Your Tuesday evening update on Salem news

Good evening, Salem.

Teachers are in the midst of the first strike vote in Salem-Keizer School District history.

Western University of Health Sciences Lebanon Oregon

Ballots went out to members of the Salem-Keizer Education Association on Monday, with union leaders urging teachers in a video Tuesday to authorize a strike. They said they still hoped to avoid striking, but that an authorization to do so would give them more leverage to push the district in negotiations.

The primary contract issue concerning the union remains how a full-time teacher workload is defined, an issue that became a flashpoint during the Covid pandemic. Read our previous coverage of that issue here.

Parents and students have organized a rally this evening in support of teachers outside the school district offices on Northeast Lancaster Street. Meantime, the school board is holding a closed door meeting with district officials tonight to discuss the latest in union negotiations.

Another session with a state mediator is scheduled Wednesday.

The union will have results from the strike vote by week’s end. If a strike does happen, it will be the first week of April at the earliest.

About 100 gathered for a rally to support teachers outside district offices on Tuesday (Rachel Alexander/ Salem Reporter)

Here’s some of today’s news. Catch our latest coverage on our website here.

www.salemreporter.com

Salem-Keizer will demo weapons detection systems, get feedback at Friday event

School district leaders are considering installing portable weapons detectors at Salem middle and high schools following a March 7 shooting in Bush’s Pasture Park involving multiple high school students.

www.salemreporter.com

Fans abound for stadium upgrade but critics worry about impact on Bush Park

Willamette University is planning improvements to its baseball stadium adjacent to Bush’s Pasture Park to serve a new summer baseball team. Taxpayers are putting $3 million into the project. Not…

www.salemreporter.com

While Oregon lawmakers debated campaign finance limits, Phil Knight gave $2 million to Republican PAC

Nike co-founder Phil Knight gave $2 million on Feb. 15 to the Bring Balance to Salem PAC. Such large contributions would be outlawed under a new campaign finance bill.

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Salem-Keizer will demo weapons detection systems, get feedback at Friday event

Fans abound for stadium upgrade but critics worry about impact on Bush Park

While Oregon lawmakers debated campaign finance limits, Phil Knight gave $2 million to Republican PAC

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