More than 600 workers at the Oregon Department of Transportation are facing layoffs after the state legislature failed to pass a long-anticipated funding package. With a $300 million budget gap and no legislative solution in sight, the agency says it has no choice but to cut a significant share of its operational workforce, including those responsible for road maintenance and inspections. Unionized employees and labor advocates have raised alarms about both the suddenness and scale of the cuts. The situation underscores growing tensions between budget constraints and the protection of public-sector jobs in essential services.
See "Hundreds of Oregon Department of Transportation workers will receive layoff notices next week", Carlos Fuentes, The Oregonian, July 3, 2025