News

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 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

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday joined AFSCME President Lee Saunders and front-line public service workers from states experiencing surges in coronavirus cases to urge the Senate to approve at least $1 trillion in flexible aid to states, cities and towns.

AFSCME joined a virtual gathering of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, a movement that seeks to shift the moral narrative of our country and build power for poor and vulnerable people.

June 2020

The City Unions for the City of Portland draft a letter for Safety and Health for all their members and  all of the City of Portland Employees.

The letter (attached below) was sent to the City Council asking the council and other City leaders to implement key safety measures and to elevate these concerns with the hope of preventing future illnesses and exposure in regards to the COVID19 pandemic. 

Attached below is the letter that was sent. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the local stewards or leadership.

On June 10th, 2020 this letter below was sent by several Portland area Union Leaders in support of the need for change, specifically in regard to Racism and the Black Lives Matter Movement.

The letter was reviewed by the 189 Executive Board, our President and Secretary-Treasurer are signatories to the statement. 

AFSCME praised today’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that extends protections under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act to millions of LGBTQ workers.

In a statement, AFSCME President Lee Saunders said such protections are long overdue and represent an important step in the fight for equality and justice for all workers.

Economists of diverse backgrounds, who might otherwise disagree on a range of policy issues, spoke with a single voice on Monday on the need for Congress to provide robust aid to states, cities and towns.

Such aid, they said, is crucial in the midst of an economic crisis that is decimating state and local budgets and threatening essential public services that are critical to beating the pandemic and jumpstarting the economy.

On June 3rd, 2020  The DCTU (Local 189) ratified Tentative Agreement (with an 87% approval) for the COVID-19 Impacts.

If you want to know more about the details of what’s going on or have questions please reach out to your Reps or Stewards or Leadership.

The Agreement is attached here.

As New York City became the epicenter of the global coronavirus pandemic, emergency medical services (EMS) professionals, including AFSCME member Laura Hartnett, were working 16-hour shifts instead of their normal eight-hour shifts to respond to the flood of emergency calls.

Across the country in California, AFSCME member Blake