Portland Community College and classified employees union reach tentative agreement as strike disruption continues for students

Tentative deal announced with classified employees as PCC works to restore services after historic walkout

Portland Community College (PCC) has reached a tentative agreement with the union representing the college’s classified employees, a development that could begin to unwind disruptions caused by the system’s first strike involving both faculty and staff.

The agreement applies to the Federation of Classified Employees, a bargaining unit covering roughly 700 support positions across PCC campuses. The group includes roles such as administrative assistants, front desk staff, information technology workers, custodians and public safety officers. A return-to-work plan is expected to begin Friday, March 27, 2026, with additional returns over the weekend, while the union proceeds with its internal ratification process.

How the dispute reached a strike

Contract negotiations between PCC and two unions — the classified employees union and the Federation of Faculty and Academic Professionals — stretched for months before the parties declared an impasse on January 30, 2026, triggering a formal timeline that allowed a strike to begin in March.

Union members in both bargaining units later voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. The walkout began on March 11, 2026, affecting instruction and on-campus operations. PCC shifted to remote operations for parts of the college during the strike period and warned students that some courses and services would be impacted.

Central issues: wages, benefits and budget capacity

The labor dispute has focused on wages and benefit costs, particularly whether pay increases would keep pace with inflation and rising health insurance expenses. Prior to the strike, the unions sought multi-year increases that exceeded PCC’s proposed across-the-board adjustments, while the college emphasized budget constraints and long-term financial sustainability.

PCC leaders have pointed to a projected budget deficit over the next two years, as well as financial uncertainty tied to enrollment trends and public funding. The college has also said it has made changes to its compensation proposals in bargaining, including a one-time ratification bonus concept tied to projected-versus-actual step-cost differences during the biennium.

What happens next

A tentative agreement does not finalize a contract on its own. The classified employees union must still conduct a ratification vote, and implementation timelines typically depend on both ratification and administrative processing. In the near term, the tentative deal creates a pathway for classified staff to resume duties that underpin campus operations, including facilities, technology support, front-office services and public safety functions.

Separate negotiations involving faculty and other academic professionals remain part of the broader labor picture at PCC. With more than 30,000 students across the district experiencing disruption during the strike, the pace of any returns to normal instruction and services will depend on ratification outcomes and progress across remaining bargaining tables.

• Impasse declared: January 30, 2026
• Strike began: March 11, 2026
• Classified employees tentative agreement announced: March 26, 2026
• Return to work expected to start: March 27, 2026

A tentative agreement signals that bargaining teams have reached proposed terms, but the contract is not final until union members vote to ratify.