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“Government Relations” is the term used to describe the political and legislative programs and activities of our Union. It accurately defines the combined political and legislative efforts of OSEA and the membership to promote and defend the interests of labor, education, and other public services at the local, state, and federal levels of government.
The OSEA leadership and general membership advance their government relations mission and goals at the state level through the Government Relations Office (GRO). The GRO is located at the OSEA State Headquarters in Salem, Oregon. The office staff includes Director of Government Relations Ed Edwards and Government Relations Specialist Tricia Smith.
The OSEA Government Relations Office offers members a full complement of resources that contribute to our organization’s success in the political and legislative arena. GRO is the place to go for information and resources related to local and state candidate and ballot measure campaigns (including local bond levy measures); media campaigns; political and legislative training; message development and talking points for issue campaigns; and for information and positions relating to PERS, collective bargaining, education funding, state revenue, and taxation issues.
Member Involvement
OSEA members are involved in government relations because the decisions made by elected representatives and voters (local, state, federal) impact their jobs, retirement, benefits, the quality of education, and other public services they provide to students and citizens. OSEA members know that elected representatives and Oregon voters will make good decisions only if they are educated and informed about issues. That is why a strong government relations program is so important. It’s all about protecting our rights and supporting a vision for an even better Oregon.
Election 2008 Candidate Interviews
Candidates for State Representative and State Senator want your support and the endorsement of your union, OSEA. But first they have to answer the hard questions about education funding, PERS, privatization, the rising costs of health insurance premiums, and other topics important to OSEA members.
Ask the hard questions and get the answers by joining your local candidate interview team. If you sign up today, you will be part of a team who will interview local candidates seeking election to the Oregon House or Senate.
 Click here to see OSEA's priorities for this election
Click here to review candidate questionnaire
Chapter Government Relations Committees
Government Relations Committees at the Chapter level focus on local politics and legislative/policy decisions made by elected/appointed boards. The Chapter Government Relations Committees (CGRC) are member run and directed. Their activities include interviewing local candidates, building relationships with local representatives, connecting with community organizations, and advancing the local government relations’ priorities of OSEA with the citizens of the community.
American Association of Classified School Employees
At the federal level, OSEA is a founding member of the American Association of Classified School Employees (AACSE). The AACSE is a national organization representing 250,000 classified school employees in 48 states. The issues and interests of AACSE member organizations are promoted every day in our nation’s capital through the lobby firm of F/S Capitol.
Healthy High Performance
School Report Card
OSEA, a founding member of the American Association of Classified School Employees (AACSE), joins with our other affiliates in promoting Healthy High Performance Schools. AACSE, the national voice for classified school employees, continues this year to bring to the attention of our national representatives the unhealthy environment that many of our nation’s children and school staff encounter every school day. Please read the following information about this important program and help us be successful. Ed Edwards, OSEA Director of Government Relations.
Does your school make the grade?
A healthy school has an environment that is conducive to learning and working. However, many schools, like some people, are not healthy because of poor indoor quality, insufficient custodial and maintenance staff, or slow responses to health and safety concerns. These are some of the issues that have prompted the American Association of Classified School Employees (AACSE) to create a Healthy High Performing Schools Report Card to help school employees determine the health of their buildings. The report card is part of the AACSE legislative program to win support for federal legislation to make schools safe places in which to learn and work.
The new AACSE report card asks questions that include: How is the air in your building? Does your school have sufficient custodial and maintenance staff to properly maintain your building? Is there a complaint and investigation procedure in your school that is timely and responsive to parent and staff heath and safety concerns? Each question receives a grade from A = Close to ideal, to F = Totally inadequate or nonexistent. These grades are averaged together to produce a final grade for the health of the school.
Does your school make the grade? Click here to fill out a report card
 for your school.
When the survey is completed, Chapters and members can fax the survey to Ed Edwards (1-503-588-8307) or mail to OSEA, Attention: Ed Edwards,
4735 Liberty Road S
,
Salem
,
Oregon
97302. Surveys can also be returned via e-mail by submitting the district information and assessing a grade for each survey question. E-mail surveys to ed@osea.org. OSEA needs the report cards returned by Wednesday, March 15, in order to release the results to Congressional staff and the media during the AACSE Legislative Conference in
Washington
,
D.C.
in late March.
If you have any questions about the report card, please call Ed Edwards at 1-800-252-6732.
SEED and VOICE Funds
In addition to Government Relations staff, AACSE, and Chapter Government Relations Committees, our success also depends on the financial support the general membership provides to the SEED and VOICE funds. SEED, School Employees Exercising Democracy, is our ballot measure (local and state) fund. VOICE is our political campaign fund. Both of these funds are supported by voluntary contributions. The funds are used to educate and motivate voters or other decision makers to take specific actions in support of or opposition to initiatives/ballot measures (local and state) and to promote OSEA-endorsed candidates seeking elective office (local and state).
OSEA Priorities: The Focus of OSEA is Labor and Education
Listed below are some of the labor and education issues important to our members. It is the work of the Government Relations Office, AACSE, and local CGRCs to lobby and educate candidates, elected representatives, and voters on the issues and concerns of OSEA members working in Oregon’s K-12 schools, community colleges, ESDs, park and recreation districts, and Head Starts.
Education funding
Privatization, contracting out of public services
Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
Collective bargaining
Student transportation
School breakfast and lunch programs
Unemployment compensation
Workers’ compensation
Staff development/training
Education reform
Public contracting laws
Charter Schools/Student Vouchers
Title I
IDEA
Perkins Grant
Head Start
TANF: Temporary Aid to Needy Families
Government Relations Training Opportunities
Government Relations 101
Government structure; legislation; Republic vs. Democracy; lobbying; campaigns (issues, election, and ballot measures)
OSEA and District Boards
Lobbying and influencing boards
Building Community Coalitions
Identifying and working with community groups
Being Active in Local, State, and Federal Election
Candidate interviews, endorsements, and campaigning before and during elections
Successful fund raising for SEED/VOICE
OSEA Legislative and Election Priorities
Presentation and discussion on Government Relations topics/issues
Media/Messaging
Using the media to deliver the OSEA message
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