Bargaining Wages and Building Power

Wage Proposal

Detailed economic study and long deliberations have finally brought forth our Bargaining Team’s Proposal on Wages. These include an 8% increase for everyone under the contract, targeted market adjustments, additional wage steps for some, new job titles, and an uncapped Cost of Living adjustment for every year of the contract. Thank you to everyone who helped with the wage research.

The City will argue that they cannot afford this proposal. We strongly disagree. The City of Portland’s annual budget has grown by more than $1.8 Billion Dollars since our last contract. New revenues have been created. Perhaps most importantly, City Resources have been wasted. Money thown away on golden parachutes for management and unneeded contractors is obviously better spent on essential workers. It’s better for us, it’s better for the City, and it is a smarter use of taxpayer money. More money for Union workers is a good investment for the City of Portland.

Bargaining Update

Wages aren’t the only thing we’ve talked about in negotiations. Over twenty proposals have been exchanged in the last two weeks. Some non-economic highlights are stronger seniority protections, secure parking for all employees, better safety language, and a say in schedules for Wastewater workers. All these proposals have been uploaded to our PCL Bargaining page. Summary discussions are held at every meeting of the Contract Action Team (CAT). Join up to learn more.

Jobsite Practice Picket

This week’s CAT meeting was the best attended yet. Workers from across the contract came up with an idea. We are asking all Union Workers to hold information pickets at every job site across the City on Wednesday, September 23rd. This show of solidarity would fall the day after our first mediation session. It’s one way for us to show management and ourselves that we are ready to fight for the best contract any of us have ever seen. Information Pickets, AKA Practice Pickets, are a way for us to stretch our strike muscles and show union strength during bargaining. Labor actions like Info Pickets are essential in strengthening our position at the bargaining table. All we ask is that you wear your Union Swag on September 23rd and join your coworkers for 15–30 minutes at the end of the day at the entrance to your job site. Talk about the contract, practice some chanting, make some signs, and take lots of pictures. More information will be coming soon.

Bargaining Update: Priorities, Mediation, and Worker Wednesdays

LiUNA Workers at City Hall

What We're Fighting For
As we enter the next phase of contract negotiations, our priorities are clear. At the top of our list is protecting our Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) because if our wages don't keep pace with rising costs, we're taking a pay cut. But we're not stopping there. We want financial accountability from the City that prioritizes spending on essential work instead of management pet projects, outside contractors, and unnecessary City expenditures. If the City has money for billionaire handouts, they sure have money for their frontline workers. Beyond pay, we're pushing for more protection for our rights in the workplace. This includes fair overtime opportunities, more control over schedules, clear pathways for upgrade or promotion, real penalties for management violations, and fair treatment for all workers under the contract. Our guiding principles are simple: the wages you need, stronger rights on the job, and a contract that holds management accountable. That's what we fight for every time we sit down with the City.

Bargaining Schedule
Our next bargaining session with the City is this Wednesday, August 19th, followed by another on Thursday, August 27th. Then, on September 22nd, we'll sit down for our first state mediation session. Mediation is a critical tool to push management toward a deal and a necessary legal step on the path to a possible strike. All proposals that come from bargaining will be updated on our PCL Bargaining Page. We strongly encourage you to visit that page, where we've already posted proposals to date, including articles on overtime, premiums, schedules, and layoffs. More is coming from these upcoming sessions, including our overall wage proposal, built directly from comparables provided by you, our frontline workers. These meetings are where we negotiate a deal, but the deal we get depends on you and the pressure we all put on the City. Stay informed, stay engaged, because what happens at the table depends on it.

Worker Wednesdays
A huge thank you to everyone who participated in our Union T-shirt day last Wednesday. Our presence downtown and throughout the City was felt by management. Now we want to keep that pressure going. Every Wednesday from now until we have a contract will be Worker Wednesday. We're asking all employees to wear union gear shirts, pins, hats, or anything that shows our colors on the job. Visible Union pride isn't just for morale, it's leverage. When management sees a workforce that moves as one, they take our demands more seriously at the table. If you need a shirt or any other union wearables, reach out to your stewards or staff today. Let's make every Wednesday a show of strength until we win the contract we deserve.

Union Workers Lunch Rally at City Hall

Solidarity Shirts and Bargaining Schedule

Union T-Shirt Day

Wednesday, August 12th

This Wednesday, August 12th, we're asking all LiUNA members to wear their Union shirts to work. At 12:30 p.m., anyone who is able should join us for a rally in front of City Hall. Showing up together in Union Gear is an easy way for us to show the City that every worker stands behind strong Union Contracts that hold management accountable and protect our COLA. When we gather in force, our message is undeniable. So show up in your shirts and take lots of pictures!

Need swag? Reach out to your Steward or CAT member.

July 28th Bargaining Summary

Our July 28th bargaining session focused on Parks finances with particular emphasis on the Levy funding model. This is the money voters approved specifically for frontline Parks workers, and it's our job to ensure those funds are spent directly on the workers who keep our parks running.

Our team proposed streamlining the contract by eliminating outdated language in the back of the book that is no longer relevant to our workers. We also proposed stronger protections for temporary workers and held the line on a six-month probation period, consistent with what other City workers receive. This remains a key priority as we work to ensure fair and equitable treatment across all classifications.

Bargaining Schedule

The City's lead negotiator has recently been away from work due to a family matter. To accommodate their absence without compromising our progress, we have agreed with the City to adjust our negotiating schedule. We will now hold two meetings during the final two weeks of August on the 19th and the 27th. This adjusted timeline should set us up well to have all proposals on the table prior to mediation, keeping us on track for a strong contract.

Stay tuned for further updates, and remember to wear your union gear this Wednesday, August 12th!

Bargaining Schedule and Next Steps

July 14th Bargaining Update

On Tuesday, July 14, union representatives and City officials met at the Columbia Wastewater Treatment Plant for the latest round of contract bargaining. Discussions focused on three priority areas: the financial implications of our current union contract, a union proposal to make the overtime fairer, and measures to limit the City’s use of outside contractors for our members’ work. Additionally the City proposed consolidating existing BES Letters of Agreement into a single, combined addendum that would alter workgroups and expand managerial control over work schedules. While we are all for simplifying the contract, our Bargaining team has no interest handing more control to management over our day to day lives.

To review these and all other proposals passed to date please visit our PCL Bargaining Webpage. Sincere thanks to the BES employees that joined bargaining as observers.

Our next scheduled bargaining session is Tuesday July 28th.

Mediation

On Saturday, our Bargaining Team took the step of formally applying for mediation services from the Oregon Employment Relations Board (ERB). A mediator is a neutral state employee with ERB who will join our negotiations with the City to push both sides move toward a mutually acceptable agreement.

For us, Mediation serves two essential functions. It increases pressure on the City to engage in good-faith bargaining and is a required legal step to preserve our right to strike if unreasonable City positions force us to take that action.

For a detailed overview of the mediation process and its place within our negotiations, we encourage you to visit the Oregon State overview of public-sector bargaining.

Wage Data Last Chance

Many Union members have already shared financial info around their job classes to support wage increases. If you have job postings, contractor costs, or any other information that supports a pay increase for your job class please share that data now. Every data point strengthens our case. Submit this infomation by email to james@liuna483.org

The Deadline to send this information is JULY 24th. Contact your rep today!

Fight the Wage you Deserve and Enjoy a Nice Picket

COLA Under Attack

For generations, Cost of Living Adjustments have protected City of Portland workers from inflation. Now, management claims they can’t afford COLA, but only for union employees in contract negotiations. According to the City Administrator’s citywide email, our coworkers and supervisors will still get their COLA today. We won’t get an inflation adjustment this payday, and if City Leadership gets their way we’ll never get one again.

They won’t get their way.

Our bargaining team will fight for COLA with backpay for all our members. Management’s move to end COLA is taking dollars out of our pockets to pay for their multi-million dollar mistakes. It doesn’t make financial sense. It doesn’t make moral sense. We won't accept it.

Talk to newer coworkers about Joining the Union. Get involved in our Contract Action Team. Join us at our next Union membership meeting Tuesday July 21st, at 5:30 p.m. in person or over zoom. The fight for our future is now.

Share Your Wage Data

We're building our pay demands on member needs, real City finances, and hard data. A lot of that data our team has already collected comparing wages from similar jobs in similar cities. That said, we want to hear from you.

Many Union members have already shared financial info around their job classes to support wage increases. If you have job postings, contractor costs, or anything that supports an increase you think your group should get, please share that now. Every data point strengthens our case. Submit this infomation by email to james@liuna483.org

The Deadline for this information to impact our Union’s wage proposal is July 24th. Reach out now.

Union Picnic, Sunday July 12th Noon

Join us Sunday at noon for our annual Union picnic at the Columbia Park Pavilion. Food, fun, raffle prizes and a chance to connect with members and families.

We'll also talk bargaining strategy and how we get the best contract possible. So come out to build power while we barbeque. All active members and families welcome.

Columbia Park Picnic
4503 N Lombard St, Portland, OR 97203
Sunday July 12th
Noon-3 p.m.

Get Involved in Bargaining

Bargaining Team Roadshow Next Thursday!

Our Bargaining Team is hitting the road next week to meet you face-to-face at three major work sites. Stop by, grab a bite, and get the latest updates on negotiations

Thursday, June 25th:

• Tabor Yard – Coffee & Donuts, 6:00 - 8:00 AM

• Columbia Blvd Wastewater Treatment Plant– BBQ, 10 am - Noon

• Afternoon Refreshments @ PBOT Kirby Yard - Refreshments 1:30 – 5:00 PM

Don’t miss this chance to ask questions and make your issues heard.

CAT IS LIVE AND GROWING

Our Contract Action Team (CAT) has launched with great turnout – but we still need more members to secure the strongest deal possible. CAT members work directly with the Bargaining team to craft our message at the table and build our power in the workplace.

Check the CAT Map to find your Contract action team rep. Don’t see one for your group Sign up HERE join.

Active members = better contract. Get involved toady.