Striking Portland Staff Reach Agreement; Faculty Remain on Strike

Source: Inside Higher Ed

March 30, 2026

By Emma Whitford

Portland Community College reached a tentative agreement with its 700 classified employees Wednesday, ending a 16-day strike for the group. The community college faculty union remains on strike and is still negotiating with the college over strike-time pay, Oregon Live reported.

“This strike was about dignity, fairness, and the basic right of workers to afford to live in the community where they work,” Jeff Grider, president of the Portland Community College Federation of Classified Employees, told Oregon Live in an emailed statement.

As part of the tentative agreement, classified employees will receive a 5 percent cost of living adjustment during the 2026–27 academic year and will be eligible for a $1,350 lump-sum payment after the contract is ratified. The union also won improved health benefits and worker protections, according to Oregon Live.

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.


If the faculty strike continues past Monday, the college has said it will push the start of the spring term to April 6.
tacojim/Getty Images

Read more: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2026/03/30/portland-staff-reach-agreement-faculty-remain-strike