City Workers Could Walk Out November 9
Mediation is set for November 8, and the city says it will keep essential services running and notify the public of any impacts.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Unions
Live Poll
Should Portland give city workers bigger raises despite tight budgets?
More than 800 City of Portland Professional Workers Union members, across every bureau and office, are set to walk out on November 9, 2026, after 93% of members voted in favor of a strike. Mediation between the city and the union is scheduled for Sunday, November 8.
Why it matters
The dispute centers on compensation after nearly a year of stalled contract talks over pay and job stability. For Portlanders, the question is whether essential city services keep running and how the cost of the next contract gets settled.
The city's proposal includes a 3% cost-of-living increase retroactive to July 2026, an added 1% to 4% in July 2027, and another $1,000 one-time bonus, against a current contract with a 2.4% increase. The city estimates its total contract cost under its proposal at $15 million, while the union's proposal would reach $25.6 million by the city's count.
The players
City of Portland Professional Workers Union
The union represents more than 800 city workers across every bureau and office and voted 93% in favor of a strike.
City of Portland
The city is the employer in the dispute, has 17 bargaining units, and has offered a 3% retroactive cost-of-living increase and bonus.
The details
The City of Portland Professional Workers Union represents more than 800 workers and plans to strike on November 9, 2026. The city says it will maintain essential services for residents if members walk out and will notify the public if a strike affects them. Negotiations focus on reopening parts of the contract, including additional cost-of-living increases and bonuses through the end of 2027.
Timeline
July 2026: The city's proposed retroactive 3% cost-of-living increase would begin.
November 8, 2026: Mediation between the city and the union is scheduled for Sunday.
November 9, 2026: The union plans to strike.
December 2027: The city's proposed spending estimate runs through this date.
Beyond the Bridges
The dispute reopens the current contract that runs through 2027 and totals $5.9 million, which set a 2.4% cost-of-living increase and a one-time $1,000 bonus. The city's proposal and the union's proposal would each push added spending on that base past the original terms.
Residents who rely on city services should expect possible disruption if members walk out on November 9, and the city says it will notify the public of any impacts. The outcome determines whether pay increases and bonuses through 2027 are added to the current contract.
The takeaway
Keep an eye on the November 8 mediation session, since it is the last scheduled step before the planned November 9 walkout. Watch for city notices on service impacts if the strike goes ahead.
What happens next
Mediation between the city and the union is scheduled for Sunday, November 8, 2026, and the union plans to strike on November 9, 2026.
Further reading
For background on how labor contracts and bargaining work across the region, see the Unions section.
Live Poll
Should Portland give city workers bigger raises despite tight budgets?
