News

Coming Soon To A Hospital Near You, Enhanced Healthcare Language Access for Oregonians!

In a significant step towards ensuring equitable healthcare access for all Oregonians, Governor Kotek has signed SB 1578 into law.

Oregon Legislature Passes Historic Investment in Public Safety Workforce

Salem, Oregon - Oregon's 82nd Legislative Assembly passed HB 4045, the Public Safety Workforce Stabilization Act, an historic investment in Oregon's public safety workers..

OregonSaves Welcomes Childcare Providers to State Retirement Program with $5 Million Boost from American Rescue Plan Funds

The Oregon Retirement Savings Board and State Treasurer Tobias Read today announced that $5 million of dedicated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars are being disbursed by Oregon's Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) to fund the OregonSaves retirement accounts of more than 900 Oregon childcare service providers.

Guest Opinion: Lane County Strike, A Year Later

October 18th, 2018 marks the one year anniversary of the Lane County strike. On that cold sunny morning a year ago, over 500 employees decided to walk off the job after the County proposed increased healthcare costs that would result in pay cuts. For the next week, we were bolstered by the support of this community and fellow union members like our local firefighters and graduate teachers, who were amongst the first to join the picket lines. 

VOA Members Win First Contract!

Oregon AFSCME represented workers at Volunteers of America Oregon (VOA) have finally reached a tentative agreement with their employer. The tentative agreement was signed yesterday evening, following eighteen months of contentious negotiations that led to multiple protests from workers and their union, including a May 14th sit-in which resulted in 10 arrests. 

‘We Wouldn’t Have Anything If It Weren’t for Our Union’

When he first took a job at the Centralia Correctional Center in Illinois, Keith Kracht knew that a career in public service wouldn’t make him a millionaire. But then again, that’s not why he went into public service.

Pro-Worker Candidates Excel in Primary Elections

Across the board, AFSCME-Endorsed Candidates had a great night! Here are a few highlights. 

Val Hoyle 

A lifelong advocate for working people won the race for Oregon’s labor Commissioner.  It would be hard to find a person better qualified and readier to take on the task.  Val comes from a union family, served in the legislature, and has spent a career fighting for things like a higher minimum wage, defending PERS and state services, and helping to pass paid sick leave. 

Joe Berney

Scam Alert: State Policy Network

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This is the AFSCME Agenda

When AFSCME members stand together, we have power in numbers. Together, we can defend our freedom to take our loved ones to the doctor when they get sick and retire with dignity some day. Together, we have the power to make our voices heard at work and in our democracy. That’s our AFSCME Agenda.

Public Service Workers Need Unions More than Ever

Public service workers across the country are losing their foothold in the middle class. So says an article in The New York Times this week that serves as a reminder of why labor unions are more needed now than ever.

Local 328 Builds Workplace Equity Through Educational Opportunities

In developing priorities for the 2015 contract negotiations, AFSCME Local 328 identified that there were significant barriers for lower-wage workers wanting to access educational programs needed to advance within OHSU, which disproportionally affected underrepresented employees. Our union brought the issue of workforce development for low-wage earners to the bargaining table. During negotiations, Local 328 and OHSU formally agreed that recruitment and retention of a more diverse workforce is a priority for both organizations.