News

Local 189's Endorsed Candidates Need Your Help

With the November election now just days away, time is running out to help make sure Pro-Union, Pro-AFSCME 

SACU Workers Launch Vote of No Confidence Against ODHS Director

Workers from the Stabilization and Crisis Unit (SACU), represented by Oregon AFSCME Local 1264, have announced a vote of no confidence against Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Direc

Benton County Workers Strike To Continue For Third Day

Benton County workers represented by AFSCME Local 2064, will continue their strike today, Friday, November 15th, for the third day.

AFSCME members honored during Community Change event

Photo portrait of Mr. Alpha Bufford

Alpha Bufford.

AFSCME supports lowering drug prices to help millions of Americans

When Fran Krugen’s late husband was first diagnosed with diabetes, his insulin cost about $35 a bottle.

But Krugen, an AFSCME retiree from Arizona, will never forget the day when she and her husband went to the drug store to pick up his insulin and the pharmacist told them it now cost $900 a bottle.

“This was medication he needed to live, and we had insurance,” she said at a press briefing earlier this month. “We looked at each other and had to ask ourselves: Do we make the house payment? Do we buy food? Or do we pay for his medication?”

Vaccine Mandate Letter of Agreement

Today, the 20th of September 2021, the District Council of Trade Unions, alongside PROTEC17 and LiUNA Local 483, has signed a Letter Of Agreement (LOA) that provides important rights for AFSCME Local 189 workers impacted by the vaccine mandate.

This agreement is now in effect. As part of the agreement we were able to bargain following additional rights beyond what the City initially proposed:

COVID19 Vaccine FAQ

COVID19 Vaccine Mandate FAQ
Learn more about Oregon AFSCME's response to vaccine mandates

A New Jersey member’s career grows thanks to the AFSCME Free College Benefit

The pandemic has led many of us to take stock of our lives and our goals. For AFSCME New Jersey member LaTrenda Ross, the pandemic ignited a long-held dream—starting her own life coaching business.

“I was thinking about revamping my whole entire life,” recalls Ross, a member of Local 2306. “I was looking out for things I want to do, things I haven’t been going after.”

DCTU, LiUNA Local 483, and PROTEC 17 Vaccine Mandate Town Hall Q&A Summary

On September 7th, 2021 the DCTU, LiUNA Local 483, and PROTEC17 held a multi-union town hall where we invited a panel of labor attorneys to address members' concerns related to the City of Portland's then-recently announced vaccine mandate. We were joined by Margaret Olney from Bennet Hartman, Kaitlyn Oldham of Tedesco Law Group, Dan Hutzenbiler of McKanna Bishop Joffe, and IBEW’s General Counsel Diana Winther. The following is a summary of these attorneys' responses to our questions, as well as excerpts from their direct answers (in blue).

Approval of labor unions continues to rise; is highest since 1965

More Americans approve of labor unions today than at any time since 1965, according to annual Gallup poll results released around each Labor Day.

More than two-thirds of poll respondents – 68% – approved of labor unions. That means a clear majority of voters views labor unions favorably. Among adults 18-34 years of age, 77% approve of unions. Support is also high among those with annual household incomes under $40,000.

DCTU Town Hall Bargaining and Mediation update - 8/19/2021

The bargaining team met with City Management last Thursday, 8/19/2021, in a mediation session proctored by Janet Gillman of the Oregon Employee Relations Board. We made progress on several articles — and even reached a tentative agreement on some click here for more details!