OSEA President
We all know that OSEA members are the backbone of our schools, colleges, Head Starts, parks and libraries. You are also the heart and soul of OSEA, and the reason our union exists.
That is what it means to belong to “a member’s union” – we are the union. Members are at the heart of every decision, every campaign and every action. Members come first.
This year, OSEA is putting a special emphasis on helping members develop the fundamental skills that are essential to union work. That’s because everything we build as a union must start with members like you, before it can grow outward into the districts and communities we serve.
Organizing and leadership skills matter more than ever. They are what we need to get us through a challenging time for Oregon’s education system.
A state budget shortfall at the beginning of the year led to less funding for early education programs this fall. Education spending cuts at the federal level mean fewer resources for Title I, special education and other programs that our most vulnerable students need. Many of our employers are talking about layoffs and furlough days, balancing their budgets on our backs. Chapters that are in bargaining this year are hearing that there just isn’t money for cost-of-living adjustments, even as the costs of basic necessities soar.
If you are worried, afraid or frustrated right now, you are far from alone. But it is important to remember that our strength never came from our employers’ budgets. It never came from lawmakers in Salem or Washington, D.C. It comes from us.
Our true strength comes from our solidarity. Our knowledge. Our heartfelt belief that we deserve respect and compensation for the work we do. Our commitment to fighting for better, even when the fight is hard.
This is not the time to give up – it’s time to get ready. OSEA members, we must meet this moment by investing in ourselves and in one another through union trainings, leadership development and chapter engagement. That’s how we will build the skills to face any challenge with confidence.
The more we learn, the more we can organize. The more we organize, the more we can win. As we grow stronger as members, we build the power to lift up our schools, protect our jobs, and create better outcomes for the education programs our students, families and communities need more than ever.
As I said, OSEA members are the backbone of these programs, and we have to keep fighting. I know we can get through the challenges we are facing if we stand strong, together.
No matter what, we will keep our focus where it belongs: on our members. We will continue to build power from the ground up. Our union is fueled by members’ knowledge, solidarity and commitment to one another. We are the only ones who can ensure classified voices are not just heard, but respected and valued. And when we are prepared and united, we are unstoppable. ■