Veterans Day Message from President Lisa Gourley

It is that time of year when Americans pause to honor the service and sacrifice of our military veterans on Veterans Day. Thousands of OSEA members and represented employees are veterans; many of us have family who served in the military. We thank you for your service! Some of you know about OSEA leader John Brown, our 13th state president and longtime executive director. John... Read More

OSEA Conference Resolution Deadline for 2022

Each year OSEA holds an annual Conference where member-elected delegates conduct the business of the union. Members do this by submitting resolutions to be considered by delegates attending Conference where action is taken on submitted resolutions them. In accordance with the OSEA Constitution, Article XI, Section 3d, your Resolutions/Constitution Committee has been charged with... Read More

Eugene Chapter 1 Member Launches Restorative Practices Program

After establishing the program in the Eugene School District, Georgiann Jones is organizing facilitator trainings for OSEA members who want to bring restorative practices to their own chapters. In the summer of 2020, the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis sparked a national reckoning with racial injustice and police brutality. Protests touched... Read More

OSEA Communications Survey

Help OSEA Improve the Way We Share Information! As a member-driven union, it is important for OSEA to share information efficiently with our members and the workers we represent. We’d like to hear from you — what do you think of OSEA’s communications? What can we improve? Please take our five-minute communications survey to share your feedback. Click here to take the OSEA... Read More

President Lisa Gourley: In a Chaotic World, We Are a Constant for our Students

One of the best parts of being your state president is that I get to hear from represented employees in all areas of the state. Lately, it’s no surprise concerns related to the coronavirus are front and center in my messages. We’ve all been impacted. Our movements, social engagements and local economies are dampened. For too many, it has affected the ones we love. From every... Read More

Rising from the Ashes

On Sept. 6, students, school employees and community members gathered at Blue Heron Park in Phoenix, Ore., to witness the unveiling of a remarkable art installation: several metal sculptures, over 10 feet tall, modeling the branches of the manzanita tree. Each sculpture was crafted by students from Talent Middle School and Phoenix High School who worked with an artist over the summer... Read More

OSEA Welcomes New Staff

Brian Hanson, Field Representative Brian Hanson is making the move to field representative after being an OSEA member and classified employee for more than 12 years. Members may recognize him as OSEA’s 2021 Employee of the Year. Born in Bend, Ore., and raised as a unionist, Hanson has been a supporter and advocate for labor his entire life. From AFL-CIO picket lines to the school... Read More

As educators, OSEA members know the value of education. That’s why our union awards over $20,000 in scholarships each year to help members and their families pursue their academic goals. Additional scholarships are available through our partners, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and Union Plus. The Free College Program and Bachelor’s Degree Completion Program... Read More

OSEA Names Susan Miller Interim Executive Director

The OSEA Board of Directors has appointed Susan Miller as interim executive director, following the retirement of Rick Shidaker. Susan has been part of the OSEA staff since 2016, when she was hired as Director of Field Operations. We are grateful for her leadership during this transition. The Board of Directors now begins the process for hiring a new executive director. In accordance... Read More

Conference 2021 Recap

OSEA’s 83rd Annual Conference wrapped up on Saturday, June 26. Catch up on all that happened!  Read More