first collective bargaining laws in the country for teachers. (1965)

Portland Association of Educators continues to be dominated by administrators.

Portland Association of Teachers is (PAT)  incorporated as an independent local affiliate of the Oregon Education Association, succeeding the Portland Association of Educators.  The administrators are not allowed to belong to the new organization. (1966)

PAT bargains  the first comprehensive contract in the state of Oregon.  (1969)

The agreement includes a grievance procedure, non-economic items as well as a $6,400 salary base.

Two organizations compete for membership of teachers – the PAT and the Portland Federation of Teachers (PFT) which is affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
 

 1970’s

Portland teachers take the first-in-the-state strike vote.  The vote fails. (1971)  This vote divided Portland teachers even further and led to the election of the PFT as the exclusive bargaining agent.

An important levy vote is defeated and the PFT agrees to close schools for 20 days.

PAT re-elected as the bargaining agent. (1973)

Oregon wins a public employee collective bargaining law with teeth; the Fair Dismissal Law is strengthened, the TSPC gives more oversight of licensure to teacher members and teacher retirement is strengthened by 30%.

Feud continues between the PAT and the PFT with both organizations using a great deal of resources to compete for members.

PAT is subsidized substantially by OEA and NEA in order to sustain the local.

Membership is stagnant through the 70’s and early 80’s. 

Another strike vote taken in 1978.  This vote passed but the strike was averted.  Schools close again.

Citizens pass a local tax base to support the schools as a result of the school closure.

PAT has approximately 800-900 members; PFT has approximately the same; 2000 teachers do not belong to either organization.  PAT is required by law, however, to represent all of the people in the bargaining unit – PAT members, PFT members and those who do not belong to either organization.
 

1980’s

PAT bargains an agreement which includes a fair share fee, whereby all teachers, whether a member or not, will pay a fee for representation.  The vote to approve this is defeated by the bargaining unit. (1983)

PAT launches an all–out effort to boost membership so that a majority of the bargaining unit belongs.

TRFA is integrated into the Public Employee Retirement System.

PAT bargains for a fair share fee again and the membership is sufficient so that the vote sustains the agreement.
 

1990’s

Political climate changes and the State Legislature begins to attack rights and benefits of public employees.  Licensure requirements toughen; fair dismissal rights weakened; the scales are tipped in favor of management in collective bargaining.

Bargaining leads to 1 near strike as the District attacks the contract provisions.

Legislature “equalizes” school funding, resulting in a significant loss of funding in Portland.
 

2000’s

Attacks on the contract continue with 1 near strike.  Teachers donate 10 days of work to keep schools open and settle the contract.

Membership declines due to cuts in staffing.

District continues regressive bargaining tactics and their attack on the contract.