More than 1,000 Portland city employees prepared to strike next month

One of Portland’s largest unions representing city employees has voted to go on strike.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 189, or AFSCME, represents more than 1,000 workers across nearly every city department. The union has been in contract negotiations with the city for months over wage increases and overtime pay.

The city says it has little money to spend as it faces a massive budget deficit.

On Tuesday, nearly 90% of all AFSCME members voted to authorize a strike. That gives union leaders the ability to call a strike at any time. The union must give the city notice of strike 10 days in advance.

The city said it’s still hammering out a plan to make sure city services aren’t disrupted if the union does call for a strike.

The city and AFSCME members are meeting again to discuss the contract disagreements Wednesday night.

Another public union may beat them to the picket line. The District Council of Trade Unions, which represents about 200 city employees, gave the city a strike notice earlier this week. That union’s members could walk off the job as soon as Feb. 6.

This is only the latest labor conflict between the city and its employees. In February 2023, more than 600 city workers with Laborers’ Local 483 walked off the job for three days after contract negotiations broke down over wages. And in 2022, the city reached a last-minute contract agreement with DCTU just days before its members planned to strike.