Posts tagged Portland Community College
Editorial: Striking PCC faculty should drop push for back pay and let classes begin
March 31, 2026 // Cushing’s insistence that the college make faculty “whole” seems to be a misunderstanding of what it means to go on strike and to accept the risk that comes with it. Demanding that the college provide back pay — which PCC estimates would cost roughly $5 million so far for the union’s 1,600 members — would be fiscally irresponsible as the college already struggles to cover escalating expenses. It would also signal to other unions that there are no risks to walking out. But Cushing’s statement is notable for another reason. It’s a reminder that there’s one key constituency who will not be made whole from this strike: PCC students. Classes have been canceled, grades have been delayed and PCC is pushing back the start of spring classes by one week, without any extension on the back end. International students also face the potential of having to leave the country, if this strike continues much longer,
Striking Portland Staff Reach Agreement; Faculty Remain on Strike
March 30, 2026 // Both unions began striking on March 11, and classes moved online. If the faculty strike continues past Monday, March 30, the college has said it will push the start of the spring term to Monday, April 6. Student financial aid disbursements will also be delayed.
PCC, classified employees union reach tentative deal that could end strike for 700 workers
March 26, 2026 // Portland Community College and its Federation of Classified Employees union have reached a tentative agreement that could end a strike involving about 700 classified employees and move the college closer to resuming normal operations. The tentative agreement, posted at 6:18 p.m. March 25, includes a 0% cost-of-living adjustment for this year and a 5% cost-of-living adjustment for 2026-27. Classified employees also would receive a $1,350 lump-sum payment upon ratification on the next payroll cycle and would be able to cash out up to 40 vacation hours.
For Portland Community College students, the fallout from ongoing strike is ‘visible everywhere’
March 16, 2026 // Al-Amreeki and others described mounting fear for some students over financial pressures, given uncertainty over when and how student aid packages will be processed or when they can return to campus jobs, given the college shutdown. Portland Community College says it is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon, with more than 50,000 full-time and part-time students, including thousands who take non-credit courses. Nearly half of its students are non-white, and about 40% are over the age of 25; most work and support their families while attending the school.
Portland Community College faculty and staff commence historic strike over wages
March 12, 2026 // PCC and its two unions have been negotiating over compensation and other benefits for nearly a year. But all sides have been stuck for months on salary increases and how much the college has to spare for such increases. Neither union has gone on strike before. This is the first strike to occur among any of the state’s 17 community colleges.
Willamette Week: Impending PCC strikes might be testing ground for new benefits law
March 10, 2026 // Last year Oregon became the first state in the nation to pass controversial legislation allowing workers on strike to collect unemployment benefits. The law went into effect Jan. 1. Two unions of employees working at Portland Community College could go on strike next week.