FAQ
Strike Pledge – 2025 Economic Reopener
PCCFCE 2025 Bargaining Tracker
Question: How can I help?
Answer: SIGN THE STRIKE PLEDGE! After signing the pledge, talk to your coworkers about signing the pledge. Also, plan to observe an upcoming bargaining session:
- Tuesday, 9/30/25, 1pm-3pm, CLIMB Center
- Pre-session (12:30pm-1pm) and Bargaining (1pm-3pm) Zoom Observation
- Monday, 10/13/25, 2pm-3pm, CLIMB Center
- Pre-session (1:30pm-2pm) and Bargaining (1pm-3pm) Zoom Observation
- Tuesday, 10/28/25, 9am-11am, CLIMB Center
- Pre-session (8:30am-9am) and Bargaining (9am-11am) Zoom Observation
Question: Why is our union asking us to sign a strike pledge?
Answer: The administration has been engaging in a pattern of delay tactics and excuse making instead of engaging in good-faith bargaining. Our union is about to reach 150 days bargaining. Stalled bargaining means stalled COLAs to keep up with inflation, stalled step restructures, and stalled increases to our health insurance caps while we face higher premiums.
We are tired of waiting for the administration to step up and do their job at the bargaining table, and we need the administration to take classified members seriously. We are asking all classified employees to sign a pledge to strike, in order to show that we are serious about getting fair wages and benefits.
Question: What is a strike pledge, and how is it different from a strike vote?
Answer: The pledge shows that we are unified and determined to get the economic package we deserve. A strike authorization vote is a step that can be taken for dues paying members to officially give the OK to our bargaining team to call for a strike if it comes to that. The strike vote is an important step that is taken if negotiations come to a full impasse, and the pledge is a demonstration that we need a great agreement now.
Question: Does someone have to be a dues-paying union member to sign the strike pledge?
Answer: No, any classified employee is encouraged to sign the pledge. However, the administration does know how many classified employees are dues-paying members, and they make decisions in part based on that analysis. Any nonmembers who sign the pledge should become a member https://pccfce.org as a next step, and to show management how strong the support is for a fair contract. Dues-paying members can vote to authorize a strike and ratify the final tentative agreement. Classified employees who want a voice in our union's decision-making should pay dues.
Question: Does this mean we are going on strike? Am I committing to go on strike?
Answer: Not necessarily. The pledge is used to measure the “temperature” of our co-workers, and to demonstrate to the administration how serious the need for fair wages and benefits is. If the administration and our union come to an agreement, there will be no need for a strike.
In Oregon, there is a process that legally must be followed to go on strike. First, 150 days of bargaining must occur (the 150 days will be up on October 10), then a state mediator must be brought in for at least 15 days (if requested the wait for a mediator is typically a month or more), then an “impasse” must be declared, after which a final offer is made within 7 days, then a 30 day cooling off period must occur, and finally we may strike after a 10 day notice.
Question: Where is our sibling union, FFAP, in the bargaining process?
Answer: FFAP began bargaining after our union and has had fewer bargaining sessions with the administration than us. You can get updates on their bargaining process on the FFAP website: https://pccffap.org/bargaining/
Question: Where can I get more information about striking?
Answer: Our union will be holding a number of events to answer questions and discuss what going on strike might look like, how to prepare for a strike, and how we can avoid a strike by demanding the administration act now. Keep an eye out for more communications from the Contract Action Team.
Question: What does compensation look like if we go on strike?
Answer: While we are still far away from a strike our union is currently taking steps in conjunction with AFT-Oregon to plan and address financial impact. The specifics of how a strike might affect compensation are very dependent on the circumstances at the time. A hardship fund and strike fund are part of this planning, and getting involved today is vital to ensure our union is prepared for a strike.
Coming into law on January 1, 2026 is Oregon SB 916 by which eligible striking workers can access Unemployment Insurance for 10 weeks after a two-week waiting period.
In any case, a strike can mean short-term financial hardship and it’s prudent to begin thinking about saving a personal contingency fund to help yourself and your family weather a strike. It’s also important to remember what a member shared recently: “I would rather worry about hardship for 30 days of a strike than for the next 30 years of an underpaid career.”
Question: How do we avoid a strike and win a fair contract?
Answer: We demonstrate to the administration that we are ready to strike through attending actions, observing bargaining, getting involved with the union, becoming a member if you are not one, and signing the pledge. The administration must take us seriously and agree to a fair economic package so we are not pushed past the brink and forced to strike.
Question: Why would we be threatening to strike when the contract says we cannot strike?
Answer: The “term of the agreement” in Article 25.1 of the Classified Contract is a period of time (4 years in our contract, 2023-2027) during which strike activity is prohibited. However, there is one exception to that (under Oregon Law - PECBA) and that is for any time there is mutual agreement for opening the contract - as there is for this economic opener we are currently negotiating.