News

Oregon State Workers Demand Recognition of Indigenous People’s Day as a Paid Holiday

Salem, OR — For the third consecutive bargaining cycle, Oregon state workers represented by Oregon AFSCME have called on state leadership to honor Indigenous People’s Day with a paid holiday.

Alyssa’s Grievance Victory Started with Notes | Oregon AFSCME Member Story

When Alyssa Ledesma first joined Oregon AFSCME Local 328, she did it on the advice of a colleague, without knowing how helpful having a union can be.

Member Action Saves DEQ Program

In Oregon, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is the state agency responsible for restoring and maintaining the quality of our air, land, and water.

NW Labor Press

The Northwest Labor Press is an independent, union-supported newspaper. The print edition is mailed out twice a month to over 50,000 members of more than 80 unions in Oregon and Southwest Washington. The online edition has been maintained here at nwlaborpress.org since 1997.

There are few other publications like it. Founded in 1900 by a consortium of trade unions, it’s one of America’s oldest labor movement newspapers.

Our focus is on the Portland metro area, Oregon, and the Pacific Northwest, but we also report on national and global issues.

Make your plan to vote today

If there’s one thing the 2020 election has in spades, it’s choices – and not just the choices between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, Mike Pence and Kamala Harris, and choices up and down the ballot. In a year when our jobs, our families, and every aspect of our lives have felt the impact of a pandemic, there are lots of ways to make your voice heard at the polls. 

The Choice for Working People is Joe Biden

There are countless reasons against voting for Donald Trump in November. But this election isn’t just about Donald Trump. AFSCME President Lee Saunders explains why working people should cast their ballots for Joe Biden for president and Kamala Harris for vice president:

COVID-19 deaths lower in unionized nursing homes

Nursing homes have been especially hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 40% of all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. have been linked to nursing homes. But according to a recent study, one factor that determines how fatal a COVID-19 outbreak will be is whether that nursing home is unionized.

This November, preserve the legacy of speaking up

Throughout my son’s long career at AFSCME, there have been countless times when I’ve seen Lee proudly wearing an AFSCME T-shirt. Often, these T-shirts feature slogans like “Rise Up” and “Never Quit.”

To Lee, these are much more than just slogans. They’re principles that guide him as president of AFSCME. As his mom, the meaning behind these phrases evoke a long and powerful legacy within our family.

Labor unions’ approval is highest in 17 years because unions stand with working families

Public approval of labor unions is at its highest level in 17 years, with nearly two out of three Americans (65%) expressing support of unions, according to the latest Gallup poll.

AFSCME commits to landmark policing and criminal justice reforms

Veterans will be disproportionately affected if the Senate fails to provide state, local aid

AFSCME members Dawn Bundick of Alaska and Chris Woloscuk of Florida are veterans and public service employees – two facts that make them especially vulnerable as the COVID-19 pandemic ravages the U.S. economy.

If Congress fails to provide at least $1 trillion in federal aid to struggling states, cities, towns and school districts, millions of state and local government workers could be shown the door as their employers struggle to cope with plummeting tax revenues.