A
Member's
Union
A
Member's
Union
(3/12/26) After month's of work by the Constitution Committee, followed by a lengthy review from the state executive board, an updated constitution was presented to the membership at two separate readings via virtual Teams meetings. Union members subsequently voted overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying the updates (view here), which combines our the constitution and bylaws into a single document (with some appendixes).
The new governing document is based upon an OSEA template, and establishes a mechanism for e-voting, allowing us to once again vote online. Elections will now be executed through the state office, using Election Buddy, which OSEA will pay for. It also includes language to allow unopposed candidates and initiatives to be affirmed automatically without need for a ballot.
The Committee completed its work last spring, but due to a backlog at the state office, the document was not finalized until recently. The Committee's work was based on a review of the old constitution and bylaws, by the OSEA template used by many other chapters. The Committee also received feedback from members throughout the process, and made adjustments accordingly.
While the state office has yet to sign off on the final version, the Chapter Executive Board is committed to honoring the clear choice of the members, and has no inclination to revisit until such time as the Chapter membership decides it needs further revision.
If you are injured, hurt or assaulted on the job, remember to complete an Injury Report form (en español) as soon as possible.
Employee Injury Reports go to your supervisor or administrator. HR tracks all employee injuries throughout the year. These reports, with names redacted, are shared with the Safety Committee to address systemic issues and ensure repairs are made or new procedures added to prevent future injuries. The Employee Injury Report should be filled out as soon as possible, as it is the official notification of injury for an employee should they need medical attention. If medical attention is needed, HR will work with the employee to complete state paperwork to file a Workers Compensation claim for medical costs.
If your injury is the result of a student action, be sure to also notify your principal directly. Student names should not be put on the Employee Injury Report for FERPA reasons, as it becomes a part of your personal medical record. Simply filling out an Employee Injury Report will not lead to added supports or structures to address student behavior. You must fill out a referral form at your school to ensure that information is tracked, and the team supporting the student is made aware of the situation.
If the student involved is served by an IEP, you should also consult with the Learning Specialist, they might include the Student Services IC for support as well. If there are repeated incidents, they will bring in one of the District's Regulation Skills Coordinators. As a staff member working with this student, your experiences with the student are critical in creating support plans for the student. If the student is on a 504, consult with their counselor.
If your injury results in lost wages, Human Resources should provide you with the form you need to apply for Workers Compensation in Oregon. There is a mandatory waiting period, so the sooner you file, the better.
As the federal government continues to ramp up immigration enforcement across the country, it's important to know your rights and responsibilities should agents arrive at your workplace. Oregon is a sanctuary state, which means that staff of public institutions, including schools, are prohibited from assisting with immigration enforcement, unless officers present a judicial warrant.
But what does that mean for us? OSEA has a number of resources available on the state oraganization's website from organizations specializing in interactions with immigration authorities. You can find those at the link below. Our national affiliate, the AFT, has also been monitoring the situation and producing materials on how to protect students, keep yourself safe and follow the law when interacting with federal immigration authorities.
OSEA and AFT have compiled resources for immigrants, refugees and supporters. You can find them here.
Certified Staff voted last spring to take two furlough days during the 2025-2026 school year. The first day was November 10, 2025, and the next one will be May 22, 2026. Our classified union members voted to not lose any working days this school year.
Twelve month classified staff were unaffected by the furlough days, while 10 and 11 month staff are working on both furlough days.
Paraeducators have already made up both days in separate trainings, and will not be working on the next furlough day, May 22.
On April 17, 2026, Governor Tina Kotek signed an executive order prohibiting districts from reducing instructional time. She notably did not provide additional money to schools for providing instruction. The new unfunded mandate takes effect in Fall of 2027, so it doesn't appear to affect the current WLWV schedule. The EO is vague on what constitutes "instructional time", and the state doesn't currently know how many districts have actually instituted furlough days. Many districts have expressed confusion over the wording, and how it will be implemented remains to be seen.
If you have not filled out a membership form, and aren't deducting dues from your paycheck, you haven’t joined the union yet! With bargaining underway, now is a great time to make sure you are a member! As we negotiate our next contract, we are reaching out to members to solidify which areas are most important to them, and we would love to include your voice. Contract negotiations are open to any member who wants to observe.Click here to access our membership form. If you have any questions about joining, feel free to email secretary@osea-wlwv.com or marc@osea.org.
All OSEA members pay the same dues: 1.8 percent of our salary. (In some chapters, members pay a small additional amount for local activities.) It’s a small investment in a bigger cause. Dues support a variety of resources that help us represent, protect and empower education employees. Dues allow us to hire professional representatives and legal counsel to level the playing field with our employers. Membership is worth it: union-represented workers make 15% more, on average, than nonunion workers in similar jobs.
As an OSEA member, you have a say in the dues you pay. At the state and chapter level, dues rates are set by our union constitution. They can be updated through a resolution voted on at conference. If you are not an OSEA member and would like to join, please sign up at the OSEA website.
OSEA's 87th Annual Conference starts June 25th at the Columbia Riverfront Holiday Inn. The conference will welcome delegates from chapters across the state to hear reports from state leadership, discuss and vote on resolutions, and play Bingo (It's in the constitution).
There are 18 resolutions for consideration this year, some of which could affect how the union conducts elections, how long officers may serve, and how dues are managed. Members can log in to the Members-Only section of the OSEA website to read the full text of each resolution.
Chapter 102's delegates this year will include the newly reaffirmed Executive Board, President Jared Hayes, Vice President Andrea Waddell, Secretary Zoë Davis and Treasurer David Benston, as well as nominated members Jessica Lambert, West Lentz and Jamie Lash. Please reach out to any delegate with questions, concerns or opinions about the resolutions or the conference in general.