Oregon AFL-CIO Cements Deal to Make Portland Baseball Stadium Union-Friendly

The Oregon AFL-CIO and allies negotiated a historical deal with the Portland Diamond Project that will mean a stadium being built in order to attract Major League Baseball to the city will be union-friendly. In signing the labor harmony agreement, the Portland Diamond Project has voluntarily agreed to allow workers at the stadium to organize and form unions.

This is the first labor harmony agreement (also known as a labor peace agreement) for a sports arena in Oregon. The agreement sets rules for union organizing between the employer and the unions that could represent working people at the venue in the future. The agreement covers workers in concessions, sales, property service, security, hospitality, stage and theatrical presentations, entertainment and audiovisual services. Future discussions will address ballpark construction jobs.

Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain (IAFF) was excited by the agreement:

By signing this agreement, the Portland Diamond Project has shown us they value and respect the rights of working people and care for the prosperity of the community. Oregon’s unions are proud to be a part of the efforts to bring baseball to the Rose City and to be a part of the only unionized sports arena in the state of Oregon. By giving workers the unfettered opportunity for union representation, we are securing a bright economic future for the women and men who will make baseball happen in Portland. When working people stand together in unions, we get a fair return on our hard work.

Labor unions included in the agreement along with the Oregon AFL-CIO include: Oregon AFSCME Council 75; Machinists (IAM) Local Lodge 63; UNITE HERE Local 8; Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) District Council 5; Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 28; United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555; Plumbers and Pipe Fitters (UA) Local 290; Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 48; Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 701; Public Service and Industrial Employees (LIUNA) Local 737; International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) Local 16; Boilermakers (IBB) Local 104; and SAG-AFTRA Portland.