When tenants or workers face unsafe conditions, retaliation, unfair treatment, or neglect, organizing together is one of the strongest ways to hold landlords and bosses accountable. A key tool in your organizing toolkit is the demand letter.

A demand letter lays out your collective grievances clearly, demands specific actions, and signals that you’re organized and ready to escalate if necessary. It’s not just about complaints — it’s about making your power visible.

Here’s a guide based on the templates we’ve developed for unions across Portland.

What Is a Demand Letter?

At its core, a demand letter:

• Documents your union’s grievances in writing
• Lists the specific actions or remedies you are demanding
• Communicates your collective strength and readiness to escalate if ignored
• Creates a paper trail that can help with media, legal, or policy actions later

Whether you’re a tenant union addressing landlord negligence or a workers’ union pushing for fair treatment on the job, your demand letter sets the tone for serious negotiations.

Key Elements of a Strong Demand Letter

1. Clear Introduction
Start by stating who you are (the name of your union) and why you’re writing. If relevant, you can reference prior attempts to resolve the issues informally.

2. Description of Grievances
Outline the issues clearly and factually. You don’t need to list every minor inconvenience — focus on major problems that violate contracts, laws, or safety standards.

3. Specific Demands
Spell out exactly what you want. Be as concrete as possible: repairs completed by a deadline, hazard pay implemented, policy changes made, etc.

4. Call for Response and Consequences for Inaction
Let them know you expect a response within a reasonable time frame (e.g., 7 days) — and that failure to respond or act will lead to escalation (such as media coverage, organizing actions, legal steps).

5. Collective Sign-Off
End the letter collectively: from the union, not individuals. Sign as [Your Union Name].

Example: Tenant Union Demand Letter Excerpt

To: [Landlord/Property Management Company]

From: [Tenant Union Name]

We, the tenants of [Property Name], are writing to formally present our collective grievances and demands regarding the ongoing unsafe, uninhabitable, and discriminatory conditions at your property.

These conditions include but are not limited to:

• Failure to address mold and pest infestations
• Negligence in repairing broken appliances critical to habitability
• Retaliatory rent increases against tenants who file complaints

In response, we demand the following actions:

• Immediate remediation of all health and safety violations within 30 days
• A freeze on rent increases until all units meet legal habitability standards
• A meeting with tenant union representatives within 14 days to discuss ongoing concerns

Should these demands not be met within the specified timeline, we are prepared to escalate our campaign, including contacting media outlets, filing complaints with regulatory agencies, and organizing public demonstrations.

Example: Worker Union Demand Letter Excerpt

To: [Employer Name]

From: [Worker Union Name]

As organized workers at [Company Name], we are demanding immediate action to address unsafe working conditions, unfair labor practices, and wage theft.

Our demands include:

• Implementation of a transparent grievance process accessible to all workers
• Back pay for wages withheld due to unlawful deductions
• Installation of necessary health and safety equipment as required by law

If these demands are not met within 14 days, we will pursue all available options to secure our rights, including filing formal complaints and conducting public actions to highlight these violations.

Tips for Success

• Keep it professional but firm.
  You’re not asking for favors — you’re asserting your rights.
• Use “We” not “I.”
  Collective language matters. It signals strength.
• Proofread for clarity.
  Typos or unclear demands can weaken your letter’s impact.
• Be ready to follow through.
  A demand letter is just the beginning — be prepared to organize actions if management or landlords ignore you.

Get the Full Editable Demand Letter Templates

Ready to draft your own?
We’ve put together free downloadable templates for both tenant unions and worker unions to help you get started quickly.

👉 Download the PDX Unions Demand Letter Templates Here (Link to the document you want to host/downloadable on your site)