City of Portland Professional Workers Union

The Contract Action Team is a group of members that take action in the workplace to support bargaining.

Contract Action Team is open for members – we want at least one team member in every bureau!

What you’ll do:

• Get early information and insider scoop on bargaining issues;​
• Check in with your coworkers & let people know that you are a point of contact for the union;​
• Host in-person or virtual office hours where coworkers can stop by and ask questions, get swag, sign a card (Donut lunch or Break Room Coffee Chat or Virtual Open House to talk about particular bargaining issues). You’ll always have support from another CAT member or a bargaining team member!;​
• Help get content (pics, etc) for social media;​
• Help coordinate actions – hand out buttons, share virtual background with colleagues, ask people to take bargaining surveys.

Why this is important:

• The only way – only way! – to win a strong contract is to have an active and engaged membership. You would be a part of engaging people to stay informed and take action on issues that matter to our careers, our families, and our future.
• The Bargaining Team needs support. It’s a big job to bargain the contract, we need other folks who are in all parts of the City to help communicate about what the team is doing and give feedback on crucial contract issues.
• This is a way to participate in the union that is fun, social, and time limited. You don’t need a ton of time to be a great CAT member!

Interested?​​

Email [email protected] or [email protected] ​

How this process works in 6 simple steps

1. Team Building: Build a Bargaining Team! CPPW members elected a 9 member (+ 1 alternate) bargaining team from around the City to represent the whole membership at the table. See your bargaining team here. Then, hire a lawyer to support the bargaining team during negotiations – CPPW’s lawyer is Katelyn Oldham. Done and done!
2. Scheduling and Agreements: Set ground rules with the City and schedule bargaining meetings – this happened on January 24th.
3. Negotiations & Action: Each side exchange proposals and caucuses to negotiate at meetings – this will happen during meetings scheduled between March – July 2024. Union members are encouraged to participate in this process by attending bargaining sessions, offering testimony of your experiences, taking bargaining surveys to prioritize issues, and taking action to show the City how committed we are to winning a strong contract. The #1 way to get a strong contract is to have powerful action by the members during negotiations.
4. Assess: The initial bargaining period is legally a minimum of 150 days, after that we see where we are at and what needs to happen. If needed, both sides can agree to continue bargaining or the process can go to mediation.
5. TA: Tentative agreement is reached. The City send the tentative agreement to City Council for approval and CPPW sends it to our membership for a vote (you must be card signed member to vote!)
6. Ratification Vote: When the the majority of membership (and City Council) vote to approve the tentative agreement – our first contract is ratified!

Our contract is inspired and informed by you! Surveys sent out to the members last year and in March 2024 gathered critical info on what is important to our union members.

The people are our power, and we need your continued involvement to win this contract!

Do you want to observe this process? Email us at [email protected] to join in person during a bargaining session or submit an accommodation request to observe virtually.

Top Bargaining Priorities

Key issues that we’re fighting for at the bargaining table

1. Increased Wages: COLAs and step pay increases (these occur regularly over the length of your employment and are not merit based) are the best methods of sustaining living wages during employment with the City of Portland. We’ll be fighting for these benefits for all of our members.
2. Classifications: Members want clarity and accountability when it comes to ambiguous classifications. We’re advocating for a contract that keeps employees protected from working out of class and classifications that have clearly defined responsibilities.
3. Flexible Work Schedules: We’re fighting for a contract that allows members to work when and where is best for them and their programs! Some members are fully in person because of the nature of their jobs, some are fully remote, most are currently hybrid. We want a contract that supports flexible work schedules and locations. We are competent, trusted professional that can accomplish our goals, connect with our team, and do our work from where ever makes for sense you and your program.
4. SuccessFactors: We’re saying no to SuccessFactors tied to merit increases. Instead we’re opting for COLAs and step pay increases (#1 above), and instead using SuccessFactors as a tool for developing clear work goals and regular work check ins. We deserve feedback, check ins, and clear expectations from our managers.
5. Overtime and Management Leave: Are you working overtime? Do you want access to overtime? You should be fairly compensated and get premium pay when you work more than your assigned hours! Management Leave is an important benefit to members, so we’re focusing on a creating a similar leave banks that is equitable and accessible to all members when they meet the expectations of their roles.