AFSCME Local 88-represented workers at Portland homelessness services nonprofit Transition Projects Inc. voted to approve a new two-year contract in late October. AFSCME represents case managers, residential advocates and other workers helping people transition from homelessness into housing.
The contract raises the minimum pay to $20.25 per hour, up from $17.76. It makes permanent what was previously a temporary $2 per hour COVID-19-related pay increase. Those raises are retroactive to July 1.
It also provides a 2% raise in July 2023, but that could increase if Transition Projects receives a funding increase of more than 6.5% from the Joint Office of Homeless Services next year.
The contract increases the swing shift differential from 20 cents to 25 cents per hour, and the graveyard differential has increased from 40 cents to 75 cents per hour.
The contract removes a previous rule that new hires couldn’t use vacation time for their first six months on the job.
Workers’ previous contract expired June 30, and the new contract runs through fall 2024.
