City of Portland Professional Workers Union
A union dedicated to the professional workers at the City of Portland
Did Halloween come early this month?
Were you spooked by Michael Jordan’s message yesterday connecting our current bargaining and the city’s budget next year? Did you hear the ghostly whispered threat of layoffs? In this year of relentless, ongoing change and transition, don’t let these tricks scare you.
The three unions, CPPW and our partners at AFSCME and DCTU, bargaining now for fair contracts are absolutely not to blame for the city’s finances.
September 9, Noon-1pm
Solidarity at the Table – Attend Contract Negotiations
Come to room 108 of The Portland Building
Wear blue and gold, we’ll be talking about wages & the economics of our contract!
Note: you must attend negotiations on your breaks or flex time. This is an in-person event, but if you have an ADA accommodation that prevents you from coming downtown, we can request a link for you.
September 9, All Day
High Viz Day – CPPW Solidarity around the City!
Join from work, home, in person, or virtually. Wherever you are, CPPW is! Join your coworkers in a day of visibility by wearing union colors and changing your virtual background/picture (download here).
And, Yes, we want RSVPs for Viz Day!
September 14, noon-4pm
CPPW Member Picnic
You are all invited to a family-friendly picnic at Peninsula Park!
CPPW will provide burgers and hot dogs (with vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options). Feel free to bring a non-alcoholic beverage, side, or snack to share. This event is family friendly with arts and crafts and lawn games for kids of all ages. You do not need to be a card-signed member to join us! Find us near the playground (6400 N Albina Ave, Portland, OR 97217).
RSVP to the picnic (then attend the picnic!) and you’ll be entered to win raffle prizes like Portland Thorns tickets, Portland Pickles gear, a union swag bag, and more.
RSVP for any or all of these early Strong Contract September events here.
Membership is the only thing that makes a union a Union!
By law, the City of Portland Professional Workers Union must represent and advocate all persons in our bargaining unit. However, only members in good standing receive all the benefits of the union. To become a member in good standing you must complete the form confirming your membership in the union.
Membership rights and duties include:
Most importantly, membership matters. The more people who become members, the stronger our union is and the more likely we will be to win a powerful contract with fair wages, working conditions, and strong protections for all of us.
Many of us signed cards before our May election. Those were the petition to have an election to establish the CPPW as your union, which we of course, won overwhelmingly. Those petition cards do not count as a membership card, so we are back to starting from the beginning and signing you all up as members.
Note that signing the cards will obligate one to pay dues once those are established. By becoming a member you will have input on the decision on how much those dues will be. (Currently there are no dues.)
All union members are encouraged to attend the July CPPW General Membership Meeting.
Thursday, July 27
5:30-7:30pm
The Portland Building, Room 108
Zoom link will be available –
https://
Meeting ID: 893 5194 3214
Passcode: 322438
On the agenda:
Officer Election discussion
Building the Bargaining Team
Fundraising!
Breakouts for: Stewards, Bargaining Committee, and Admin/Communications Team
The CPPW was victorious in its election to represent the over 700 professional workers of the City of Portland! The result was 306 for and 68 against. The 385 total ballots represented a 52% turnout of the 712 workers who were allowed to participate in the election under our Memorandum of Understanding with the City. Seven ballots were spoiled (no signature) and four ballots are under dispute with the City. This vote reflects 81.8% support for unionization.
“City workers came out strong to say that we want a voice at the table,” said Kari Koch, CPPW Organizing Committee President. “CPPW members hold critical jobs in the city. We keep programs running, turn raw data into meaningful policy options, balance the books, and are helping guide Portland through the charter reform transitions. Our members work hard for the City and now are organizing for the respect we deserve.”
CPPW’s victory makes it the second largest independent union in the state of Oregon after the farmworker union Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) and the ninth largest public sector independent union in the nation.
“This is a historic day for our members and for Portland,” said CPPW Organizing Committee Secretary Robert Pineda. “When budgets have tightened in the past, as they inevitably do, it’s been our members who’ve felt the sting of budget cuts, furloughs, and layoffs first. While our unionized coworkers got the regular salary increases they deserved, and their rightful seat at the table to negotiate how best to deal with budget cuts, our members were lucky if they got two percent annual performance raises and are often the first ones on the chopping block. No more.