Bargaining Priorities

Top bargaining priorities.

Our contract is inspired and informed by you!

CPPW sent out surveys in September 2023 and March 2024, hosted bargaining info sessions with members, discussed issues at membership meetings, took straw polls, and hosted open contract work sessions to 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 – an Earned Leave option.

Interim Dues are Happening!

After months of City feet dragging and City technology issues, interim dues is launching! This is a huge step forward in building our union – thank you for your patience and your commitment to winning a strong contract!

Interim dues will be automatically deducted from your March 21st, 2024 paycheck and will continue to be deducted from each paycheck until a contract is ratified.  (Note:  This applies to those who have signed a membership card and have authorized dues to be deducted.  Membership gives benefits like voting rights, etc.  We encourage all eligible City employees to become members to have the full rights and privileges of CPPW membership.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we pay dues?

Dues are a crucial part of having a strong union – they allow us to pay for needed expenses, maintain an infrastructure, get the trainings we need to fight at the contract table, and have the resources to exercise our power. Most importantly, dues paying membership demonstrates to the City that CPPW members support the union effort and are ready to back up that support with action!

What are CPPW dues right now (aka, Interim Dues)?

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.

How to I figure out my Interim Dues cost?

Base hourly wage (no overtime and before taxes or any pay enhancements) x .005

For example, if you make $50 an hour
$50x.005=0.25
Or 25 cents an hour
.25×80 hours a pay check = $20 in dues per pay check

What will dues be once we have a contract? 

Great question – check out this website page of all things dues!

How can I contribute to my union through dues? 

Sign your union card now! Signing your union card is a commitment to pay dues and allow automatic dues deduction on your paycheck.

What if I need to stop paying dues? 

You may need to stop contributing because of a financial crisis or some other reason, we understand! You must submit your request for a hardship exception or a request to revoke your membership card in writing to [email protected] 10 days before pay day so that both CPPW and the City can fully process your request. (That’s the Monday before timesheets are due).

All About Dues

Update (3/15/2024) – Great News! The City has finished processing our demand for interim dues and dues will begin being deducted from member’s paychecks on 3/21/2024.

____________________

A Message from Your Union Treasurer 

Dues graphic.

Hello Union Siblings! 

Dues are a crucial part of having a strong union – they allow us to pay for needed expenses, maintain an infrastructure, get the trainings we need to fight at the contract table, and have the resources to exercise our power. Most importantly, dues allow us all to contribute to building this union together.  

Dues also generate a lot of questions! Let’s take a minute and dig into dues together.   

What are CPPW dues right now? 

In early December, 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. 

Why aren’t dues being taken out of my paycheck? 

In late December, CPPW alerted the City that they should begin a dues paycheck deduction from all signed members in good standing as of 1/4/2024. Unfortunately, key City administrators say they need additional information from us in order to start the process. At the same time, those City administrators have not shown up to the scheduled meetings where we are supposed to be answering their questions. It is our legal right to fund our organization with interim dues from paycheck deductions. We will continue to press on this matter and will escalate as necessary to get this process going. 

If the City is not taking any dues now, will there be any retroactive dues? 

No. The CPPW membership will not be penalized for the City’s failure to deduct dues in a timely fashion.  

Why do we need interim dues? 

Traditional dues are implemented as part of a final contract with an employer. In the meantime, interim dues are essential to CPPW’s success in bargaining. Interim dues will pay for legal fees, administrative costs, printing, communications, technology, training fees, and more. A dues paying membership also demonstrates to the City that CPPW’s people support the union effort and are ready to back up that support with action! 

What will dues be once we have a contract? 

CPPW has designed a Progressive Dues structure which makes dues both affordable and equitable. This dues structure was codified in the Constitution and Bylaws, specifically Bylaw 2.  

What are progressive dues?  

Progressive Dues are a more fair and equitable dues structure where every person’s base, pre-tax wages are divided into brackets which correspond to a specific dues percentage. If, for example, a member made $50,000 or less annually their dues would be 0%, the next bracket ($50,000-$75,000) pays 1.45% on that $25,000 and so on. 

To put progressive dues in context: 

  • Average CPPW Wage is $102,500 – dues at this wage would amount to .93% (less than 1% of your base wages) 
  • Highest CPPW wage is $163,321 – dues at this wage would amount to 1.75% 

How does this compare to other Unions? 

  • AFSCME 189’s dues are a flat rate of 1.77% for all members. 
  • ProTec 17’s dues are a flat rate of .85% for all members. 

How can I find out what my dues will be within the Progressive Dues structure? 

CPPW has created a table to illustrate the dues percentage which corresponds to each income bracket. There’s a lot of great information in the table, this is what you’ll be looking at: 

  • Column 1: Annual Salary 
  • Column 2: Hourly Rate 
  • Column 3: Corresponding Dues Percentage 
  • Column 4: Amount of Dues Per Pay Period 
  • Column 5: Total Amount of Dues Per Year  

CLICK HERE to view the Progressive Dues wage table where you can look up your dues amount. 

If you have questions please do not hesitate to reach out to treasurer Chris Gustafson at: [email protected] 

Election 2023: Candidates

We are about to elect our first Board of Directors and a Bargaining Team! The Election Committee (Stephen Conlow, Katie Robb, Anna Shook, Connor Anderson and Kimberly Cambell-Groen) will be supervising the election.

The Board consists of nine members, six named officers and three at-large members. The Bargaining Team has room for 12 members. The candidates for each office are listed below with links to their candidate bios (if one was provided).

The follwing link goes to the Schedule and Rules of the election. There will be a candidate forum at Noon, January 9 and ballots will be e-mailed out at 1:00 p.m. following the forum. The forums are open to all represented employees but only members in good standing may vote.

Ballots are due by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 18, just before the (remote) Monthly General Meeting at 5:30. Event information including the video conference links will be available through the CPPW Calendar.

Candidates

Links in the candidates’ names opens their bio in a new browser tab.

President:
Kari Koch, Coordinator II, BDS (Build Strong Slate)
Jeff Winkler, Analyst III, OMF Facilities

Vice-President:
David James, Coordinator I, Parks (Build Strong Slate)

Secretary:
Jessica Irvine, Coordinator I, PPB (Build Strong Slate)

Treasurer:
Christopher Gustafson, Financial Analyst III, Housing (Build Strong Slate)

Chief Steward:
Kevin Block, Coordinator II, BPS (Build Strong Slate)

Chief Organizer:
Annette Wood, Administrative Specialist II, Water (Build Strong Slate)

At-Large Members: (Three positions, one must be based in The Portland Building)
Lee Dudley, Analyst III, OMF-BTS (Build Strong Slate)*
Grace Fenton, Analyst II, BDS
Jay Richmond, Coordinator II, BPS (Build Strong Slate)

*Works in The Portland Building

Bargaining Team: (Twelve Positions, can be a board member or any other member in good standing.)
Ashly Hoffman, Analyst II, PBOT
Jamey Duhamel, Analyst III, OMF-CAO
Annette Wood,  Administrative Specialist II, Water
Jay Richmond, Coordinator II, BPS
Kristin Johnson, Financial Analyst III, OMF-CAO
Anna DiBenedetto, Administrative Specialist III, OMF-CAO
Kari Koch, Coordinator II, BDS
Kimberléa Ruffu, Coordinator II, Parks