Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Oregon AFSCME has made an effort to provide members with the latest information and news about resources for workers across the state.
Read MoreWe know that many Local 328 members are worried about how OHSU’s financial challenges will affect our bargaining unit, and want to address those concerns. What will happen to our bargaining unit is unknown at this time. It’s difficult to foresee a response to that doesn’t include a reduction in FTE or in salaries, but it’s important to remember that our contract offers protections. Whatever the proposed options are, they must be supported by a strong majority of our membership, or we won’t agree to them.
Read MoreThe next few days and weeks will be hard for our members who work in Food and Nutrition, who are experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19 within the department. This is a tragic failure on the part of management. However, our union is so proud of the workers who stepped up and reported concerns and safety violations. Our union has known of serious issues -- and has been calling for changes -- in Food and Nutrition for the past year, if not longer. This pandemic and the subsequent safety failures have finally pushed things to the forefront. Those changes are going to come, and we will continue to fight on behalf of our members.
Read MoreWe wanted to let our members know that there have been confirmed cases of workplace exposure to COVID-19 within our bargaining unit. This highlights that it is an absolute necessity that you stay home if you are having any respiratory symptoms and let your supervisor know. There’s zero financial incentive to come to work if you’re symptomatic – if you’re staying home due to COVID-19 symptoms, you’re getting paid.
Read MoreCOVID-19 has laid bare the falsehoods and limitations of the medical industry in the United States. More and more, health-care workers across the country are being asked to risk their health and safety due to the lack of PPE. This has raised an uncomfortable but increasingly reasonable question: “At what point do I have the right to refuse to do the work due substantial risk on the job?”
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