News

OHSU Researchers Saved My Life

As some of you know, last year I was diagnosed with stage four lymphoma. I was very scared and was not sure what would happen.

How we are fighting for better pay, better wages, better workplaces.

Oregon AFSCME members aren’t afraid to make their voices heard. Last month, AFSCME members like you from across the state, stood up and spoke out for themselves and each other. 

OHSU Postdoctoral Researchers Announce Impasse After Bargaining Stalls

PORTLAND, OR - Postdoctoral researchers represented by Oregon AFSCME at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) have announced an impasse following OHSU’s failure to produc

Important News About Federal Student Loan Payments

Good news for federal student loan borrowers: This month, the Biden administration again extended the pause on student debt repayment — this time through Aug. 31. That means, instead of federal student loan payments resuming after May 1, borrowers have four more months of reprieve with payments set to start Sept. 1. And the new extension includes a “fresh start” program, which erases the default and delinquency status on late payments for millions of borrowers. 

Biden administration extends pause on student loan repayment

Good news for federal student loan borrowers: This month, the Biden administration again extended the pause on student debt repayment – this time through Aug. 31.

In remembrance of a beloved union leader, Giles Gibson

We are saddened to report the passing of Giles Gibson, a beloved member of the  Oregon AFSCME family and retired former staff attorney. Giles had been battling leukemia, before passing peacefully at home, surrounded by family. 

AFSCME STRONG across the state!

It is Oregon AFSCME’s mission to empower and unite workers to create change in their workplaces and communities and that starts with building a strong community within our union. 

In February, members statewide came together with their locals to connect, engage, introduce their families and for some, meet in person for the first time.

Here are some highlights from the 2022 Oregon AFSCME Strong events:

AFSCME celebrates Jackson’s confirmation; Saunders calls it ‘a watershed moment’

AFSCME members and working families are celebrating the Supreme Court confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, whose life experience and extraordinary legal career make her uniquely attuned to the challenges working people face.

The Senate confirmed Jackson today by a vote of 53-47. President Joe Biden nominated her as associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in February after Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement.

Coronavirus & Oregon Workers

Contact the SMART Center with your COVID19 workplace-related concerns

Working Safely

How do I telework?

Report highlights need for state and local government jobs

A new Center for American Progress (CAP) report describes how state and local governments, having already shed critical public service jobs since the Great Recession, have lost 695,000 more since the onset of the pandemic.

Because the services these jobs deliver are critical to society’s functioning, state and local governments must invest in job creation.

Caregiver Appreciation Month: Niki Cooper, Local 1246

“There’s a lot of misconceptions about caregivers. We’re not babysitters. We are professionals who work really hard for our residents.”

Niki Cooper is a caregiver and Oregon AFSCME Local 1246 member, and during March’s caregiver Appreciation Month, we are honored to showcase her story.