In these troubling times it is more important than ever that we elect education and labor friendly representatives.
Your state union affiliate AFT-Oregon has made recommendations for Oregon State Offices and US Senator and US House Representatives that have been mailed directly to your home*. Please look at those recommendations as you are marking your ballot as well as other research tools you use in determining your vote. AFT-Oregon has a thorough and rigorous process of written questionnaires and interviews. Candidates are not recommended just because they are of a certain party, but because they support the values and interests of the union and working people. The AFT-Oregon makes its recommendations based on resolutions passed at annual conventions.
There are plenty of opportunities to be part of the process by phone banking or canvassing, more information and dates are located here. I’ll be at most of these events, please join me!!
-Louise Currin, PFTCE Political Education VP
Remember Ballots must be received by your county’s election office by Tuesday, November 2!!!!
*If you are not receiving publications from AFT or AFT-Oregon, PFTCE probably does not have a current address on file for you. Please contact PFTCE at 503-236-3497 with that information.
- Wednesday October 13, 2010 Phone Bank and Canvass for AFL-CIO and AFT-Oregon with special guest Congressman Earl Blumenauer. 5:30 pm (dinner provided at 5pm). 411 NE 19th Avenue in Portland (19th and Sandy).
- Wednesday October 20, 2010 Phone Bank and Canvass for AFL-CIO and AFT-Oregon with special guest State Treasurer Ted Wheeler. 5:30 pm (dinner provided at 5pm). 411 NE 19th Avenue in Portland (19th and Sandy).
- Wednesday October 27, 2010 Phone Bank and Canvass for AFL-CIO and AFT-Oregon with special guest Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian. 5:30 pm (dinner provided at 5pm). 411 NE 19th Avenue in Portland (19th and Sandy).
- Monday November 1, 2010 Phone Bank and Canvass for AFL-CIO and AFT-Oregon. 5:30 pm (dinner provided at 5pm). 411 NE 19th Avenue in Portland (19th and Sandy).
If you are interested please fill out this form. Email aftoregonelection2010@yahoo.com, or contact Marcus Swift of AFT Oregon at 503-595-3880, MarcusS@AFT-Oregon.org .
Our first 2010 edition of the PFTCE Profile is now available on our newsletter page. Please be sure to read through it as contains the AFT-Oregon Convention and AFT National Convention Delegates elected at the January 6th member meeting. Also there is an informative article about ballot measures 66 & 67, and why you should vote YES on these measures.
Ballots will begin arriving in less than a month, but most voters still don’t know there’s an important election in January that will decide the fate of Oregon’s schools and critical services. On January 26th vote will decide whether or not to make corporations and the wealthiest Oregonians pay their fair share.
Measures 66 and 67 protect nearly $775 million in education funding for pr K-12 and community colleges. Don’t Let Corporations Get Away with Paying just $10 in Taxes.
Did you know…
- 2/3rds of corporations doing business in Oregon pay just $10 a year in income taxes?
- The $10 corporate minimum tax hasn’t changed since 1931?
- Last year the average family of four paid $6,100 in taxes? That is more then Prudential, Sprint, MasterCard, and 297 other corporations combined!
- 93% of the state budget foes to vital services like education, health care, public safety and human services
It’s time for a change! That’s why Oregon Legislative passed two targeted tax increases on large corporations and income above $250,000 for couples.
If you’re not in a household making more then $250,000, or running a large corperation, you won’t be paying anymore under these measures.
January’s special election will affect our Classified Employees! A YES vote is a vote for Classified Employee’s jobs! For more information, visit: http://voteyesfororegon.org/
Please view the following PAT rally flyer and attend the rally if you can.
AFT-Oregon is hoping that you will pledge to support Ballot Measures 66 & 67 this January.
On Monday, October 5th, I received a call asking me to head off to Washington DC the next morning to participate in the Wednesday, October 7th “Health Care Fly-In“. I had the opportunity to visit legislators, relating classified employees’ need for fair health care reform. Even though I was sent by AFT National, I represented PFTCE foremost, and also the rest of the members of AFT in Oregon.
Please take the opportunity to let your legislators know your story.
~Louise Currin
At the annual AFT-Oregon convention, PFTCE delegates stood strong to oppose an increase of the amount we pay to AFT-Oregon (aka: per caps). With the support of other locals, we were able to maintain our dues as they currently stand.