Ballot measure storm a-brewin'

At the recent AFT-Oregon Winter School, amid howling wind gusts of up to 80 miles an hour, Chris Coughlin, executive director of Our Oregon alerted AFT-Oregon members to the storm brewing in Election 2006. 

Two proposed ballot measures would cripple the state's ability to fund public services.

Initiative Petition #6, entitled, Constitutional State Spending Limit (aka "Taxpayers Bill of Rights," TABOR) amends the Oregon Constitution to insert an arbitrary spending cap that does not allow the state to budget adequately for basic services. Last November, voters in Colorado suspended a similar cap, which had decimated pre-K to higher education programs. This is simply a cap on services, if such a law had been in place during the “boom and bust” cycle between 1990 and today, public services would be operating with 25 percent less funding.

Petition #14, Guarantees Same Deductions as on Federal Return, a risky and confusing tax cut which would cost the state $835-million. This equals the entire support for the University System Budget, and nearly twice the state support for community colleges.

Big out- of- state money funding efforts to cap state services.

Out-of-state anti-government interests are funding both initiatives almost entirely. AFT-Oregon is a coalition partner with Our Oregon, who is spearheading efforts to monitor these initiatives and to defend our public services. Visit www.ouroregoncoalition.org to learn more.

University system puts faculty benefits in the cross-hairs

The Oregonian featured two articles this week regarding the recent shift toward the use of part-time, contingent faculty, over full-time faculty noting "quality of a college naturally suffers when a majority of instructors have middling pay, minimal health benefits and zero job security." Click here to read these articles.

AFT-Oregon members are currently interviewing legislative candidates about supporting faculty salary increases; supporting part-time faculty at community colleges and universities so they can receive health care benefits and unemployment insurance should they lose their positions; in addition to changing the law to make staffing levels a mandatory subject of bargaining. To view a sample candidate questionaire, click here.

Meanwhile, the Oregon State Board of Higher Education released ideas for draft legislation in the 2007 legislative session which would gut PERS and the Optional Retirement Plan for existing members, and would replace the existing retirement plan with a risky 401(k)-style program.

The board proposal cites a "30 percent savings" in health care by pushing faculty to start paying additional co-pays for health care benefits. AFT-Oregon members are organizing early to talk to the Governor's office and the State Board about the misguided attempt to pay for faculty salaries by raiding pensions and health care benefits. 

House slashes vital services by a vote of 216 - 214

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a budget reconciliation conference report by a vote of 216-214 as 13 Republicans joined the entire Democratic caucus in voting against the conference report. The House passed a similar measure in December but the Senate altered the report slightly forcing the House to vote again and approve the final package. The final report still contains a total of $39.7 billion in cuts from mandatory programs that will have devastating effects on students, retirees, low-income Americans and working families.

Specifically, cuts to student loan programs will make college more expensive for millions of American students.

Some 70 percent of the gross savings generated by this GOP Raid on Student Aid will come directly out of the pockets of college students and their parents. This Republican cut in the student loan program of nearly $12 billion is the largest in the program’s history.

House votes:

Oregon members voting against AFT's position:

Walden (R - 2)

Oregon members voting in support of AFT's position:

Wu (D - 1)
Defazio (D - 4)
Hooley (D - 5)

Not Voting

Blumenauer (D - 3)

Watch for future reports on the President’s budget and its impact on AFT members and federal funding for public services. 

 Activists for Congressional Education make a difference

Several Congressmen and women bucked the Republican caucas to vote against the budget. Though barely defeated, much of the push for changing the votes came from the union movement and specifically AFT ACE (Activists for Congressional Education) activists in other states. If you would like to take part in these sorts of activities with your member of congress e-mail Matt Swanson at matts@aft-oregon.org.

Local member spotlight: Lila Young

Who Are You? I'm a Library Media Assistant at Hillsboro High School, and serve as Local 4671, Hillsboro Classified United COPE VP. I've been married for 40 years, and have three daughters and four grandchildren. I enjoy meeting new people, and being involved in making positive changes in our society. 

Why do you feel union members should be involved in politics? To make a difference in the work force and general lifestyle for families and others. We need to make our voices heard on education, health care, fair wages, and benefits.

What are the biggest political challenges/opportunities for your Local, or AFT-Oregon Members? Our biggest challenge is to educate members about the candidates who are running and ballot measures that will support education, health care, fair wages, and benefits.

Help a member to take "Political Action"