Portland public schools will be closed Wednesday as teaches go on strike

Public schools in Portland, Oregon, will be closed Wednesday as teachers go on strike with no agreement reached between their union and the school district on a new contract.

“It’s official: We are on strike to ensure the district meets our demands so that every Portland student can attend a great public school,” the Portland Association of Teachers said in a Facebook post Tuesday.

Portland Public Schools – one of the largest school districts in the Pacific Northwest – has more than 49,000 students across its 81 schools, according to the district’s website. The union represents more than 4,000 certified educators in the district, according to its Facebook page.

The work stoppage comes as thousands of workers across the country have gone on strike in recent months, from Hollywood writers to nurses, factory workers and autoworkers.