Workers in Oregon and beyond

SEIU Local 503 members have been visiting the Oregon State Capitol to lobby their legislators.

This Tuesday a group of retired members spent the day there. The atmosphere among staff and representatives seemed more fraught with manic energy than usual for a legislative session, with good reason. Oregon's unemployment rate is now almost 11% and things look really grim for the unforeseeable future.

The main messages we as union members were asked to send to our legislators were that we want to stop cuts to seniors and people with disabilities or to community health services, that Oregon needs to maintain quality services as it stimulates the economy and takes care of communities, that Oregon should maximize federal matching funds, and public agencies and funded programs should minimize layoffs and staffing reductions. We emphasized that Oregon should not be "hoarding" the stimulus money, but spend it.

Retirees asked our legislators "Will you raise taxes on Oregon families earning more than $200,000 a year to help pay for vital public services?" Prozanski seemed in favor of that, Jackie Winters' representative did not, and Brian Clem went a bit farther and told us that he would start at $125,000. We also asked about businesses and corporations paying their fair share: the D's seemed in favor of that. Winters' rep presented the "cutting the fat and waste" and "private enterprise can do things much more efficiently" concepts in response to the budget shortfall.

Meanwhile in France, the unemployment rate is now around 8%. Millions of workers were in the streets yesterday to protest what is perceived as paltry response to the needs of the unemployed and youth: while workers and unemployed are making do with smaller checks, bankers and businessmen are getting hefty subsidies. Yesterday's protests follow the ones in January when millions were in the streets. Sarkozy responded with an aid package of $3 billion to workers and unemployed and $33 billion to banks and to stimulate credit. Enraged workers are calling for a better distribution of wealth. See a PWW article on France's strike here.