PORTLAND, OR - Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain has released the following statement in response to the results of the 2016 General Election:
“As the final results from elections in Oregon and around the country are counted, one thing is certain: Union members and working people have stepped up to the plate in a tremendous way over the past two months. Our efforts in mobilizing union members to vote for candidates and issues who support us cannot be ignored. Our volunteers spoke with thousands of voters on the doorstep, on the phone, and at worksites. Union member volunteers in cities across Oregon worked hard to contact voters over the past two months, and their efforts led to important victories for our endorsed statewide and legislative candidates.”
“The election of Governor Kate Brown will push our state forward for working people. Governor Brown has a long history of advocacy and I know she will continue to stand up for workers and our unions in the coming years. I’m disappointed that Brad Avakian will not move on to Secretary of State, and know that he will continue to be a strong voice for workers as Labor Commissioner. Working people will continue to make sure all our voices are heard in elections – not just large corporations.”
“While Measure 97 was defeated, we changed the debate about the massive gap between where we are and what we need to fund education, health care and senior services in Oregon. To close that gap, we can no longer afford to be 50th in the nation in corporate taxes.
Our efforts on behalf of union endorsed candidates in our state legislature have shown us that in communities across Oregon working people are eager to support leaders who stand up for our issues and our priorities. We look forward to a productive 2017 legislative session and more opportunities to advance an agenda designed to give all Oregonians a fair shot at prosperity.”
“I’m grateful for all the volunteers across Oregon who made our successes in this election possible. We could not have done this without union members taking action together to fight for what we believe in.”
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