James Cook – Page 3 – City of Portland Professional Workers Union

On May 22nd, 2025 CPPW reached a Tentative Agreement on a union contract with the City of Portland.

Next steps: vote YES to ratify our first contract! Read this letter from the bargaining committee to find out why.

Read the the final contract text (pdf / word) and summary of key items

Sign your union card if you haven’t already – you have until June 3 at 8:00pm to sign your card if you want to vote to ratify the contract.

Vote to ratify! You will receive a ballot via email on June 4 at 9:00am. You have until June 9 at 4:00pm to vote.

CPPW Contract Timeline & Process: how we ratify our first contract.

1. Tentative Agreement
Tentative Agreement (TA) was reached on Thursday, May 22. This means that the CPPW Bargaining Team and City Bargaining Team came to agreement on all open articles in the contract.
2. Review & Discuss
The City will prepare the final version of the contract. We expect the final version to be available to members on May 30. Info sessions will be held to learn about what the contract includes.
3. Ratification Vote
All card-signed members vote to accept or reject the contract. The vote will be held June 4-9. You must sign your union card by June 3 at 8:00pm to be eligible to vote. A simple majority is needed to ratify.
4. City Council Approval
Once CPPW membership votes in favor of the contract, City Council must also vote to accept it. This will happen on June 18 (though articles in the contract will take effect at different dates).
5. Final Agreement
After CPPW membership and City Council vote to ratify the contract, the tentative agreement becomes the official collective bargaining agreement. The contract term is from ratification to December 31, 2027.

We deserve a contract that provides –

• Clear and Consistent Compensation – A real path for wage and career growth.

• Respect and Protections – Stability at work, layoff protections, and fair treatment for all members.

• Flexibility – Flexible work locations and scheduling to allow workers to meet the needs of our programs and communities.

• A Voice at the Table – Spaces where we can be a part of decisions that affect our work, careers, livelihoods, and workplaces.

All bargaining updates can be found here.

CPPW Strike Pledge Petition

The City of Portland Professional Workers union (CPPW) has been bargaining in good faith for a strong contract since March 2023. We are fighting for:

Clear and consistent compensation – Guaranteed wage increases, bringing all starting wages to a living wage, paid on-call and stand-by time, and hour-for-hour working out-of-class compensation.

Workplace protections – Enforceable layoff protections and anti-layoff provisions that prevent us from being first in line to plug budget holes.

Flexibility – Clear policies that ensure we aren’t subject to arbitrary management decisions about how and when we work.

A real voice in decision-making – Ensuring our input is not just heard, but acted on.

Throughout bargaining and mediation, we have recognized the City’s financial situation and adjusted our proposals accordingly—seeking a reasonable agreement in line with other City unions. Yet the City has stalled and clung to unreasonable positions, maintaining status quo or worse on the issues that matter most to us.

To secure our contract, we must demonstrate our unity. It is time to demand that the City settle this contract now!

This pledge is a show of power that moves us closer to settling a strong contract at the table. It is not a vote to authorize a strike, but a commitment to stand together should we be forced to take action.

All members of our bargaining unit may sign, whether or not you have signed your union card yet.