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Portland Federation of School Professionals', local 111, organizing campaign reached an all-time high last week when their new member numbers hit one hundred and eleven - or 111! The same as their Local's number!

They quickly passed that goal, and are now at 118!

They have never had so many new members. All of this has been accomplished in just  six months.  Their hard work is certainly paying off.

Congratulations,  Portland Federation of School Professionals!


Member count updated!

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Today the Oregon Supreme Court reaffirmed that the state must fulfill its contractual pension promises made to front-line workers and retirees.
 
In Moro vs the State of Oregon, the Court put to rest the notion that the state may back out of its contracts. Firefighters, teachers, nurses, public safety officers and thousands of other front-line public workers in Oregon can rest easier now, knowing the majority of their retirement is secure.
 
“We’re talking about the people who educate our children, care for the elderly and keep us safe—they didn’t deserve to have the rug pulled out from under
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AFT-Oregon welcomes new Organizer Julia Trist

AFT-Oregon is happy to announce Julia Trist has been hired as our new Organizer.

Through her work as the SAPO she has time and time again shown her skills as an organizer.

AFT-Oregon is excited to continue to see her positive contributions and advocacy for education and workers.


GTFF, local 3544, member and AFT-Oregon Vice President Dana Rognlie was elected co-chair of AFT’s Alliance of Graduate Employee Locals (AGEL) at the AFT/NEA Joint Higher Education Conference Saturday Mar. 14.

AGEL is a subcommittee within AFT’s network of higher education locals comprised of only graduate employees locals. AGEL's mission is to advocate and address issues that specifically affect graduate employees and education.

Rognlie is passionate about addressing issues related to sexual violence and education debt.

“I am humbled and very excited to have this opportunity to continue the

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Portland State University adjunct faculty and PSUFA members Kendra Larson, Laura Di Trapani and Vonna Witham pose in front of their vent tent table. Photo by Kristen Fitzpatrick

 

Portland State University Faculty Association, PSUFA local 3571, set up vent tents around campus where fellow faculty workers (and other educators and students) could come discuss workplace issues and worker empowerment Feb. 25.

Great job, PSUFA!

 


Photo by Julia Trist


Photo by Julia Trist

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GTFs and their supporters march in front of the University of Oregon Lillis complex singing solidarity songs and chanting Dec. 4, 2014. The strikers were also lead by a drum line. Photo by Justin Buchanan

It’s Thursday, December 5th in Eugene a phone alarm buzzes on a University of Oregon’s graduate teaching fellow’s night stand.

It’s 6 a.m. again, time for him or her to slip on muddy pants, thick wool socks, a winter jacket, and boots, all of which are damp. Once dressed, the half mile trek to Espresso Roma next to the University of Oregon campus begins.

If someone walked into Espresso Roma that

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There were a lot of courses taught at AFT-Oregon’s 2015 Winter School. We’re already seeing the results of the knowledge acquired in effective bargaining and organizing efforts by AFT-Oregon locals and their leaders.

If you recall from our Winter School Recap the Issues Organizing class put their skills to work right away. The students of the class organized an action to collect tips for the wait staff at the Hallmark Resort.

Members of the class gathered tips and thank you notes over the course a few hours Jan. 25 and presented their collection to the wait staff.


Elaine Carty of Local 5017 OFNHP

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A record setting 94 AFT-Oregon local leaders traveled to Oregon’s coast for a weekend of training, team building, and worker empowerment at AFT-Oregon’s Winter School Jan. 23-25.

The weekend was unofficially kicked off with an Executive Council meeting Friday afternoon. Board members took this opportunity to continue discussion of AFT-Oregon’s plans for 2015.

The meeting began with a celebration of the successful GTFF Local 3544 strike. For two weeks in December University of Oregon Graduate Teaching Fellows were on strike, battling the: wind, rain, and sometimes freezing temperatures, fighting

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AFT-Oregon's 2015 Winter School sign up is here!

Join us for a weekend full of empowerment and educational opportunities. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet and work with other education and union leaders. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to attend multiple workshops to learn new skills.

Register online here: https://leadernet.aft.org/webform/aft-oregon-2015-winter-school

To view workshop descriptions click here.

Winter School 2015 is planned for January 23-25, at the Hallmark Resort. Here is the address:

744 SW Elizabeth
Newport, OR 97365

Participation is limited to the fir

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'Harris' decision makes things worse for working families

While the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the importance of collective bargaining and unions to families and communities in its ruling in Harris v. Quinn, let's be clear that working people, who have aspired to the middle class and tried to make a better life for their families, have taken it on the chin for years, AFT President Randi Weingarten says.  Read more.