Mediation 12/20

On Tuesday the PCL Bargaining Team met with City negotiators for our second mediation session. In this meeting the City finally offered the second piece of their financial proposal. They kept to a hard cap of 5% percent on COLA with a 1% raise effective January 1st, 2023 and another 1% raise effective July 1st, 2023. That is 6% less than the Across the board increase and uncapped COLA we requested for all workers on this contract. The City’s offer would amount to a pay cut compared to the real cost of living. The City’s team also made no new concessions on any of the many contract articles that remain open topics of negotiation.

In response, our bargaining team countered by restating our full original financial proposal and offering no movement from our current positions in all open articles. We also informed the City of our intent to declare an impasse. Today, Thursday the 22nd, is the first day we were legally able to declare and so we informed the State of impasse this morning. This step takes us down the path of a likely strike in early February.

Strike Preparation

Our bargaining team has strike authorization. We have declared impasse in negotiations. Now we must make sure that every single worker on the PCL contract is prepared to walk off the job when called upon. This means organizing our strike lines, signing up for picket shifts, prearranging childcare, and everything else required to make sure we are all able to stand in solidarity and demand the contract we deserve. This only works if all us, including you, gets to work preparing now. Contact a member of the Contract Action Team, PCL Bargaining Team, or LiUNA 483 staff to learn how you can help.

Despite certain rumors, every single PCL worker is legally entitled to walk off the job during a strike. Essential workers, probationary employees, everyone. As long as you work in a job class that exists under our bargaining unit you can join the picket line. It is all of our responsibility to stand and fight for the contract we deserve.

PCL in The Media

Recent events for the PCL bargaining unit have not gone unnoticed. We have recieved significant news attention from local media. Bikeportland has written their second piece on the potential impacts of a strike on the Portland bike community (PBOT Maintenance Worker Concern Deepen as Strike Looms), the North West Labor Press outlined the City’s slow pace of negotiating
(City Workers Practice Picketing as Management Continues to Stall), and KBOO’s own Labor Radio interviewed LiUNA rep James O’Laughlen about the implications of a strike (City Workers Authorize Strike).

As we get closer to a possible strike, more and more media attention will fall on us. It is our job to let the people know what we’re fighting for and why. We deserve the Wages, Safety, and Respect a good contract would provide. We shouldn’t be asked to take pay cuts after giving up millions in concessions and working through years of crisis. Strong investment in this work saves the City money long term.

These truths are self evident to us. It’s long past time City decision makers understood them too.

City of Portland PCL Bargaining