Impacts to City Services

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Find the latest information here about impacted city services during the strike that began Feb. 2, 2023.
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Feb. 5, 2023 

City of Portland and LiUNA Local 483 reach tentative agreement 

City of Portland and LiUNA Local 483 reach tentative agreement. A three-day strike is over, with the announcement of a tentative agreement between the City of Portland and LiUNA Local 483, Portland City Laborers. The agreement ensures continuity of wastewater operations, pollution testing, street maintenance and park ranger services. To read the full article, go to link provided below:   

City of Portland and LiUNA Local 483 reach tentative agreement | Portland.gov 


Feb. 5, 2023

Joint Statement from the City of Portland and LiUNA, Local 483, Portland City Laborers

The City of Portland and Portland City Laborers met Saturday, and following more than 12 hours of mediation, are very happy to announce that we’ve tentatively agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement. Effective Sunday, Feb. 5th, at 1:00 am. the LiUNA, Local 483, Portland City Laborer strike is over.

We look forward to reuniting with our colleagues and celebrating the ability to continue serving this community, together.

Joint Statement from the City of Portland and LiUNA, Local 483, Portland City Laborers | Portland.gov


Find the latest information here about impacted city services during the strike. If you have questions, call 311 or send a question by email to the City of Portland’s Customer Service information line, which is staffed Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. (excluding federal holidays).

Background information about the strike 

The City and Laborers' Local 483 - Portland City Laborers, known as PCL, have been negotiating a new contract since March 2022. PCL workers began striking on Feb. 2, 2023 at 12:01 a.m.  

Portland City Laborers represents 615 City employees primarily located within the Bureau of Environmental Services (95 members), Portland Bureau of Transportation (278 members) and Portland Parks and Recreation (224 members) and perform functions that include wastewater treatment operations, pollution testing, street maintenance, and park ranger services.   
 
Mayor Wheeler issued an Emergency Declaration to help address work stoppage and continue services to the community on January 26, 2023. 

Read past press releases:

Environmental Services - sewer and stormwater services 

Every Portland resident, visitor, and business relies on Environmental Services’ services and stormwater services every hour of every day. BES operates and maintains two wastewater treatment plants, a network of pipes, pump stations, and natural infrastructure that prevents stormwater from flooding streets and prevents sewage releases to the environment. 

What to expect  

All essential services are operating as usual at this time.  

  • Yes – you can flush your toilet, shower, and wash your clothes and dishes – all services to your home or business will continue as usual. 
  • Yes – you can drink water from the tap. Portland Water Bureau, which provides high quality drinking water to Portlanders, does not have employees involved in this strike.  
  • Yes – you can report sewage releases by calling  the City’s 24/7 maintenance dispatch hotline. Crews are ready to respond: 503-823-1700. 

What you can do 

  • Track construction activities – Environmental Services may delay some sewer and stormwater improvement projects to shift contract and staff resources during this time.  
  • Monitor this page for service updates.  

What Environmental Services is doing during this incident 

With staffing shortages, Environmental Services’ focus is to continue wastewater treatment operations and urgent repairs to prevent the possibility of sewage releases to the environment. 

The Environmental Services Bureau has activated its emergency preparedness plan and is: 

  • Mobilizing managers and supervisors to fill positions as well as securing outside contractors and operators from other jurisdictions. 
  • Activating two 12- hour shifts to ensure round-the-clock coverage for wastewater treatment with reduced staff, a change from the routine of three 8-hour shifts. 
  • Pausing preventive maintenance to shift employee and contractor duties to meet staffing challenges. 

Parks & Recreation  

Portland's parks, public places, natural areas, and recreational opportunities give life and beauty to our city. These essential assets connect people to place, self, and others. Portlanders treasure and care for this legacy, building on the past to provide for future generations. 

What to expect 

Park services are operating normally at this time. Service gaps at City park facilities are a possibility and may include:

  • There may be impacts to safety, cleanliness and operability of park grounds and facilities . Most park restrooms are closed for winter and others could be closed due to reduced staffing.  
  • Park trash collection may be delayed. 

  • Delays could occur to park grounds inspections, hazard removals, work order requests for large repairs, ballfield maintenance, and aquatic facility (pool and public fountains) maintenance. 
  • Delays may occur for Urban Forestry (UF) department permitting and regulation and tree maintenance operations, not just in the City’s parks. 
  • Emergency arborist response to tree-issues, including those caused by weather, could be affected.  
  • Impacts to general park maintenance may be seen. This could include,: mowing, raking, and trimming; watering turf, weeding lawns, shrubs, flower beds; plus Portland Parks Golf course and equipment maintenance, and groundskeeping work. 

What you can do 

  • Monitor this page for service updates. 
  • Call 311 if you have any questions.

What Portland Parks & Recreation is doing during this incident 

Portland Parks & Recreation is prioritizing the most urgent needs across the parks system, reassigning non-PCL staff and supervisors as needed.  Priority work includes park security, emergency maintenance, trash removal, pool maintenance, and permitting efforts. The Bureau will call on qualified, experienced contractors to address critical tree-related emergencies.

Transportation  

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is a community partner in shaping a livable city. We plan, build, manage and maintain an effective and safe transportation system that provides people and businesses access and mobility. We keep Portland moving. 

What to expect 

The following PBOT services will be prioritized, but the public may experience longer than normal response times: ensuring roads are closed in the event of landslides, downed trees, debris or other road hazards and clearing the hazards; replacement of stop signs, traffic signals and other damaged critical infrastructure; snow and ice response; response to street flooding; response to sewer spills; repairs to potholes, prioritizing busy streets; repairs to broken parking meters.  

The following PBOT services are currently on hold: citywide street sweeping and cleaning; routine sign maintenance; repairs to bike lane delineators; refreshing pavement markings such as bike lane symbols; new and replacement parking signs; graffiti abatement on city-owned signs and structures; pavement maintenance that requires a repair below the surface; gravel street service; proactive sewer/stormwater cleaning, lining, inspections, and repairs; downtown transit mall sidewalk flushing; roadside brush cutting, greenspace mowing and median/island vegetation management.   

After the strike has concluded, the public can expect longer than normal response times for an unknown length of time as we work through the service requests that came in during the strike.  

What you can do 

  • Monitor this page for updates. 
  • To report a road hazard, call PBOT Maintenance Operations Dispatch, still available 24/7 for emergencies at 503-823-1700, or by email at pdxroads@portlandoregon.gov to make a service request. See guidance above for what to expect for response time. 
  • To report an encounter with a malfunctioning parking meter: 
    • Download the Parking Kitty app and use the 5-digit number on the sign at the parking meter to pay. Learn more and download the app at parkingkitty.com 
    • Or, find a nearby meter that is operational. Be sure to note your license plate # to input into the meter to pay. 
    • Or, if those are not accessible options or nearby meters are inoperable: Call the customer service # on the meter (503-278-5410) for help.

What PBOT is doing during this incident 

With staffing shortages, PBOT will prioritize response to snow, ice and flood emergencies and replacement of critical infrastructure such as stop signs, as needed. See above for more detail. 

Contact 311 with Questions 

Here's how to reach the City of Portland’s Customer Service information line:

  • By Email: 311@portlandoregon.gov 
  • By Phone: 311 or 503-823-4000
    • Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (excluding federal holidays)
    • Translation services available 
  • For access to Oregon Relay Service: 711 

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