AFT-Oregon, a state council of the American Federation of Teachers, elected new leadership at its May 3-5 convention in Sunriver, Oregon.
Portland Community College employee Jaime Rodriguez was elected president without opposition. He succeeds David Rives, who has been president since 2009. [The union’s constitution limits a president to five two-year terms.]
AFT-Oregon serves about 9,100 members in 21 locals. Members include community college and university faculty, and classified support staff at colleges and K-12 school districts.
Rodriguez grew up in California’s Central Valley as the son of farmworkers, and was the first in his family to graduate from college, earning a degree from Fresno State University. He served in the Army and the National Guard. Since 1999, he’s worked as a career coach at Portland Community College, and has helped hundreds of veterans and people on public assistance get training so they can enter the workforce.
He’s also been a very active member of Portland Community College Federation of Faculty and Academic Professionals (PCCFFAP), AFT Local 2277, and has served on union contract negotiation teams, as local vice president, and as vice president for political action for AFT-Oregon.
AFT-Oregon president is a full-time salaried position, overseeing about a dozen union staffers.
Rodriguez told the Labor Press he hopes to increase member engagement with more outreach and organizing.
Also elected at the convention:
- Executive Vice President Jeff Grider, PCC Federation of Faculty and Academic Professionals, 3922
- Treasurer Melody Hansen, Hillsboro Classified United (HCU), Local 4671
- Secretary Shaun Cain, Eastern Oregon University Associated Academic Professionals (AAP), Local 6200
- Vice President of Political Action Kayleigh Peterman, University of Oregon Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation (GTFF), Local 3544
Together with the president, these four make up AFT-Oregon’s executive committee.
Delegates also elected 10 at large vice presidents:
- Ira Erbs – Portland Community College Federation of Faculty and Academic Professionals (PCCFFAP), Local 2277.
- Chloe Hughes – Western Oregon University Federation of Teachers (WOUFT), Local 2278
- Michael Hames-Garcia ,United Academics, University of Oregon, Local 3209
- Mike Magee, University of Oregon Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation (GTFF), Local 3544
- Ariana Jacob, Portland State University Faculty Association (PSUFA), Local 3571
- Anastasia Hernandez-Vasquez. Hillsboro Classified United (HCU), Local 4671
- Hazel Daniels, Oregon State University Coalition of Graduate Employees (CGE), Local 6069
- Anna St. Lorenz, OSU Coalition of Graduate Employees (CGE), Local 6069
- DeAnna Timmerman, Eastern Oregon University Associated Academic Professionals (AAP), Local 6200
- Ted Cooper. PSU Coalition of Graduate Employees, no assigned local number yet.
The vice presidents, plus the executive committee, make up AFT-Oregon’s executive council. All offices are for a two year term that begins July 1.
