6/08 Bargaining Update

Bargaining Team Site Visits: On Tuesday, our bargaining team toured across the city meeting members in the field to discuss bargaining strategy and the contract issues most important to them. From Mt. Tabor to the East Portland Maintenance Shop, Denorval Unthank Park to Albina Yard (and many job sites in between), the team met with approximately 100 people working under the PCL contract.These workers ranged from newly-minted members who signed a card that day, to decades-long veterans of Laborers 483.

The one consistent theme in our many conversations was a passion from workers to stand up to the city for the contract they deserve. Meeting with Local 483 members has reinforced the bargaining team’s commitment to better wages, safer working conditions, and fairer treatment for our workforce. We plan on many more site visits to get every person in the PCL contract working together toward this goal.

PCL Bargaining Webpage: Monday was the go-live of version 1.0 of the PCL bargaining page on Local 483’s website. This page includes articles the bargaining team has proposed to the city, the legal timeline for our negotiations with the city, a catalog of weekly updates, and more. Currently the page is only available by direct link, but soon those links will be loaded on the union’s homepage. Please take a moment to click the link below, explore the site and provide feedback on what information and features you would like to see in the future.

https://www.laborers483.org/city-of-portland-pcl

Union Office: Laborers 483: liuna483@liuna483.org 503-239-5676
Lead Negotiator: Kim Gates: Kim@liuna483.org 503-239-5676

Parks Bargaining Reps
Kilion Haas: kilionrhaas@gmail.com (503) 960-2976
Matt Smith: smithpraska@gmail.com (971) 701-1080 

PBOT Bargaining Reps
Randy King: meneking@gmail.com (503) 998-8387
Joshua LaPierre: JJL3396@GMAIL.COM (503) 548-3092

 BES Bargaining Reps
Eric Chamberlain: edc806@gmail.com (360) 513-6566
Steve DeLong:  jts00@hotmail.com  (217) 415-4762

Contract Action Team Lead
James O’Laughlen: james@liuna483.org (503) 208- 5699

6/02 Bargaining Update

Bargaining to Date: The Bargaining Team has drawn a line in the sand on inflation. Every voting member of the team will refuse to support any deal that does not commit to a full inflation adjustment for 2021 retro to July 1st, 2022. PCL is committed to getting actual raises for our members. Not nominal raises that are undercut by inflation.

Union Membership: Some folks have been contacted recently with prompts to opt out of the union. It’s no coincidence that this has happened while PCL is in the middle of bargaining a contract. Study after study has shown what we all know to be true: workers are stronger when we stand together. Every member paying dues and working on this contract campaign adds to the bargaining team’s power at the table. Give yourself a raise by taking it from the boss.

Prepare for the Fight: Every PCL member working through the pandemic has earned a No Concession Contract. Now is the time to stand together in solidarity and strength to be rewarded with the contract that we have earned! The Bargaining Team is building a contract that reflects the needs of our membership, but we need you to help win it. Get involved. Come talk to the bargaining team. Join the Contract Action Team. Prepare for the fight!

Bargaining Team Site Visits
Tuesday, June 7th, 2022

On Tuesday, June 7th, the PCL Bargaining Team will be touring the city to speak with members about this contract campaign!

6am - 8am Mt. Tabor Yard 6437 SE Division St., Portland
8:30am - 10:30am East Portland Parks Maintenance Yard 5669 SE 136th Ave., Portland
11am - 1pm Denorval Unthank Park 510 N Shaver St., Portland

After 11am, half of the bargaining team will go mobile to visit work groups across the city. If you want the team to visit your worksite, contact CAT Lead James O’Laughlen at james@liuna483.org or 503-208-5699 to schedule a mobile meetup.

Biscuits & gravy and snacks will be provided at the morning meetups. Pizza will be available at Unthank Park. All Union members are welcome to attend. The PCL Bargaining Team would love to see you and hear from you directly.

In solidarity,
the PCL Bargaining Team

Union Office: Laborers 483: liuna483@liuna483.org 503-239-5676
Lead Negotiator: Kim Gates: Kim@liuna483.org 503-239-5676

Parks Bargaining Reps
Kilion Haas: kilionrhaas@gmail.com (503) 960-2976
Matt Smith: smithpraska@gmail.com (971) 701-1080 

PBOT Bargaining Reps
Randy King: meneking@gmail.com (503) 998-8387
Joshua LaPierre: JJL3396@GMAIL.COM (503) 548-3092

 BES Bargaining Reps
Eric Chamberlain: edc806@gmail.com (360) 513-6566
Steve DeLong:  jts00@hotmail.com  (217) 415-4762

Contract Action Team Lead
James O’Laughlen: james@liuna483.org (503) 208- 5699

05/23 Bargaining Update

After multiple negotiation sessions laboring without, we finally have ground rules for our ongoing bargaining with city management. These guidelines are attached below for your review. Additionally, the city put forward their first counterproposal. They countered our changes to article #22-Safety and Sanitation with a total reversion to original contract language (minus some grammatical edits). Based on CAT member feedback, the PCL bargaining team decided to wait for more input from members before putting forward any additional proposals. This Tuesday is the PCL Bargaining Team's Caucus Day. We expect to work on the following articles for proposals that will go to the city on May 31st.

9. Overtime
14. Layoff/Recall
17. Health and Insurance
16. Vacation (Ready but not finalized)
28. Recoupment of Overpayment/Underpayment

If you, or any members you know, have ideas about these articles please let us know. Many have already reached out to the CAT Lead James O'Laughlen with ideas that have already been forwarded to the bargaining team. As ever, feel free to contact any Bargaining Team members directly.

Call to Action

Here are the ways you can help strengthen our contract fight this week!

CAT Recruitment: While over 40 members have committed to the Contract Action Team some more people to fill out our roster would be a big help in connecting all 590 workers on the PCL contract. Ask your most passionate fellow union members and let us know when they're ready to join the CAT. We are also looking for Bureau specific CAT Leads for BES, Parks, and PBOT. These Bureau Leads will help the team navigate Bureau specific needs and dynamics. Please contact me at jamesolaughlen@gmail.com or (503) 208-5699 if interested.

PUMA Worksite Visit: There is a Local 483 worksite visit scheduled for 7 am Wednesday the 25th at the Swan Island CSO Pumpstation. I, along with many other fine union folk, will be in attendance. I am happy to talk to anyone present who has some interest in the PCL contract.

Workplace Mapping: We have made significant progress mapping PCL work groups. BES is fully mapped, but Parks and PBOT still have some work to do. If you haven't yet, please email me the following:

CAT Member Name and Job Title:
Bureau:
Work Location:
PCL Members I'm Responsible for Keeping Up on The Contract(Names and Job Titles):

Contract Actions: Now is the time to meet with fellow members in your work areas and talk about contract action ideas. This could be anything from a day the entire work group wears union swag to a march on the boss’s office. Anything that shows our solidarity and builds confidence for the future actions members will need to take. Please reach out to the bargaining team or union staff for any help you need in this area.

Speak Before the City Council: The window to speak with city council about the annual budget is still open. You can schedule an opportunity to speak before the council on a topic of your choosing at https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/2d5f1a480213435b8f29d78eee5b4994. If you'd rather write something than speak in public,written testimony can be submitted to the commissioners at cctestimony@portlandoregon.gov. Sharing our stories of sacrifice and hardship working as essential employees for the city of Portland is one of the best ways to get the real decision makers on our side.