Portland Pay Dispute: 800 City Workers Walk Out
Union members begin a strike after Sunday mediation fails to resolve an 11 month contract standoff.
By Takeshi Faure ·
Eight hundred Portland city employees are scheduled to leave their posts at midnight on Monday, Nov. 9. The walkout follows a failed mediation session on Sunday between the City of Portland and the City of Portland Professional Workers union, known as CPPW. The dispute centers on an updated labor contract that has remained unresolved for 11 months.
The union is seeking a total contract cost increase of $9.3 million over two fiscal years. That figure represents a 7 percent rise in overall costs. City officials countered with a proposal that includes a 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment retroactive to July 1, 2026. The city offer also includes a $1,000 bonus and a projected 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment for July 2027. City officials noted that union members already received a pay increase in 2025, and their current offer builds on that prior gain.
Kari Koch, president of CPPW, described the negotiations as stagnant for months. She stated that the union felt it was hitting a brick wall with the city negotiating team. Koch said that no open articles in the contract reached a tentative agreement before the mediation ended. She characterized the strike as a tool of last resort that the union is using to secure respect from the employer.
The CPPW represents approximately 800 of the city’s 7,500 total workers. The union is one of 17 bargaining units within the city government. Staff members walking out include financial analysts, wastewater treatment workers, and emergency communication employees. Koch emphasized that these workers provide essential support to police, fire, and 911 emergency responders. She warned that critical delays in emergency response are an outcome the union wants to avoid at all costs.
A city spokesperson sent an email on Sunday afternoon stating that the city is prepared to maintain essential services during the strike. The spokesperson noted that CPPW constitutes a small fraction of the total workforce. The city issued a formal statement confirming that no agreement was reached at mediation. It stated that plans are in place to maintain critical public safety, infrastructure, and other services that residents rely on.
Koch expressed disappointment that the city continued to bargain in what she described as bad faith. She cited the city’s formula for calculating the cost of the union’s offer as a primary example of the dispute. Koch said the city’s calculation includes about 100 vacant positions despite a hiring freeze. She also noted that the city publicly shared data comparing CPPW member salaries to those in other cities. Koch said the union disputes that data and pointed out that the city never presented those comparisons at the bargaining table during the previous 11 months.
The next mediation session has not been confirmed as of Sunday evening. The city stated it remains committed to reaching an agreement with CPPW. Officials said they will continue working toward a resolution that is fair to employees, sustainable for the city, and responsible to taxpayers. Koch said the union members are down on the ground coordinating emergency response and fixing problems when things break.
The strike begins just after midnight on Monday, Nov. 9. The city expects to maintain operations for critical public safety and infrastructure services. The union said it is acting to protect the interests of its members who support emergency responders and maintain city infrastructure. The 800 affected employees represent a mix of administrative, technical, and support roles across various city departments.
