Portland parents file $100M lawsuit against teachers union for losses during strike

PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — A group of Portland Public Schools parents have filed a lawsuit seeking $100 million against the Portland Association of Teachers (PAT) and the Oregon Education Association (OEA), alleging their historic 2023 strike caused negative emotional and educational impacts on students as well as financial losses and work disruptions for parents.

"The Nov. 1 to Nov. 26, 2023, strike resulted in nearly a month of closed classrooms and missed extracurricular activities. Shutting down schools causes learning loss, cuts students off from activities such as sports and music, distances them from friends and peers, and induces anxiety and emotional distress. Parents are forced to pay for childcare out of pocket, take leave or skip shifts at work, and deal with abrupt changes and confusion. This lawsuit seeks compensation for the families who endured that disruption because of this illegal strike," the attorneys of the families stated in the announcement.

READ MORE: KATU reports on the historic 2023 Portland teachers strike from start to finish

“Study after study demonstrates the harmful and long-lasting negative effects teacher strikes have on students,” attorney Daniel Suhr claimed in the same release. “The PAT’s illegal strike especially hurt already vulnerable families from low-income households and children with learning disabilities. These families have a right to an uninterrupted education focused on student achievement and development, not union politics.”

The lawsuit claims that the strike was illegal, and that PAT violated Oregon law by "making bargaining demands on a number of topics specifically excluded by law from the mandatory bargaining process."

Attorneys claim that the strike would have been much shorter if the bargaining only included mandatory subjects, lessening the impact on students and parents. The filing also alleges that much of what the strike sought, a 'paradigm shift,' is meant to be resolved by elected officials and not "closed-door union bargaining."

The attorneys say that the lawsuit is seeking damages for families impacted by education, time, and financial loss, as well as anxiety and confusion. The complaint also seeks to cancel the new contract passed by the unions and school district, saying it was "only entered unto under duress."

The four involved plaintiff families are asking to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation, their attorneys say.

The first step in this case is a complaint and investigation by the State of Oregon Employment Relations Board (ERB), a state agency charged with administering the state’s collective bargaining statutes. After the board, the parties may appeal the case to Oregon’s courts.

KATU has reached out to the PAT and OEA for comment.