Portland officials claim ‘aggressive behavior’ by striking workers; union leaders deny violence, say strikers were victimized

Portland city workers strike

Portland workers strike near the entrance to the Mt. Tabor maintenance yard on Southeast Division Street. (Photo by Beth Nakamura / The Oregonian|OregonLive)Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian

City officials received reports of alleged “aggressive behavior” during Portland’s municipal strike Thursday, which brought hundreds of public employees to the city’s parks, transportation and environmental services bureaus with picket signs in hand.

Mayor Ted Wheeler said he and others received reports of illegal and violent activity at the beginning of the protest.

“While I support the rights of employees to exercise their right to strike legally, aggressive behavior and intimidation of any form is absolutely unacceptable,” Wheeler said in a statement Thursday.

City spokesperson Carrie Belding, who is compiling information on the strike, said there have been reports from city employees of protesters throwing rocks, hitting vehicles with sticks and “reports of physical harm.”

James O’Laughlen, a representative of Laborers’ Local 483, refuted those claims, saying that none of the rumors of the alleged aggressive activity have been confirmed.

“Tensions were high that first day, but we saw no violence,” O’Laughlen said. “Our people have been acting lawfully, peacefully and respectfully.”

O’Laughlen also said there have been reports of city employees “attacking our members with their vehicles.”

About 615 union members spread across the city Thursday, including workers who repair streets and maintain public trash cans, remove garbage and syringes from city parks, and oversee wastewater treatment plants.

The city and union have been unable to agree on a new contract after months of negotiations due to disagreements over cost-of-living increases amid rising inflation and workplace safety concerns.

Negotiations resumed Saturday, following two days of protests.

Shane Dixon Kavanaugh contributed to this report.

– Austin De Dios; adedios@oregonian.com; @austindedios; 503-319-9744

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