FILE - The Portland Building in Portland, Ore., on June 29, 2024. Portland’s professional workers union raises concerns as looming budget cuts and stalled contract talks threaten hundreds of city jobs.
Anna Lueck / OPB
One of Mayor Keith Wilson’s top priorities as the head of Portland’s newly configured government is to create a more efficient, streamlined bureaucratic machine — and maybe save money in the process.
To former businessman Wilson, along with interim City Administrator Michael Jordan, this can be achieved by grouping some city programs under one roof, instead of having them scattered across over 20 city bureaus. For example, each bureau has its own public information officer, equity team and staff that oversee contracts and technology.
This restructuring all but promises budget cuts and layoffs.
In a letter sent to city employees Wednesday, Jordan warned of 20% budget cuts coming to city programs that involve communication, technology, equity, procurement, community engagement, human resources and budget writing.
“While our focus is service delivery, our financial reality requires us to reduce spending,” wrote Jordan. “Meeting this target could include a mix of reductions in staff, contracts and other spending.”
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If this leads to layoffs, Jordan wrote, they wouldn’t take place until September.
The city would not clarify how much money this 20% represents, or how many jobs could be on the chopping block.
What is clear, however, is that any impacts will largely be felt by one city union.
The City of Portland Professional Workers Union represents nearly 800 city staff in six of the seven service areas identified by Jordan for cuts (human resources staff are not represented by a union). From financial analysts to communications staff, CPPW members feel their jobs are being disproportionately targeted.
“Morale is in the gutter, people don’t feel seen or valued by the city administration,” said Kari Koch, CPPW president. ”We see the city moving really fast to restructure and slash jobs. It does feel a little like what’s going on at the federal level. And the timing makes it worse.”
The city did not immediately respond to OPB’s request for comment.
CPPW has been bargaining with the city for nearly a year on its first contract. Bargaining turned into mediation late last year, a step taken when neither side can reach an agreement.
While the two parties have been meeting, Koch says the conversations have been slow — especially in talks around layoff protections, which dictate which employees would be selected for layoffs first in the event of large budget cuts and what benefits they can receive.
This process has been intensified by swiftly approaching budget cuts. Wilson is expected to detail layoffs and other program cuts in his proposed budget in two weeks.
Koch said her members struggle to believe that the pace of negotiations and looming budget decisions are unrelated.
“What we know to be true is that the longer they deny us layoff protections, the easier it is to lay us off without consequence,” Koch said. “It is to the city’s advantage to delay this contract as long as possible to not deal with protections.”
CPPW met with the city on Thursday for another mediation session. Koch said she is encouraged by the progress made, but still worried about the ticking clock.
“I am still concerned about not getting a contract before layoffs,” Koch said. “That is one of our key goals right now.”
The cuts to these specific services aren’t the only layoff threats. In a document recommending ways to slim the city budget, which is facing a $93 million shortfall, Jordan suggested cutting about 275 jobs. CPPW has joined other city labor unions to raise concerns about how these cuts will impact all their members, and made suggestions on other ways to balance the budget
Time will tell whether or not Wilson will heed Jordan’s suggestion. Wilson plans to release his proposed budget on May 5. The City Council will be asked to approve the final budget in June.
