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PORTLAND, OR - After over 16 months bargaining their first contract, New Avenues for Youth (NAFY) workers have reached a tentative agreement with management on a three year contract, averting a one

SALEM, OR – Understaffing, extreme overtime and lack of safety protocols are creating untenable situations in the workplace, based on member survey results released today by Oregon AFSCME in their

PORTLAND, OR – Newly sworn-in Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez recently referred to Oregon’s public defense crisis as a “work stoppage” in an OPB interview.

Workers At New Avenues For Youth File for Union Representation With AFSCME

PORTLAND, OR - A strong majority of the over 130 eligible staff at New Avenues For Youth, a nonprofit focused on preventing and intervening in cases of youth homelessness, submitted union authorization cards with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Next, workers will vote on whether to form their union with Oregon AFSCME in late March or early April.

Here are 10 things to love about your union on Valentine's Day — and every day of the year: 

The most pro-worker president in our lifetimes delivered the most pro-worker State of the Union address in recent memory.

Here are just a few highlights from President Joe Biden’s Tuesday night speech:

1. On the remarkable job growth of the last two years: 12 million new jobs are more than any previous president has created in four years in office. “Jobs are coming back, pride is coming back, because choices we made in the last several years,” Biden said.

"Governor Kotek's budget plan is a step in the right direction and begins to address the significant staffing shortages in the State. It invests in Oregon workers and makes recruitment and retention in some of our most struggling agencies a priority. Investments in those agencies hardest hit by staffing are important, and we must also continue to prioritize funding for behavioral health and housing, but we need to make sure we do more.

In January 1993, Joann Mapp shared a powerful message on a conference call with newly elected President Bill Clinton. Mapp, a keypunch operator at the Philadelphia City Police Department and a member of AFSCME Local 1637 (District Council 33), was a single mother to 5-year-old twins.

The following is adapted from remarks delivered by President Saunders at the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor’s Martin Luther King Day Breakfast on January 14, 2023.

Union family, it’s a great honor to spend this special day with you, as we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as we reflect on his sacrifice and recommit to his work.

Press Release
Media Contact: David Kreisman, 971-271-7818, [email protected]

Oregon AFSCME Behavioral Health and Supportive Housing Worker Settle Strong Contracts With Central City Concern and Transition Projects

Thanks to efforts by the Biden administration and AFSCME, many public service workers, including AFSCME members, have seen their student loans forgiven under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.