Union Accuses Portland, Oregon Managers of Interfering with Strike Vote

A union representing some 1,200 city of Portland employees has accused city mangers of interfering with the current union-wide vote, which will determine whether or not the city employees go on strike.

The District Council of Trade Unions (DCTU) is a conglomeration of several unions representing city staff, including AFSCME Local 189, IBEW Local 48, Plumbers Local 290, Painters and Allied Trades District Council 5, Machinists District Lodge 24, Auto Mechanics District Lodge 24, and Operating Engineers Local 701. In December, DCTU declared an impasse in contract negotiations after the city refused to budge on the union's requests for equitable cost of living wage increases. In hopes of moving the negotiations forward, DCTU threatened a strike earlier this month. Union members began voting on whether or not to hold a strike last week, and the results of that vote are expected to be announced after Wednesday.

DCTU's members work in nearly all city departments, and their absence would cause disruption in critical city functions. The city has continued to meet with the DCTU's bargaining team during the vote in hopes of coming to an agreement before the strike is approved—but no progress has been announced yet. Instead, DCTU has accused city managers of illegally interfering with the vote.

In a press release sent Tuesday morning, DCTU President Rob Martineau said that city managers were misleading their workers by telling employees represented by DCTU that they aren't part of the union, by denying vacation request prior to the vote, and by conducting staff polls about how members plan on voting.

Read more: https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2022/01/18/37991476/union-accuses-city-managers-of-interfering-with-strike-vote