On her first day in office, Governor Tina Kotek signed three executive orders aimed at addressing Oregon’s housing and homelessness crisis: declaring a homelessness state of emergency, directing state agencies to prioritize reducing homelessness in all areas of the state, and setting an ambitious state target to increase home construction.

On behalf of our entire membership, I would like to welcome you to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 49. As a member of SEIU 49, you are part of a vibrant and democratic organization that is dedicated to improving the lives of working families. We are over 15,000 healthcare workers, janitors, and security officers in Oregon and Southwest Washington who are coming together to win livable wages, affordable healthcare benefits, and job security, and to create a more just society.

Labor Day gives us a chance to reflect on the importance of the work we do and that the pandemic has shown the world what we already knew—WE ARE ESSENTIAL.Over the challenging past three years, we have shown when we come together as Black, Brown, and white workers we can demand and win change. SEIU 49 healthcare workers, janitors, airport workers and security officers have not only provided essential services and kept our communities safe, healthy and clean, we have had a strong rallying cry that it’s time for employers to Respect Us, Protect Us, and Pay Us.

At Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital (SNLH), a strong majority of us voted to approve the agreement with Samaritan management on a new union contract.115 of us united—including ER Techs, Pharmacy Techs, Certified Nursing Assistants, Respiratory Therapists, Physical Therapists, Radiologic Technologist, Surgical Techs, Phlebotomists, Social Workers and Operating Room Custodians—in our drive to raise staffing and safety standards, improve healthcare for our patients and staff, increase our wages, and expand education funding.

We have been collaborating with Unico Properties LLC to bring the Green Janitor Education Program to downtown Portland. Recently we celebrated six janitors of ABM Janitorial at the Moda Tower completing the program!

The Green Janitor Education Program provides education in green building practices to meet the latest energy, water, and green initiative standards. It covers topics like: Energy efficiency, Recycling, Waste management, Water conservation…and other sustainable and green cleaning practices

In 2021, we demanded that employers Respect Us, Protect Us, Pay Us!

We ran fast, pushed hard, and remained united across our Union in order to improve the lives of working families in Oregon and Washington. Take a moment to sit back and enjoy our successes and victories with our 2021 SEIU Local 49 Highlights video. #StrongerTogether