OSEA members must engage politically to keep public schools public, health care affordable and the American dream achievable.

An important place to begin is by joining a chapter government relations committee, which is member run and directed. Committee activities include interviewing candidates and supporting local bond levies that benefit our members and communities.

You can also serve on the state Government Relations Committee and help make recommendations on political and legislative issues to OSEA’s Board of Directors. When the Legislature is in Salem, you can educate lawmakers on issues affecting our jobs, schools and retirement by testifying at a hearing or attending OSEA’s biennial Legislative Education Day (LED).

Another way to get engaged is to join our Congressional and Legislative Network Team. This team focuses on building relationships between classified employees and representatives in Congress and the Oregon Legislature. These member-activists lobby, advocate and advance issues deemed important to OSEA members and respond quickly to proposed policy and legislative decisions affecting members at the federal and state levels.

You can also become politically engaged by contributing to OSEA’s Education and Labor Advocacy Fund (ELAF), the easiest and most effective way to help elect candidates who support our issues, pass ballot measures that reflect our values and defeat those that don’t.