Political & Legislative News

Oregon’s 2025 legislative session has officially wrapped, and AFT-Oregon is proud to share our 2025 End-of-Session Report. Inside, you’ll find an overview of the legislative session, a breakdown of our policy and budget priorities, highlights of member engagement and advocacy efforts, and the outcomes of key bills and funding decisions.

This session was shaped by major challenges, from a bleak state budget landscape to growing federal threats to public programs under the Trump administration. The moment called for bold leadership, but widespread caution and a lack of political will among lawmakers held back progress on critical reforms and legislation. Despite this, AFT-Oregon members showed up with strength and persistence throughout the session. Together, we fought for increased funding for public education, protections for workers, and policies that advanced economic and social justice for all Oregonians.

On Feb. 25, AFT-Oregon and its union allies testified before the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee On Transportation and Economic Development requesting full funding for Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI). 

“BOLI is unable to carry out its mission,” said Oregon AFL-CIO president Graham Trainor, “because they are receiving far more claims than the divisions can process. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to right this course and ensure that the laws the Legislature has already passed are a reality for Oregonians.”

Members from across AFT-Oregon met with 26 legislators across three days during the December Legislative Days. At each meeting, members told compelling stories of how decades of chronic underfunding and revenue constraints have impacted higher education workplaces and the need for safety within K-12 workplaces. 

The 2024 election is here and union members are “all in” this election season supporting candidates who support the values and actions needed to produce real solutions for working families. View our endorsements for the 2024 general election. 

AFT-Oregon members engage in political and legislative advocacy on behalf of our federation, our communities, and our professions. 

Stay engaged by signing up for our Political and Legislative Activist Email List.

AFT-Oregon will endorse candidates for Oregon State Treasurer, Oregon State Senator, and Oregon State Representative candidates running in November 2024. We also welcome applications for local candidates such as Portland City Council candidates to coordinate with our local unions. Candidates for local races must first be endorsed or recommended for endorsement by a local union. 

AFT-Oregon President Ariana Jacob met with other state labor leaders at Governor Tina Kotek’s ceremonial signing of Senate Bill 1552, the Senate Education Omnibus Bill. They were joined by State Senator Courtney Neron and by State Senator Michael Dembrow, who sponsored the bill.

At AFT-Oregon we focus our electoral work on state level candidate endorsements, primarily state representative and state senator positions. The Oregon State Legislature is where important budget decisions are made, such as how much money our schools, community colleges, and universities receive from the state from year to year to fund our students' educations and the jobs of most of our members. Beyond the education budget, the issues decided by this state body are vast: healthcare, housing, transportation, climate mitigation and adaptation, and so much more. These issues affect our members and we are here to make sure that our voices are heard in Salem so we work with elected officials along with labor and community partners to develop a strong education agendas for Oregon Legislative Sessions.

AFT-Oregon just finished our advocacy and lobbying in the Oregon Legislature's 2024 short session, bolstered by our new Legislative Fellows member program. A summary of legislative progress can be found in our 2024 Legislative Report. 

The Oregon Legislature concluded its 2023 legislative session with landmark bills passed supporting classified staff, part time faculty, and improving public university governance. Read more in our 2023 Legislative Report.