Central City Concern and Oregon AFSCME Sign Neutrality Agreement

PORTLAND, OR, April 20, 2023—After negotiating a three-year collective bargaining agreement, Central City Concern (CCC) and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) have signed a Neutrality Agreement declaring non-represented employees have the freedom of choice on the question of whether or not to be represented by ​Oregon ​AFSCME. Over 300 of the 1,100 CCC employees are currently represented by AFSCME.
CCC serves more than 13,000 people annually in the Portland metro area who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness with affordable and supportive housing, health care, addiction recovery and employment assistance.

“Central City Concern demonstrates our commitment to partnership and elevating the voice of our workers through this neutrality agreement. We are a stronger organization through working collaboratively with our labor partners like Oregon AFSCME to solve and address challenges in support of our mission,” says CCC President and CEO Dr. Andy Mendenhall.

“We’re proud of the partnership built between Oregon AFSCME and CCC. By entering into this agreement, CCC recognizes the value that AFSCME members bring to the extraordinary work done every day by CCC. We look forward to advancing this relationship to further benefit CCC employees and the communities they serve” said Mike Morrison, Council Representative for Oregon AFSCME.

Details of the neutrality agreement are being provided to all CCC staff. CCC and AFSCME trust that fair and appropriate information will be provided to non-represented employees seeking election for representation and that non-represented employees will do their best to make an informed choice. CCC employees are permitted to exercise that choice free of coercion, intimidation, or harassment by either CCC, AFSCME, or any party or individual affiliated with either organization.

About CCC
Located in Portland, Oregon, Central City Concern (CCC) provides a comprehensive continuum of affordable housing options integrated with direct social services including health care, recovery and employment. Founded in 1979, CCC has a staff of over 1,000 and an annual operating budget of $100 million. CCC serves more than 13,000 individuals annually. Up to 30,000 people across the tri-county region are affected annually by homelessness. For more information visit: www.centralcityconcern.org

About Oregon AFSCME
Oregon AFSCME believes in economic and social justice for all Oregon workers and their families. Our mission is to empower and unite workers to create change in their workplaces and communities. Oregon AFSCME represents over 35,000 workers in the public sector. Our members work for the State of Oregon in addition to counties, municipalities and behavioral health nonprofits across Oregon as well as self-employed childcare providers. For more information visit: www.OregonAFSCME.org