Classified employees, including paraprofessionals and office staff, have been negotiating a new contract with the district since May.
The dispute centers on wages, with the union arguing current pay does not keep pace with living costs, while district leaders cite budget uncertainty.
Lisa Danskin, a special education paraprofessional and union president for the Klamath Falls Association of Classified Employees, said a quarter of classified employees in the district rely on state assistance, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, while many also work multiple jobs.
"Some of our high school students make more than we do at the jobs that they do at night after they leave school. That's not okay," she said. "If we can't take care of ourselves first, how are we to take care of our students?"
Danskin said some classified employees currently earn less than $16 an hour. The union is asking the district to raise wages by $4 an hour.
The school district declined to comment.
In the most recent budget, Superintendent Keith Brown said the district must "contend with significant financial headwinds."
"Economic conditions remain uncertain, and we must prepare for potential fluctuations in funding and costs," he wrote.
The budget message continued that labor negotiations are "essential to fairly compensate our dedicated staff" but come with "unknown financial implications that we have accounted for within a range of budget scenarios."
According to a union press release, the district has offered a $1.50-an-hour pay increase.
Danskin said they’ve been negotiating since May, and Tuesday's meeting marked the thirteenth session.
"We've got some excellent non-economic language put into our contract," she said, but wages remain unresolved.
Meanwhile, Danskin said other school district employee groups have already received wage increases. For example, the Klamath Falls Education Association, which represents more than 200 teachers, recently received a 5% cost-of-living adjustment.
Enrique Farrera, president of the Oregon Education Association, attended Tuesday’s press conference in Klamath Falls. “As a classified educator myself: We know that classified educators have been systemically devalued by school districts in this state for decades," he said in a press release.
"Our union will no longer accept poverty wages for educators in our state," Farerra said.
Another negotiation session is planned for Dec. 22. The union said it's prepared to begin mediation if it can't reach an agreement with the district.
