Local
Portland City Workers to Strike Monday Over Stalled Contract Talks
About 800 Portland municipal workers represented by the City of Portland Professional Workers Union will strike Monday after months of stalled contract negotiations over pay, equitable raises, and job stability. The city says it has offered $9 million in increases, while the union disputes the city's characterization of its proposal.
About 800 Portland municipal workers are set to walk off the job Monday after months of contract negotiations between the city and one of its public employee unions reached an impasse.
The City of Portland Professional Workers Union, which represents financial analysts, administrative staff and other office workers across city agencies, said the breakdown stems from demands for better pay, equitable wage increases and job stability.
"Our members have showed up for this city through everything it has asked of them â through Covid, through financial crises, and the charter transition," union president Kari Koch said. "They are not asking for anything more than a fair contract and parity with our union siblings."
According to figures released by the city, Portland has offered the union about $9 million in wage and benefit increases above scheduled annual cost-of-living adjustments through December 2027. The union has proposed about $19.8 million in new wages and benefits, according to city officials, though Koch has said the city's financial analysis is flawed and that the union's proposal is much closer to the city's final offer.
Annual salaries for union members currently range between $62,000 and $173,000, according to city figures.
"The city remains committed to reaching a fair agreement with CPPW that recognizes employees' contributions while balancing the city's financial realities and responsibility to taxpayers," city spokesperson Alison Perkins said.
The strike is scheduled to begin Nov. 9, 2026. The union has not announced how long it plans to remain on strike.
The labor action comes as Portland continues to implement a voter-approved overhaul of its city government, a transition that has reshaped operations across multiple bureaus. Union leaders say workers have absorbed significant changes while continuing to deliver core services.
City officials have not said how the strike might affect day-to-day services, though the affected workers are largely in administrative and analytical roles rather than front-line public safety positions.
Negotiations between the two sides have been ongoing for months without a resolution. It was not immediately clear whether further talks were scheduled before Monday.