Overwhelming majority comes together to fight for the university Portlanders deserve
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 6, 2016
Contact: Jan Van Tol / 585-764-4202 / vantol@aftpsu.org Andrew Gorry / 971-888-5665 / andrewg@aft-oregon.org
Jeff Grider, Executive Vice President and campus security officer of Portland Community College Federation of Classified Employees, Local 3922, helped AFT issue a groundbreaking report on racial equity.
It’s been a busy week for AFT-Oregon educators. Not only are classes in full swing, but members are making efforts to engage their coworkers to grow power in their workplaces.
These efforts have not gone unnoticed. AFT President Randi Weingarten visited Oregon because she wanted to see this organizing in person.
“This is the most effective antidote to Friedrichs I can imagine.” President Weingarten said.
Collectively bargaining a contract is never easy especially when that contract affects more than 1,200 educators and their families. There are many details to work out from benefits to basic day to day tasks. Just about anything and everything can affected by a contract, which is why it’s important every voice and every opinion is heard and considered.
AFT-Oregon local 4671 Hillsboro Classified United’s bargaining team takes this to heart. They're currently bargaining a new contract with the district, and hosting a bargaining blitz to keep members engaged and informed.
When workers stand together they can collectively raise their voices and fight back. Workers don’t need to be in the same classification or even union to support each other.
The workers of AFT-Oregon’s Portland State University Faculty Association local 3571 joined together with PSU classified workers from SEIU 503 Sept. 9 to call for the university to provide its workers with fair contracts.
