OSEA’s Membership Incentive Program (MIP) continues to energize our chapters to achieve their best possible membership rates.

The program allows OSEA to invest in local chapters by paying a monetary incentive based on the percentage of eligible employees who are dues-paying members. To receive the MIP incentive, chapters must achieve a membership of at least 70 percent by May 1 of each year.

Eighty-nine chapters received incentive funds through MIP last year, including nine chapters that successfully reached 100 percent membership. “We know that these impressive results happen because chapter leaders, worksite organizers and enthusiastic members put in the work, along with staff support,” said OSEA Director of Organizing Richard Ramirez. “Every new membership is the result of a successful drive or meaningful conversation, and these chapters should be incredibly proud of what they have accomplished.”

The MIP was launched in March 2018 to support chapters in building and maintaining a high level of membership. High membership helps deliver the representation, advocacy and services that members deserve.

As OSEA President Lisa Gourley puts it, “It is absolutely essential to the wellbeing of OSEA to keep membership levels high. A robust membership shows we have the backing of the majority of employees, which allows us to take a strong position defending the things we all need – good jobs with fair wages and benefits, because each of these enables us to provide more for our families.”

Incentives are tacked to a chapter’s membership rates – the closer a chapter is to 100 percent membership, the larger their incentive. OSEA returns 10 percent of membership dues to chapters above 95 percent membership, five percent for those above 80 percent membership and three percent for those above 70 percent membership.

Response to this program has been overwhelmingly positive. Since the launch of MIP two years ago, the majority of chapters have reached or maintained at least 70 percent membership each year. Many chapters grew significantly during that time, motivated in part by the incentive.

Funds can be used in any way authorized by a chapter’s governing documents. Chapters have used their incentive for additional membership drives, emergency assistance for members, scholarship programs and sending delegates to Conference.

“As we head into the next school year, I hope our chapters will organize and recruit to take full advantage of this program,” said Gourley.

Chapters Qualifying for MIP

Tier 1: 95-100%
Butte Falls Ch. 142
Central Point Ch. 47
Clatskanie Ch. 53
COCC-ABS Ch. 700
Fern Ridge Library Ch. 39
Forest Grove Sodexo Custodians Ch. 301
Jewel Ch. 145
Knappa Ch. 52
McKenzie Ch. 74
North Powder Ch. 123
North Santiam Ch. 122
Rainier Ch. 89
Winston-Dillard Ch. 29

Tier 2: 80-94%
Arlington Ch. 111
Astoria Ch. 72
BACSEA Ch. 302
Baker Ch. 20
Blachly Ch. 99
Centennial Ch. 113
Central Ch. 124
Clatsop CC Ch. 154
Coos Bay Ch. 33
Corvallis Ch. 2
Cottage Grove Ch. 32
Crook County Ch. 85
Crow/Applegate/Lorane Ch. 45
Dayton Ch. 88
Elgin Ch. 60
Estacada Ch. 100
Fern Ridge Ch. 35
Fossil Ch. 117
Glendale Ch. 94
Harney County Ch. 75
Head Start of Lane County Ch. 600
Hermiston Ch. 10
Hood River Ch. 9
Joseph Ch. 136
Lowell Ch. 118
Marcola Ch. 132
Neah-Kah-Nie Ch. 93
Nestucca Valley Ch. 169
North Clackamas Ch. 71
Oakridge Ch. 46
Oregon Trail Ch. 80
Parkrose Ch. 44
Philomath Ch. 64
Phoenix-Talent Ch. 96
Pleasant Hill Ch. 36
Port Orford-Langlois Ch. 27
Reynolds Ch. 37
Sheridan Ch. 98

Sherwood Ch. 103
South Umpqua Ch. 79
St. Helens Ch. 31
Sutherlin Ch. 11
Tillamook Ch. 28
Vernonia Ch. 67
Willamina Ch. 18
Winston-Dillard Drivers Ch. 205

Tier 3: 70-79%
Amity Ch. 144
Ashland Ch. 42
Athena-Weston Ch. 108
Creswell Ch. 49
Dallas Ch. 34
Elkton Ch. 13
Eugene Ch. 1
Gervais Ch. 135
Glide Ch. 134
Imbler Ch. 77
Jefferson Ch. 141
Lake Oswego Ch. 12
Madras Ch. 54
Medford Ch. 15
Molalla River Ch. 110
Myrtle Point Ch. 16
NeighborImpact Ch. 602
North Bend Ch. 26
North Marion Ch. 116
NWRESD Ch. 101
Oregon City Ch. 14
Rogue CC Ch. 152
Scio Ch. 137
Seaside Ch. 107
Silver Falls Ch. 148
Springfield Ch. 4
Umatilla Ch. 69
Union Ch. 143
Willamette ESDEA Ch. 95
Woodburn Ch. 25