Eleven employees in Portland’s police oversight office are on strike after a breakdown in negotiations.
The Independent Police Review workers, represented by Oregon AFSCME Local 189, argue that the city won’t commit to protecting workers’ jobs — and preventing layoffs — during the coming overhaul of the city’s police oversight system.
“We’re asking for concrete language ensuring job security,” said Independent Police Review employee Gayla Jennings in a Tuesday media statement, “just a binding agreement that the experienced administrative investigators and staff at IPR will have a guaranteed option to continue to do the important work they’ve dedicated their careers to in the city’s new police oversight system.”
Portlanders overwhelmingly voted to establish a new system to handle police officer misconduct in 2020, one that would essentially replace the current Independent Police Review office…