BerniePDX / Portland for Bernie

February 17, 2025 on portland.gov

“It is time for us as Portland City Councilors to weigh in on this matter. At this point, it’s not just affecting the jobs of community members, but also the care of our community members. Providence is one of the largest providers of health care in our community. Our message is clear: Providence, settle this so our constituents can get what they need.” Read the rest here.

By Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch

“Sanders…announced Wednesday the launch of his ‘Fighting Oligarchy: Where We Go From Here’ campaign. 

…The new campaign will target areas won by President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election that elected a Republican to the U.S. House in 2024. Events will focus on issues facing working-class people, according to a news release, and will ‘outline how Americans can fight back against President Trump and Elon Musk.’

In the release, Sanders called for political action as Trump and Musk take actions that are ‘quickly moving the country toward authoritarianism, oligarchy, and kleptocracy.’

‘Today, the oligarchs and the billionaire class are getting richer and richer and have more and more power,’ Sanders said in a statement. ‘Meanwhile, 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck and most of our people are struggling to pay for health care, childcare, and housing. This country belongs to all of us, not just the few. We must fight back.'” Read the rest here.

New Seasons still refuses to reinstate nineteen-year employee Randy Foster, fired for doing the right thing. New Seasons Labor Union will not back down until the company does what is right. Come out to support the strike! More info at nslu.org.

Picket lines will be at Seven Corners (1954 SE Division St) and Arbor Lodge (6400 N Interstate Ave) from 2pm until late. 

Sign up to help talk to people in our communities about the boycott! Join a group of NSLU members in talking to customers about why they should honor the boycott for contract. Leaflets will be provided. 

Support Randy here, and sign the Boycott Pledge and donate to the Strike Fund here.

Following the unjust firing of Nineteen-year employee and NSLU Treasurer Randy Foster for assisting a disabled coworker with a task while on his lunch break, workers at Arbor Lodge rallied immediately to walk off the job on an Unfair Labor Practice strike. Arbor Lodge workers have voted to continue this ULP strike tomorrow (01/30) with picket lines beginning at 2:00pm. New Seasons Labor Union continues to demand the immediate reinstatement of Randy in order to call off this action.

Picket starts at 2pm, 6400 N Interstate Ave

Wednesday, Feb. 5, 6:30-8:30pm: Working Folks Win! Recruiting Awesome Candidates

As we all begin to gear up for 2025 and the longer fight we have ahead of us, one of the most critical ways in which we build power for and with the multi-racial working class is running campaigns that win with working class candidates and skilled campaign staff.

Has the thought crossed your mind to run for office? Do you know someone who you would love to vote for one day? If so, join Working Families Party for Working Folks Win! a two-part virtual training series to cover the basics of running for office, how to scout out and support potential candidates for campaigns, and the ways that WFP does this work brick-by-brick, election-to-election.

RSVP Here

Sign the pledge here, and support the strike fund here.

Members of Portland State University’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors (PSU-AAUP) have been bargaining and rallying tirelessly to win just wages, stronger job and layoff protections, reasonable workloads, racial equity compensation, and enhanced member benefits for faculty and staff. For over 100 hours of bargaining, PSU administration has continued to stall on key issues for settling a fair contract, forcing nearly 1,200 members to prepare for an upcoming strike. Impasse could come as soon as Thursday.

Tell the company that not presenting a viable economic offer is bad for business – sign the No Contract, No Coffee pledge!

Fresh off the largest-ever strike in Starbucks’ history, SBWU baristas are united. We’re calling Starbucks out for failing to support the baristas who are central to the company’s turnaround. Starbucks backtracked on the path forward, and offered no raises or benefits increases specifically for union baristas in the first year of the contract. They knew that an offer that low wouldn’t lead to ratified contracts. They failed to meet their own deadline for a foundational framework by the end of 2024.

By Lisa Balick, KOIN

“Zenith needs a new air quality permit from the state, and to get that, it needs another city council permit. Dozens of members of the public also weighed in on whether the city should give Zenith the new permit.

In response, the new city council members — not career politicians — told city staff and Zenith that they want a lot more background on this along with clearer explanations.

‘Oil trains derail, spill, and explode, just like one did near the Columbia Gorge town of Mosier in 2016 forcing students to evacuate a nearby school,’ Damon Motz-Storey, the director of the Sierra Club’s Oregon chapter said. ‘Zenith Energy is not needed in Oregon and has an untrustworthy reputation. It is up to Portland leaders to do the right thing and insist upon clarity, consistency, and a livable climate future for all people, animals, and places.’

…This decision from the city council demonstrates a fresh approach in asking a lot of questions, digging deeper into some of these big issues, and demanding a lot more information before giving any approvals.” Read more here.

“Officials from the United States, Israel, Qatar, and Hamas say a deal to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages has been reached.This is welcome, long-overdue news.

Both sides must honor the deal and implement it as quickly as possible. The senseless killing must stop. The hostages must be released. The United Nations and other aid organizations must finally be allowed unfettered access to all areas of the Gaza Strip in order to provide the massive amounts of humanitarian aid that is desperately needed. Hundreds of thousands of innocent people are struggling to survive, lacking food, water, and medical care in the middle of winter. Innocent lives hang in the balance.” Read more of Bernie’s statement here.