FAQ

Now that we have won our election we are officially recognized as a union by the State of Oregon and entitled to bargain for a contract with the city. The next step is building a strong union that can win our members the contract they deserve. This step includes two processes that happen at the same time.

First is our card-signing drive. Signing a union card is the number one way that you can show support for our union and help ensure that we win a strong contract. The more cards we have signed when we go into bargaining, the better contract we are likely to get. Additionally, signing a card means you agree to let the union automatically collect dues from your paycheck. These dues help us as a union perform critical tasks as we prepare for bargaining. If you would like to know more about paying dues. Please see the “What do I need to know about union dues?” FAQ below.

The second process is preparation for negotiating our first contract. This work is being performed by the Bargaining Team, but all members are welcome and encouraged to participate. Please share your ideas in the Bargaining Committee Discord Channel. Learn how to join the CPPW Discord on the Using the CPPW Discord page. This is the best way to engage with how our contract will treat topics such as hiring, firing, wages, PTO, management leave, bumping, scheduling, etc.

A labor union is a group of workers who join together to take concerted action to improve employment and working conditions. This concerted action is legally protected and includes, talking and communicating with coworkers, workplace organizing, collective bargaining for a contract, and political action.

In Oregon, the applicable law governing public-sector unions is the Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act (ORS 243.650 – 243.806), commonly known as PECBA. PECBA is administered by the State of Oregon’s Employee Relations Board (ERB).

The City of Portland Professional Workers Union (CPPW) is an independent union that represents the following classifications:

Administrative Specialists I-III, Analysts I-III, Coordinators I-III, Financial Analysts I-III, Hearing Officers, Multimedia Specialists & Technology Business Representatives.

Yes! Please talk to your coworkers! Unionizing is a protected activity under Oregon law and any form of employer retaliation is against the law. You can talk about unionizing at work in casual conversation just like you can talk about your vacation plans, a Blazer game, or politics. You are allowed to have pro-union signs, buttons, and virtual swag (such as a Teams photo). Significant unionizing activities in the workplace should be limited to your own time (breaks, lunches, and after work hours) and done using your own resources and equipment.

Over time, it is highly likely that your wages will go up. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that union workers earn significantly more than their non-union counterparts. 

No. We are in the pre-contract stage with the City. State guidelines include a ‘status quo clause’ during this time, during which the City cannot make any changes to our established practices of hours, wages, and working conditions until a contract is finalized. Together we will determine what we want to negotiate regarding flexibility for work schedules and location.

Management Leave is a City policy (HRAR 8.03) that grants up to 80 hours additional paid leave per calendar year to non-reps “who are not eligible for overtime compensation” with the intent to “recognize exceptional additional individual efforts, performance and achievements, including but not limited to beyond the standard workweek”.

During the status quo pre-contract period, you will not lose any existing or earned management leave.

Management leave is great! If you get it. Currently, it is a benefit that only a small percentage of non-represented workers receive in full. Moreover, the allocation of management leave is entirely at the discretion of supervisors and bureau directors. This means that it is not equitably allocated and the ability to earn it shifts from one supervisor to another. This is not a fair method of receiving benefits. As we saw during the pandemic, your management leave, merit increase, cost of living adjustment, and other benefits can be cut, capped, or eliminated at any time.

Management leave is a benefit that we can negotiate around as a union. We can negotiate for equitable management leave, other ‘bonus’ practices, or even overtime in our contract if this is a priority for the membership.

Part of joining a union is paying a membership fee to support the functioning of the organization. For unions, these are called dues. Dues are an investment in your union organization. This money pays to cover administrative costs, materials, and legal fees. Dues help us to build a strong organization, win strong contracts, and support members when needs arise.

Each member will be asked to sign a union card allowing CPPW to automatically deduct dues directly from their paycheck.

Dues are set by a vote of union members. We as a union can determine what amount is right for us. In early December 2023, with a vote of 91% in favor, the CPPW membership voted to institute flat interim dues of 0.5% of gross monthly salary as a temporary measure to raise money to fight for our first contract. 

Right now CPPW is an independent union. That means the workers came together and organized ourselves into our own union to meet our own needs. 

The great thing about being an independent union means that the members are 100% in control of the union. We get to fight for our priorities, our contract, and our working conditions. 

The challenge of being independent is that we don’t have the deep pockets, staff support, or existing infrastructure of an established union. 

We as a CPPW have to decide it we have the capacity and desire to stay independent or if we want to combine forces with an established union. This is a conversation that the Executive Board is currently leading and exploring with our fellow City unions and will be a part of membership meeting discussions in the Spring/Summer 2024.