Select City Of Portland Workers Take A Strike Vote Starting Today

PORTLAND, Ore—The city that works could come to a grinding halt. Workers belonging to the District Council Of Trade Unions could authorize a strike as soon as today.

An impasse in negotiations was declared just before Christmas.  Talks have been going on for a year with no resolution. The union says the city is not budging on wages for workers who fix streets, do home inspections, perform a variety of jobs for the water bureau as examples.

Saturday afternoon city workers and members of a number of unions rallied outside city hall .  DCTU says, ” The city’s last and final offer includes cost of living wage increases that would not even keep up with inflation. Despite $221 million in CARES funding and a $62 million dollar budget surplus, the city refuses to meet the economic needs of employees to ensure they can continue to live and play in the city they serve.”