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Substitute teachers in 4J are in formal bargaining with the district for the first time. The union formed in the late 1970s and is one of three substitute teacher unions in Oregon.
Substitute teachers in Eugene School District 4J are in negotiations for a new contract and have been for nearly a year.
The Eugene Association of Substitute Teachers and 4J started bargaining April 29, 2025 and will have their first mediation session April 13. The substitute teachers union filed for mediation at the last bargaining session, Feb. 11.
Since the union formed in the late 1970s, bargaining sessions have been informal, with small teams meeting in closed sessions. However, this year’s bargaining has been more formal, with larger teams, public access to negotiating sessions and increased member participation.
Substitute teachers say they are seeking a pay raise, a better sick-time policy, the right to just-cause disciplinary procedures, paid administrative leave and better access to student behavioral, educational and health plans. Beaverton and Portland Public Schools substitutes, the only other substitutes in the state that are unionized, have successfully bargained to include some of these proposals in recent contracts.
Union members have been opposed to the district’s pay proposals, saying they are unfairly low.
Although bargaining sessions have been open, the union and the school district made no agreement to publicize meetings or post proposals online. Lookout Eugene-Springfield has made a public records request for the proposals.
“In the interest of obtaining a fair and sustainable agreement, we are hopeful that the parties can continue to make progress together,” said Kelly McIver, 4J communications director in a statement March 27.
The Eugene Association of Substitute Teachers, also known as EAST, is a branch of the Eugene Education Association, as well as 4J and Bethel’s licensed employees union. It has about 300 members. McIver said 365 substitutes are on the district’s list.
Steve Mayberry, a 4J substitute and EAST bargaining team member, said the union originally formed in response to substitutes being penalized for refusing to cross the picket line during teachers’ strikes.
Mayberry is a former special education teacher and case manager of 30 years. He’s passionate about substitutes having better access to student’s Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and other behavioral, educational and health-related plans, especially with the increase over the years in students with these plans.
He said despite the fact that teachers are supposed to provide these plans to subs, he has access to them only 20 to 30% of the time, which he doesn’t blame on teachers. Student plans change regularly, which means many teachers read them on the district-wide online system that substitutes don’t have access to. While Mayberry acknowledges the need to keep student information secure, he said it’s important to find a way for substitutes to have consistent access to the plans.
“That needs to be something that is pursued and maintained by the administrator or available to us readily as substitute teachers,” he said. ”For the sake of the student, for the safety of that student and the students in that classroom.”