Attendees feel renewed, refreshed, and ready to go home and build power after attending a school staff leadership conference in Chicago this past weekend.
OSEA sent 12 members hailing from the executive boards of Baker Chapter 20, Reynolds Chapter 37, Nyssa Chapter 82 and Bend-La Pine Chapter 6 to spend three days getting high-level training from our national affiliate, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), on running an organizing campaign, building power internally and strengthening contract language.
President Sarah Wofford and our Director of Field Operations joined the members to represent OSEA at the national level. The conference brought together more than 100 school support staff from around the country, giving our members the chance to stand in solidarity with classified educators from other states.
President Wofford said members were able to see that we’re not alone, our struggles are real and that here in Oregon, we have worker protections that others are still fighting for.
“It was truly exhilarating to get to watch our members get to experience national solidarity and realize that OSEA is a powerhouse in the labor movement,” President Wofford said.
Sheila Holt, Secretary in Reynolds Chapter 37, said it was really valuable to make connections with educators from all over the country and talk about the shared issues we all face.
“I felt like it gave me a real shot in the arm to get motivated because we’re right in the middle of bargaining,” Holt said. “I feel like it gave me a little refresher.”
AFT’s Paraprofessionals and School-Related Personnel (PSRP) Leadership Conference is just the start of a year-long effort to boost internal organizing across the U.S. The conference attendees set goals, created action plans and will have regular check-ins with AFT national staff throughout the year. They’ll also receive three more Zoom trainings in the coming months.
Nicole Miller, President of Baker Chapter 20, said that her action plan centered on fighting for what she called an “enjoyable wage” rather than a living wage.
“Everybody says ‘living wage’ but that just means making it to the end of the month,” Miller said. “An ‘enjoyable wage’ means that you have some cushion… I think that’s something that could be really catchy.”
Our union is here to support you, empower you, and connect you with limitless professional development opportunities. Reach out to your chapter leadership or field representative if you’re interested in getting more involved.