It’s Strike Day, City Workers to Hit the Picket Lines After Mediation Falls Apart

City of Corvallis workers are set to walk off the job this morning. The union’s final mediation session with city management ended Tuesday without a contract.

Oregon AFSCME Local 2975, which represents about 246 employees across most City departments, says management rejected its mediation proposal and came back with no counteroffer. The union also says it presented several proposals over the course of the day, the last at roughly 4 pm. Representatives say that offer brought the total cost of the contract to within $100,000 of the City’s latest proposal. It still wasn’t enough to close the gap. At press time, The Advocate had not verified the gap figure.

Picket lines are anticipated for outside Corvallis City Hall and the Benton County Corvallis Public Library at 8:30 am.

“We are frustrated that the city is willing to give management three additional salary steps, but they won’t give one to the people who serve this community directly,” said Local 2975 President Evan Newton to a reporter from KEZI.

That line echoes what union members told the Corvallis City Council last month: city management has nine opportunities for longevity raises, while AFSCME members have six. The union wants a seventh step.

The workers’ previous contract expired June 30, and the two sides have been at the table since January. AFSCME declared impasse on September 1 and took a strike authorization vote. The union then served the City with the 10-day notice of intent to strike that state law requires, after a mandatory 30-day cooling-off period.

The City has offered a three-year contract with a 6% cost of living increase in the first year, then 3% in each of the second and third years. The City puts the cost of that package at $7.8 million. Aside from their negotiations with the union, the City has been saying they are projecting an $8.1 million deficit for the next biennial budget, and last week they revealed plans to spend an added $2 million yearly to lease more space for administrative services.

The union’s earlier proposal asked for a 6% increase in the first year, made up of a 2% bump for all workers plus a 4% cost-of-living adjustment, followed by 3% in 2027 and 5% in 2028. That adds up to a cumulative 14%, two percentage points more than the City’s offer. The union projected the cost of its proposal at $8.5 million. The City says that figure is an underestimate and that the real price tag is $10.4 million.

Services and the Strike

The City says it has been working on a strike contingency plan since impasse was declared, with the goal of minimizing disruptions and maintaining core services. Officials have said some impacts will be unavoidable because of reduced staffing in departments.

They’ve published the following information about immediate impacts:

Communication Channels

The City will provide updates about city services through its communications channels. Those include:

City Services: Hours of Operation

During the strike, hours of operations at some facility may be adjusted based on available staffing. Certain programs and services may be canceled or postponed. In general, the City aims to offer regular hours of operation at most facilities to the greatest extent possible.

AFSCME includes about 245 employees across all departments. Some services will be impacted more than others. Police, Fire, and 911 emergency response will not be affected. 

Specific impacts to services and programs in individual departments will be posted here and shared through the City’s communications channels — please check back regularly.

CTS Bus Service

  • Public transit services are provided through a contract with a private company, and while impacts are not generally anticipated, any that do occur will be communicated in the Service Alerts section at www.corvallisoregon.gov/cts. Visit our e-notifications page to sign up for CTS Service Alerts.

City Billing

  • Online bill pay is available through our payment portal.
  • Responses for non-emergency inquiries may take a little longer than usual.

Street Sweeping

  • Street sweeping services will continue, although typical seasonal sweeping operations may not happen as frequently.

Leaf Collection

  • Republic Services will pick up leaf piles in the street once a week, generally on the same day as normal garbage collection. Residents are also encouraged to use the free drop sites available to lessen the amount of leaves deposited in the street during this time. Visit www.corvallisoregon.gov/leafcollection for locations and dates.

Parking Permits

  • Customers can purchase, renew, and manage parking permits through our online portal.

City Council

  • The October 19, 2026 City Council meeting will take place as scheduled.
  • The October 22, 2026 City Council work session will take place as scheduled.

Municipal Court

  • Municipal Court will operate during regular hours, including scheduled court sessions. Some services may take a bit longer than usual.

Community Development

Fire

Parks & Recreation

  • Parks and Recreation Department facilities will remain open, and programs will take place as scheduled. The Department’s ability to provide park and restroom maintenance may be impacted during this time.
  • For assistance, please email parksandrecreation@corvallisoregon.gov.

Police

  • Police and 911 emergency response will not be affected.
  • Records Department: No change in operating hours. Inquiries, permits and public record requests may take longer than usual.
  • Parking Enforcement: Response will be limited to blocked driveways and hazardous vehicles.
  • For assistance, please email police@corvallisoregon.gov.

Public Works

  • Public Works administrative offices will be closed to the public. Otherwise, Public Works services will continue, although staff availability will be limited, and response times will be slower.
  • public.works@corvallisoregon.gov

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