American Federation of Teachers, Oregon (AFT-OR) Endorses the Green New Deal

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Whereas, the ongoing and ever-worsening climate catastrophe mandates an urgent response; and

Whereas, the proposals for addressing carbon emissions and climate change seek a harmony between the economic, social, political, and ecological; and

Whereas, AFT-OR and National should lead cousin unions in the AFL-CIO by joining others in endorsing candidates and policies to address the ongoing climate crisis; and

Whereas, the national Green New Deal explicitly calls for protections of jobs, a just transition for those employed in carbon-intensive industries, a guaranteed living wage for all residents of the United States, and other such provisions which are the bedrock of organized labor’s principled goals for economic justice; and

Whereas, the Green New Deal calls for addressing inequities first amongst communities of color, poor economically marginalized people, and other oppressed populations on the basis of identity and class; and

Whereas, the Green New Deal calls for universal health care, which is a position already adopted by AFT both nationally and at the state federation level; and

Whereas, Oregon is already at the forefront of the fight for the climate in that the Oregon Green New Deal lays out seven real steps for change, including (1) phasing out fossil fuel infrastructure, (2) strong regulations for healthy, breathable air, (3) clean, community-controlled 100% renewable energy, (4) regenerative, sustainable farms and forests, (5) transportation justice, (6) protection of communities already experiencing a change in climate, and (7) funding the Just Transition [1]; and

Therefore Be It Resolved, AFT-OR immediately endorse the Oregon Green New Deal, adding its name to a growing list of organizations; and

Be It Further Resolved, that AFT-OR will convene a committee of rank-and-file members to create a policy platform simultaneously addressing climate change and economic justice to be submitted to all state political officials for adoption.

Be It Finally Resolved, that this resolution will be made a priority for advocating adoption at the AFTNational Convention at the scale of our national union\ and the Oregon AFL-CIO Convention.

Resolution #2019 -6

Resolution in Support of Campaign Workers Organizing

Whereas, AFT-Oregon encourages and supports the efforts of all workers to join or form unions in order to bargain the terms and conditions of their employment; and

Whereas, improving the lives of working people in Oregon depends largely on the power of campaign workers to help elect pro-union candidates and pass pro-union policies; and

Whereas, Oregon campaign workers work long hours, often seven days a week, for little pay that often results in less than minimum wage compensation and with no agreed upon time off, causing burnout and unhealthy workers; and

Whereas, Oregon campaign workers do not have access to employer-sponsored healthcare, untaxed healthcare stipends or paid sick days; and

Whereas, Oregon campaign workers have no access to procedures to address workplace grievances; and

Whereas, Oregon campaign workers are currently “at will” employees, hired and fired at the whim of management, with no protection against unjust firings or disciplinary actions; and

Whereas, while Oregon leads the way on many worker’s rights issues, our campaign workers are currently being left behind; and

Whereas, the Campaign Workers Guild has negotiated thirty contracts across the country in its first election cycle as a union; and

Now Therefore be it Resolved that, consistent with our party platform, AFT-OR strongly supports the efforts of the Campaign Workers Guild to organize Oregon campaign workers.

Be it finally resolved that, AFT-OR will not endorse candidates who do not voluntarily recognize the right of their campaign workers to unionize.

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This post was previously published on Labor4sustainability.org and is republished here with permission from the author.

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