Your testimony is needed for Senate Hearing on unemployment insurance

OSEA is backing two bills to improve unemployment insurance (UI) laws by removing unfair restrictions for some school employees. Extreme lags in processing UI claims in 2020 clearly showed how convoluted, inefficient and unfair the current system is. Senate Bill (SB) 495 and SB 496 would make vast improvements for educational assistants, food service workers, Head Start employees... Read More

Conference 2021

OSEA’s 83rd annual Conference will be held June 24-26, 2021. We will hold the event in-person, provided conditions allow, at the Red Lion on the River in Portland.  Read More

OSEA Conference Resolution Deadline for 2021

By the Resolutions/Constitution Committee In accordance with the OSEA Constitution, your Resolutions/Constitution Committee has been charged with informing and assisting members in the governance of their association. Our Constitution is determined by established law and member action. All OSEA members are entitled, even invited, to propose constitutional amendments. The Resolutions/Constitution... Read More

2021 Leadership Summit is Canceled

OSEA’s 2021 Leadership Summit, tentatively scheduled for Jan. 29-30, has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.  Read More

A Thanksgiving Message from President Lisa Gourley

With Thanksgiving on Thursday, I am taking some time this week to count my blessings. We have faced many unprecedented challenges this year, but even in the darkest times we can find reasons for gratitude — and doing so can give us hope and courage to keep working toward a brighter future. In addition to my loved ones and the life we have the pleasure of living, here are three... Read More

Reopening Update: New Metrics Will Allow More In-Person Learning

At 11 a.m. today, The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) released their latest Ready Schools, Safe Learners guidance for the 2020-21 school year, including new metrics which will allow more students to return to the classroom. (Metrics are on page 15 of the new guidance document.) Click Here to See the Latest Guidance Changes to the metrics will allow many more schools to reopen... Read More

Letter from President Lisa Gourley: Visiting Chapters Impacted by Wildfires

Dear OSEA Members, My heart is heavy as I write this. Our beloved state and union members are still recovering from the wildfires that swept across the state in September. Burning more than a million acres, the fires not only devastated our forests, recreation areas and infrastructure, but decimated many of our communities. Homes, farms, businesses and schools have been lost. These... Read More

Information on Reasonable Assurance Determinations from OED

When evaluating claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for school employees, the Oregon Employment Department (OED) makes a determination of whether each employee has a ‘reasonable assurance’ of returning to work after a break period. Below are some frequently asked questions about how these determinations are made. Are determinations of ‘reasonable assurance’... Read More

Fire fighters offer tips for education employees to protect themselves from COVID-19

As first responders, our siblings in labor at the Oregon State Fire Fighters Council are on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. They shared some tips for how education employees can protect themselves during this pandemic. What are the best safety tips for operating in small spaces or close proximity, such as school kitchens or child care rooms, without personal protective... Read More

New Union Rights Under House Bill 2016

House Bill (HB) 2016 makes sweeping changes to OSEA’s rights to represent, organize and educate employees under Oregon’s Public Employees Collective Bargaining Act (PECBA). These are some of the most significant new regulations. OSEA Representatives Have Paid Time to Conduct Union Business Designated OSEA union representatives (i.e. chapter officers, stewards, and worksite... Read More