Portland ushered in a new era in city governance on Dec. 19 as a dozen new leaders were sworn in as City Councilors, ending a 110-year commission-style government that voters junked in a 2022 charter-change referral to the ballot.

Along with the 12 city councilors, a new mayor, Keith Wilson, and returning city auditor, Simone Rede, also took their oaths of office. There to witness this pivotal moment were key labor leaders, as well as non-profit heads, business representatives, friends, family, media, and others for this invitation-only event.

The Long Road to Victory

This historic event came after more than 19 months of planning and campaigning, not only by candidates, but also by the House of Labor. In May 2023, NW Oregon Labor Council (NOLC) began outreach to key labor organizations and allies to assemble a new coalition focused on electing a pro-labor council. Its initial meeting to launch this coalition, called Working for a Better Portland, began that July.

Working for a Better Portland advocated for the election of candidates based on the number of individual affiliate endorsements candidates received. Altogether, the coalition’s website promoted 22 candidates in two tiers of recommendation, then marketed the site and its slate to tens of thousands of Portland voters. In the end, 11 out of 12 new councilors chosen by Portlanders were coalition-supported candidates. The twelfth candidate entered the race at the last minute so he did not receive significant labor support but identifies as a labor ally nonetheless, bringing the labor-friendly council to a full 100 percent. Our success led to local and national press coverage. People’s World said this “unprecedented victory…stands as one of the most significant triumphs for organized labor in recent Portland history”.

They also wrote, “The Portland victory offers a model for labor political action in other cities, particularly at this crucial moment when Donald Trump’s return to the presidency threatens worker rights and protections nationwide. Portland’s unions have demonstrated that the labor movement can win significant political power even in challenging times by building broad coalitions, focusing on concrete policy demands, and investing in grassroots organizing. This victory reassures us that even in difficult times, the labor movement can make a difference and bring hope for the future.”

New city councilors are Jamie Dunphy, Candace Avalos, and Loretta Smith in District 1; Elana Pirtle-Guiney, Dan Ryan, and Sameer Kanal in District 2; Steve Novick, Tiffany Koyama Lane, and Angelita Morillo in District 3; and Mitch Green, Olivia Clark, and Eric Zimmerman in District 4. Returning for a second term as City Auditor is Simone Rede. New Mayor Keith Wilson has also pledged to work closely with labor leaders in his role overseeing the administration of city bureaus and the city manager.

Beginning the Dialogue

Working for a Better Portland, led by NOLC, held a Labor Boot Camp for city leaders on Dec. 15, featuring 20 labor representatives who touched on topics such as budgeting from a labor lens, public safety, the future of the arts, public education, and building trades issues. Most councilors-elect attended this training and pledged to work closely with labor going forward. We asked that the city council include a Labor Committee and also a Labor Caucus to ensure that working family issues are spotlighted in their legislative deliberations.