News

City of Portland’s Decision to End Union Contract With Safe Rest Village Will Create Client Care Disruptions

Oregon AFSCME is deeply concerned by the City of Portland’s recent announcement to transfer the contract for the Multnomah Safe Rest Village (MSRV) from Sunstone Way—a unionized service provider—to

Oregon AFSCME Statement on Termination of OHSU/Legacy Merger

Oregon AFSCME and AFSCME Local 328 stand with the workers of OHSU and Legacy, who work tirelessly to provide Oregonians and visitors from around the globe, world-class health care treatments, preve

5.png

Stop The Attacks on DEQ

The recent cyber attack on the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) could have been prevented.

OHSU Biomedical Researchers Urge Legislature To Demand Congress Fund Life-Saving Research

SALEM, OR - Biomedical researchers from OHSU testified in front of the House Committee on Rules on April 9th, advocating for House Joint Memorial 6 (HJM 6), which urges Congress to prioritize strong annual federal funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). HJM 6 further urges Congress to increase investments in cutting-edge medical research through grants from the NIH to research institutions.

New Avenues For Youth Workers Settle First Contract

PORTLAND, OR - After over 16 months bargaining their first contract, New Avenues for Youth (NAFY) workers have reached a tentative agreement with management on a three year contract, averting a one day unfair labor practice strike scheduled for April 1st.

NAFY workers serve some of the Portland area’s most vulnerable youth, assisting them in finding housing, education and job training.

“The fear is constant and overwhelming.” Workplace risk is high and safety is low according to a new report

SALEM, OR – Understaffing, extreme overtime and lack of safety protocols are creating untenable situations in the workplace, based on member survey results released today by Oregon AFSCME in their report, Unsafe on the Job. The report was released as more than 100 members came to the capitol to share their stories and call for action.
The survey findings of more than 520 AFSCME members showed:

Public Defenders Respond to DA Vasquez’s Harmful Remarks on Public Defense Crisis

PORTLAND, OR – Newly sworn-in Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez recently referred to Oregon’s public defense crisis as a “work stoppage” in an OPB interview. AFSCME Locals 2805 and 3668, representing staff attorneys, investigators, case managers, legal assistants, and office staff of Multnomah Defenders, Inc and Metropolitan Public Defenders, refute this characterization as harmful and blatantly false.

City of Portland Workers Overwhelmingly Vote To Strike

l189_news_image.png

PORTLAND, OR – Yesterday, City of Portland workers represented by Oregon AFSCME Local 189 voted 87% in favor of a strike, with 89% of members participating in the vote. After months of negotiations, the city still refuses to meet workers’ needs including in-person reporting incentives and pay equity across the city’s workforce.

The city and AFSCME Local 189 are meeting today for their final scheduled mediation.

Oregon AFSCME Members Celebrate Behavioral Health Apprenticeships

To kick off National Apprenticeship Week, United We Heal (UWH) celebrated their graduating apprentices in Portland on Friday, November 15th. 

SACU Workers Launch Vote of No Confidence Against ODHS Director

Workers from the Stabilization and Crisis Unit (SACU), represented by Oregon AFSCME Local 1264, have announced a vote of no confidence against Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Director Fariborz Pakseresht. 

Benton County Workers Ratify Contract Following Five-Day Strike

In a nearly unanimous vote today, Benton County workers represented by AFSCME Local 2064 ratified a strong three-year contract, following nearly a year of bargaining and five days on the strike line.

Key victories in the contract include: