Resolutions passed at the 2013 Oregon AFL-CIO convention direct the state federation to do the following:
- Become a member of Health Care for All Oregon coalition, support its mission of creating a publicly-funded health care system serving everyone in Oregon, and ask affiliates to make its campaign a priority in their legislative programs.
- Identify model contract language for unions to adapt to the new health care landscape and affirm support for single-payer health insurance legislation as the solution to the problems of employer-provided health insurance.
- Oppose new laws or reforms that would allow fewer restrictions on the contracting out of public sector jobs.
- Support sweatshop-free state procurement, and join in the global fight to restore the dignity of the old adage of “look for the union label.”
- Defeat a proposed initiative that would count existing hydroelectric dams toward the requirement that investor-owned utilities get 25 percent of their power from new renewable energy resources by 2025.
- Take a look at the effect of moves by school districts to require non-nurses to perform invasive medical procedures in school settings.
- Work with the “Everybody Benefits Coalition of Oregon” to look at the merits of a statewide paid sick days policy.
- Work to amend current state education policy to include completion of union apprenticeships as equivalent to an associates degree in the state’s “40/40/20” education goals.
- Urge policymakers in Oregon and Washington to begin construction as soon as possible on a scaled-down Columbia River Crossing project that includes a light rail component.
- Call on the governor, state legislators, and members of Congress to support permitting and construction of the Jordan Cove liquid natural gas export terminal in Coos County, and encourage the developer to minimize environmental effects beyond the construction phase.
- Implement a political, field and communications program to defeat anti-worker measures on the 2014 ballot.
- Support United Mine Workers in its battle against efforts by bankrupt Peabody spinoff Patriot Coal to shed its union contract obligation to provide health and retirement benefits to 22,000 active and retired mine workers.
- Send a letter to all sitting City of Portland Commissioners and the Mayor supporting the District Council of Trade Unions in its campaign for a contract at the City of Portland.
- Oppose formation of a water district in the City of Portland, and discourage members from signing the initiative petition.
- Try to make sure gender-neutral bathrooms are available at conferences, conventions and other events whenever possible, and recommend that affiliate unions provide gender-neutral bathrooms at their halls so that transgender and gender-non-conforming people feel welcome.
- Encourage all union contracts to bar discriminatory health care exclusions directed toward transgender employees and dependents.
- Create a Working America Center, a community center for workers, providing services, education, and a meeting place to plan action, and connect unorganized workers to the labor movement through Working America Health Care, a gateway for workers to use the health exchange.
- Encourage affiliated local unions to aid the Northwest Labor Press in fulfilling its mission, by subscribing members, purchasing ads, and making use of the Labor Press to get reports of each union out to the wider labor movement.
- Oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership as long as they’re poised to support the wealthiest 1 percent rather than shared gains from trade, call for negotiating sessions to be opened up, oppose so-called Fast Track, and question candidates for office on their trade policy positions.
- Lobby for the passage of Senate Bill 316/House Bill 630, which would end the requirement that the U.S. Postal Service pre-fund health care benefits for future retirees, re-establish overnight delivery standards for first-class mail, protect six-day delivery; and allow the USPS to develop new products and services that would generate new sources of revenue.
- Support reauthorization of the 1965 Older Americans Act. which provides for senior services.
- Oppose voter suppression laws, ensure the voting rights of all Americans, and protect the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
- Support President Obama’s proposal to make high quality preschool available to all children in America.
- Support legislation to increase the federal minimum wage to a living wage and index it to increases in the Consumer Price Index.
- Support efforts, in response to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, to amend the Constitution to ensure that there is no doubt that the First Amendment refers to people and not corporations.
