By Don McIntosh
Seven Portland Police Bureau internal affairs investigators joined AFSCME Local 189 on Jan. 25 a vanguard that could swell to several hundred city employees in the months ahead.
An effort to win a union among non-represented City of Portland employees erupted last year when workers began to organize themselves, but their legal path to official union recognition was paved by an earlier battle. City attorneys and HR managers, trying to oppose an effort by three analysts in the Portland Housing Bureau to unionize, ended up opening the door to unionizing non-represented workers across the city.
At the City of Portland, most employees are already union-represented, members of one of 11 separate unions. But at least 942 city employees are not represented. Not all of those have the right to unionize under state law. Some are considered managers because they have the power to hire, fire, and discipline other workers. Others like administrative assistants for top bureau man
By Don McIntosh
A remarkable coalition is converging around what might seem like a surprising cause: Saving the jobs of building inspectors and construction plan examiners at the City of Portland’s Bureau of Development Services (BDS). About 98% of BDS revenue comes from building permit fees, and those are down sharply since the pandemic began, prompting the bureau to plan for layoffs. As you might expect, unions representing the workers are appealing to Portland City Council to avert layoffs. But they’re being joined by building trades unions, construction contractor associations, developers, realtors, minority contractor groups, even the Portland Business Alliance.
Rob Martineau
On Dec. 1, affiliated unions elected AFSCME Local 189 president Rob Martineau as DCTU president; IBEW Local 48 business representative Jenna Bazner as vice president; and Machinists District Lodge W24 organizer Will Lukens as secretary-treasurer. DCTU also named as trustees Painters District Council 5 member Jack Johnson; Operating Engineers Local 701 member Chris Montgomery; and UA Local 290 member Nichet Newsome.
Martineau, Bazner and Lukens say they want to chart a new course for DCTU, breaking down walls and building solidarity across unions and bureaus. They also want to make DCTU processes more transparent and open the coalition up to direct involvement by rank-and-file members of affiliated unions.