OSEA Board endorses Yes on Measure 101

A major accomplishment of the 2017 Legislature was ensuring stable health care funding for Oregonians via passage of a modest provider assessment. This bipartisan solution was already in place in 48 other states and is a smart method to guarantee access to health care for every child in the state and 95 percent of all Oregonians. That’s why the OSEA Board of Directors urges a... Read More

Bringing clean water to Puerto Rico

A month after Hurricane Maria devastated their island, most Puerto Ricans still have no reliable source of safe drinking water. American citizens of Puerto Rico are facing a massive humanitarian crisis. More than a million people still lack running water — they are forced to find water in contaminated streams, collect it from runoff, even drink from toxic Superfund sites. And... Read More

OSEA endorses Gov. Brown for reelection

OSEA President Tim Stoelb on Friday announced the OSEA Board of Directors has endorsed Gov. Kate Brown for reelection in 2018. “At a time when public employees face attacks like never before, it’s critical to have strong, effective leaders who have our backs. Gov. Kate Brown has always looked out for us and the students we serve,” Stoelb said. “Brown has been... Read More

A step towards proper medical staffing

Nine Oregon school districts will take part in a pilot project to obtain federal reimbursement for providing healthcare to special education students thanks to a bill backed by OSEA. Oregon has a major school nursing shortage, as the recent Task Force on School Nursing report indicates: Our schools have only one certified and/or licensed registered nurse for every 2,178 students... Read More

How after-bell breakfast boosts performance

The American Federation for Teachers (AFT) and the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) are committed to strategic partnerships at the school, district, state and national levels to advance children’s health and well-being. We especially value collaborative approaches to address children’s food security. One way the AFT and FRAC work together is to ensure that all children,... Read More

Work Shouldn’t Hurt passes House unanimously

Great news! Our bill to include school employees in implementing and modifying student behavior management plans passed the Oregon House of Representatives unanimously! Please thank your legislator by clicking here. With House Bill (HB) 3318’s 59-0 approval in the House, the bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration. “Staff and student safety is a bipartisan issue,... Read More

Outsourcing harms workers, communities

Oregon state senators heard the case for accountability in outsourcing from one of its victims. Stephanie Hicks, a former school bus driver in Central Point Chapter 47 whose job was outsourced to a for-profit company, was the plaintiff in a successful case brought by OSEA against the school district. While the Oregon Court of Appeals ultimately ruled that Central Point School District... Read More

Big win for Eugene interpreters

American Sign Language interpreters in Eugene School District won a major victory recently in their demands for fair compensation for the work they do. Serving Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students throughout Lane County districts in classrooms, extracurricular and even social activities is a job that requires a high-level set of skills, certification and experience. Yet the pay scale... Read More

OSEA members lobby legislature for LED

About 150 OSEA members stormed the Oregon State Capitol on Monday, talking with lawmakers about important education issues and testifying on problems facing school employees. OSEA’s Legislative Education Day (LED) is held every two years during the Oregon Legislature’s “long” sessions during odd-numbered years. This year attracted unprecedented interest among OSEA members. In... Read More

North Santiam reaches an agreement

After months of often acrimonious negotiation, North Santiam Chapter 122 finally reached a mediated contract agreement with the school district on Jan. 10. “We accomplished in eight hours with a mediator what we couldn’t do in eight months of bargaining with the district,” OSEA Field Representative Gabe Ortega said. “Things went so much smoother and productively with the... Read More