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The city of Portland and a coalition of labor unions reached agreement Wednesday on a four-year collective bargaining agreement, averting a looming strike that was to begin the next morning.

A majority of members of the District Council of Trade Unions voted to ratify the agreement.

鈥淭he city is pleased to reach an agreement with DCTU that avoids any impact to city services,鈥� city spokeswoman Heather Hafer stated.

The city’s labor relations team will bring the tentative agreement before the City Council for final approval in the weeks ahead, Hafer stated.

The 1,186-member trade council represents city inspectors, operating engineers and other tradespeople. Union officials noted the vote was not overwhelming 鈥� 58.5 percent agreed to accept the city’s final offer.

鈥淲e felt it was significant movement to take it to the membership to get them to weigh in at that point,鈥� said John M. Duran, secretary-treasurer of AFSCME Local 189.

Workers will receive a 1.6 percent retroactive cost-of-living increase for 2021 and a $3,000 bonus. This year, workers will get a 5 percent cost-of-living increase.

The DCTU also represents the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 48, IAM District W24, IUOE Local 701, UA Local 290 Plumbers and Steamfitters and IUPAT District Council 5.

The agreement averts any immediate impact to city services, which had already slowed due to the pandemic, unfilled positions and a disruptive transition to remote work. Project teams have complained that monthslong permit delays are impacting construction timelines.

The city has work to do to attract and retain employees, Duran said.

鈥淭he city has a lot of people that feel underpaid and undervalued, and they could potentially 鈥� in the current labor market 鈥� have a problem going forward,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ith the Great Resignation going on, it’s going to kind of be 鈥榞ood luck.’鈥�

A majority of permit inspectors at the Bureau of Development Services will reach retirement age in the next three to five years, said Duran, who works as an accountant at BDS.

鈥淲e are basically, at our bureau, the hinge point for development in the city,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur bureau has to operate at full capacity to be able to move development forward in the city, and (city officials) have a problem ahead of them.鈥�