Did we see you at Labor Day?
The sizzle of grills accompanied rousing calls to action at Labor Day picnics across Oregon.
In Portland, more than 100 OSEA members, family and friends joined members of AFT Oregon and the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP) for a barbecue picnic at Oaks Amusement Park. OSEA President Tim Stoelb, Executive Director Rick Shidaker and Organizing Director Richard Ramirez grilled up around 300 hamburgers and countless hot dogs to feed everyone.
Gov. Kate Brown and Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) Commissioner Brad Avakian were among the elected officials to stop by to chat with members. Representatives of the Vote Yes on 97 campaign were also on hand to educate attendees about Measure 97, which would make large, out-of-state businesses pay their fair share in corporate taxes to help adequately fund Oregon education. Avakian even took time to flip some burgers with Stoelb and Shidaker.
Later in the afternoon, members were able to attend an Oregon AFL-CIO speakers forum where Brown, Avakian, U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley along with other Oregon dignitaries talked about the importance of labor unions and the protections and benefits they have brought workers, such as the weekend and 40-hour work week.
In Salem, State Rep. Paul Evans outlined the importance of the November 2016 election.
“Here’s the deal: Organized workers have more at stake in this election than ever,” Evans said, adding that small businesses have much more in common with working families than the large corporations who claim to have the little guy’s best interests at heart.
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