Oregon’s largest higher education institution is under unprecedented pressure, as two of its largest unions authorized possible strikes this week. The Federation of Faculty and Academic Professionals and the Federation of Classified Employees voted by identical margins — 94% — to authorize what would be their first strikes in the history of Portland Community College.
Oregon's largest postsecondary institution, Portland Community College has multiple campuses, including the Southeast Portland location on SE 82nd Ave.
Bryan M. Vance / OPB
The faculty and classified unions have been in contract negotiations with administrators for more than 10 months. The two unions represent a combined 2,300 faculty members and classified workers at PCC.
As OPB previously reported, the unions are negotiating over economics in the final two years of separate four-year contracts. The strike could start as soon as March 10.
The classified union, PCCFCE, is seeking a 3% increase for the third year and then a 3.5% increase in the final year of its contract. The faculty union, PCCFFAP, is aiming for a 4.25% bump for year three of its contract and then a 4.5% increase in the last year.
PCC officials responded with a statement to OPB noting it was offering a “structure increase” of 0.35% to 0.5%. They noted that when that bump is combined with annual salary “step” increases, compensation would increase up to 4%.
The college defends its offer pointing to “growing uncertainty around federal funding” and mounting budget cuts from the state. PCC says it’s facing $18 million cuts in the current budget cycle, on top of $11.3 million it has already cut. College officials say they’re bracing for another $21 million in cuts in the 2027-29 biennium.
Union leaders, though, say the college is making its own questionable spending choices. They say PCC has increased the budget for the college president’s office by $17 million and “allocating large sums to non-student-facing special projects and contingency funds.”
College officials say they plan to “continue engaging our union partners” and note there are two mediation sessions before the strike date and one on March 10, when the two unions could take to picket lines.
Tiffany Camhi contributed to this story.
