Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler issued an emergency declaration Thursday as hundreds of members of a city labor union prepare to strike next week.
Employees represented by the Laborers’ Local 483 are set to strike starting February 2 at midnight. The group of workers includes people who repair roads, treat wastewater, and clean and manage parks, among other things.
The union says these workers showed up to work through the pandemic and delayed negotiations to help the city. They now say they want the city to invest in the work they do.
The city says it has been negotiating a new contract for nearly 10 months. The cost of the most recent proposal is more than $39 million for a four-year agreement.
On Thursday, Mayor Wheeler declared the State of Emergency to help lessen the impact to city bureaus and residents while Local 483 workers are on strike.
Under the emergency order, the city can hire contractors or vendors to help fill those roles, reassign city employees, and partner with other groups or agencies. It also allows the city to pass the costs accrued during the emergency order to each bureau, or to the city’s emergency fund.
In a previous statement, the city said they "will not retaliate against any PCL employees who choose to go on strike."
The order will be in place for two weeks unless extended or called off early, the city said.