2023

Respect Us, Staff Us, Pay Us!

SEIU 49 Members, 

On behalf of our Union’s Executive Board, we want to wish you a Happy New Year and celebrate how we took action to get employers Respect Us, Pay Us, and Staff Us in 2023!   

My grandparents taught me nothing good comes easy, especially for working families. I’m proud as SEIU 49 Union members we are tough, we work hard for all we earn, and we are willing to take a stand for what matters. Standing united as our Union for the right to bargain over our pay, benefits, and rights on the job makes a huge difference. Imagine if a big employer like Kaiser had been able to pay us what they wanted, and all we got was a 3% raise!  At many worksites including Kaiser, PDX, Nike, Intel, PDX, NW Natural Gas, and Samaritan Health Systems, we said no way to low pay, job cuts, and short staffing. It was when we said, “No!” and then backed that up by taking action with the strong majority of our co-workers that we made progress. Although the past year was hard—with the high cost of gas, groceries and rent, and short staffing at every workplace—we did better together as a union, and that union strength lead to some powerful victories in 2023.  

Kaiser members united with our 85,000-member strong Coalition of Kaiser Unions, leading the largest healthcare strike in US history. We won 21% in guaranteed raises plus job security and a ban on sub-contracting, improved staffing, and pay incentives for longevity, nights & weekends. We really showed we are stronger together.  

  • Members at the Kaiser Cascade Park strike line
  • Members of SEIU 49 pose for a picture outside of Kaiser Interstate
  • Kaiser Westside members standing proud along the picket line
  • Members outside Kaiser Sunnyside after walk out
  • Member posing for a pictur at the Kaiser Cascade Park strike line
  • Group shot of members at the Kaiser Lancaster strike line
  • Kaiser Members chant along the picket line at Kaiser Interstate
  • Washington Kaiser members show up in Longview with family to show union pride
  • Members at the Kaiser Kelso location in Longview
  • Kaiser members along the Lancaster picket line
  • Kaiser members standing united outside Sunnyside hospital
  • Kaiser members standing along the picket line at Kaiser Westside

Samaritan Health Systems members from Corvallis, Albany, and Newport working dozens of critical jobs from CNAs and Respiratory Therapists to X-Ray Techs and Dietary stuck together to win wages that average $7 more per hour. Members will also join our Education Fund to advance their careers.   

  • The GSRMC Bargaining team stands ready to bargain!
  • GSRMC Tech Bargaining Team
  • SPCH Bargaining Team Member James holds up a sign sharing what a great contract would do for workers
  • AGH Bargaining Team
  • Sheri Hoops showing union pride
  • Sheri Hoops share goals of the bargaining team

Janitors throughout the region took a stand to protect jobs as big businesses like Intel and NW Natural tried to make bigger profits by cutting janitors jobs. Our Janitorial and Security members are gearing up to bargain over respect and job security in 2024! 

  • ABM Janitors who stood up for their jobs
  • SBM Janitors protest job cuts at Intel
  • ABM Janitors who stood up for their jobs
  • SBM Janitors protest job cuts at Intel

Short Staffing & Unsafe Workloads make all our jobs more challenging. In 2023, we won hospital staffing legislation in Oregon and in Washington that gives us more power to get the staff we need in all departments; sign up to get involved in one of the new staffing committees!

  • SEIU 49 Members testify at the Safe Staffing Committee Hearing
  • Governor Kotek signs the Safe Staffing Bill into law alongside SEIU 49 members
  • SEIU 49 Members met with politicians in Salem to discuss the staffing crisis and unfair debt collection
  • SEIU 49 Members met with politicians in Salem to discuss the staffing crisis and unfair debt collection
  • SEIU 49 Members met with politicians in Salem to discuss the staffing crisis and unfair debt collection
  • SEIU 49 Members met with politicians in Salem to discuss the staffing crisis and unfair debt collection
  • SEIU 49 Members met with politicians in Salem to discuss the staffing crisis and unfair debt collection
  • SEIU 49 Members met with politicians in Salem to discuss the staffing crisis and unfair debt collection
  • SEIU 49 Members met with politicians in Salem to discuss the staffing crisis and unfair debt collection
  • SEIU 49 Members testify at the Safe Staffing Committee Hearing
  • SEIU 49 Members testify at the Safe Staffing Committee Hearing

With PDX Bags, Inc. members organizing to get on board with our union, we now have over 450 members at Portland International Airport. We know it’s people that make PDX a great airport, and together they won more paid time off with recognition of the Juneteenth Holiday and are pushing the Port for affordable healthcare.

  • PDX Workers along the picket line in front of Portland International Airport
  • PDX Workers sat in for their right to sit down
  • PDX workers sitting in after bosses removed their chairs for breaks
  • PDX Workers protest their right to sit down after bosses removed their chairs
  • PDX Workers protest their right to sit down after bosses removed their chairs
  • PDX Bargaining Team at the bargaining table and waiting for airline bosses to show
  • PDX Workers traveled to Washington DC with SEIU President Mary Kay Henry in support of the Good Jobs Good Airports Act

2024 brings important elections. Voting will determine who is holding office and whether those politicians stand with union members to support the rights of workers to organize and bargain for good jobs. Voting will determine whether people in office will advocate along with us for a world where there is racial equality for all of us—no matter the color of our skin or where we are from. Elections help determine if all workers, no matter who we love or what our gender is, are protected on the job and in our communities. Decisions made in 2024’s elections will continue to determine what healthcare we have a right to.  

  • President Joe Biden shakes hands with SEIU 49 Executive Board Member Cynthia LaChester
  • Juanita Kamhoot poses with canvassing materials
  • Members stand proud and ready to knock doors with canvassing materials for Jessica Vega Pederson
  • SEIU 49 Members pose with Governor Tina Kotek after the victory announcement to her new position as Governor of Oregon
  • Members pose for photo at Governor Tina Kotek's inauguration speech
  • Union strength and solidarity made a difference in Governor Kotek's victory in 2022.
  • SEIU 49 Members pose for pics before door knocking for Janeen Sollman in 2022

Our community & political strength really flexed its muscles in 2023, putting a cap on how much rents can be raised, pushing to stop unfair debt collections, paid leave, and advocating for college loan forgiveness programs, not to mention the dozens of elected leaders who walked strike lines with us when we took to the streets. Your COPE contributions make a big impact on improving laws that protect workers, and volunteering as a Political Member Organizer is a great way make sure our voices are heard!   

  • Washington County Commissioner Nafisa Fai along the Kaiser picket line
  • Washington State Representative Monica Stonier on the Kaiser strike line
  • Oregon Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson on the strike line at Kaiser strike line
  • Oregon Representative Andrea Salinas meets with Portland International Airport workers to discuss support of the Good Jobs for Good Airports Act
  • Oregon Senator James Manning walks the North Lancaster Kaiser picket line
  • Congressman Earl Blumenauer with members at Kaiser picket line
  • Representative Hai Pham at Kaiser Interstate during the strike
  • Senator Steiner, Senator Dembrow, and Senator Frederick standing with Kaiser members!

We are proud of the contracts we bargained this year, but none of it has come easy. Short staffing is real at all our worksites; employers are cutting jobs and even closing hospitals, and the high cost of living takes a huge bite out of the raises we get. Because employers are cutting jobs, we have fewer union members, and even our Union resources get stretched thin.

As we look ahead to 2024 and the years beyond, our Executive Board knows there is no easy path, but when we unite as healthcare workers, janitors, security officers, laundry, textile, and airport workers we accomplish higher pay, stronger rights, and more dignity than we do alone.

We’ll also be participating in the 2024 International SEIU Convention in Philadelphia this May to help make the decisions that govern our Union as a whole; you can find out more about the Convention here.

Our Executive Board would like to invite you to sign up to find more ways to get involved and informed about our union. 

In unity and power,  

Meg Niemi 
President, SEIU 49