Background

Before 2020, remote work options were limited in many workplaces, including DEQ. Some of you may remember Since then, our Union has worked to expand our rights to remote work through improved contract language. For remote work issues that are not covered by our contract there are two other guiding documents. The first is the DAS Remote Work policy and the second is a group of documents developed at DEQ that are known as the "Work Options" documents. Between May 2022 - January 2023, a group of labor representatives met with management as a subcommittee of the Labor Management Committee to draft what we then called the "Future of Work" documents (now "Work Options"). Many important rights are enshrined in these documents, which can be found on the Agency’s Q-Net site under Employee Services > Human Resources > Remote Work Resources. 

These documents are up for review as a part of our collective bargaining agreement (CBA). We have reports that some parts of these documents have not been followed, and we are concerned some of these rights may be rolled back. To defend your rights, you have to know your rights! Check out the work options documents on the sharepoint drive. Our contract is only helpful if we hold management accountable to it!  

*We are aware that many of the links in these documents are broken and they will be fixed as part of the review process.

Hybrid and In-Person Meetings

In the document titled “Internal DEQ Meeting Standards” on page two it states, “All meetings will have a call-in/virtual option by default. Participants will not have to request this option…” This language was hard-fought for you to have the right to attend meetings in the way that felt the most safe, accessible, and convenient to you. We have heard that some managers are not following this guidance and are encouraging people to attend meetings in-person because it’s the manager’s personal preference. That is not an acceptable reason to neglect to provide a virtual option for meeting attendance. Please let a steward know if you are experiencing issues with this. There is a list of reasons that staff can be required to come into the office, which can be found in the “Remote Work Request Instructions” document, but can also be found below: 

We need your feedback! Please let us know if you are having a problem with a part of the documents or let your stewards know if you think your manager is not following the requirements in the work options documents.

Ximena Cruz Cuevas and Martha Cruse

Our Union needs its members! All impactful unions have a ready and engaged body. While your Executive Board is working on ways to help you become more plugged in and knowledgeable, we need all our union siblings to look into ways to be an active member. Unions with active members: 

• Make more money through better benefits and higher pay

• Have higher morale and more support for workers 

• Greater ability to force accountability and change at the management level

• Have better working conditions, including flexibility

How can you help? To start, there are several ways to get involved:

• Volunteer in one of the committees

• Take union trainings at https://oregonafscme.org/trainings 

• Participate in events promoted by our Local

• Consider becoming a steward

Currently, our Local has several different committees, and we need members to join to make these committees effective. This includes:

Good and Welfare Committee – This committee will focus on helping union families and protecting the welfare of members. We have worked on two resolutions this year. Our next topic is member hardship assistance. We will be meeting at least once a month on Tuesdays at 12 pm. The anticipated monthly commitment will vary between 1 to 4 hours per week. Please reach out to Stephanie Summers at ssummers@afscme3336.org. 

Budget Committee – This committee is responsible for creating the annual draft budget. The budget committee typically meets starting in November. Please reach out to Diana Foss, Treasurer, for questions at Treasurer.afscme3336@gmail.com 

Bi-Weekly Pay Committee - This committee will be a temporary committee running through the transition to and potentially after the transition to bi-weekly pay. The committee will help address problems or contractual conflicts arising from the transition to biweekly pay periods. Problems need to be identified early to negotiate fair solutions. This committee is in need of members, please reach out to Eric Feeley at president@afscme3336.org. 

Constitution and Policy Committee - This committee will be responsible for reviewing and editing the Local’s constitution. Members will also be drafting new policies or policy updates to bring to the Local Executive Board. The time commitment will be around 3 to 4 hours per month. Please reach out to Stephanie Caldera at scaldera@afscme3336.org 

Membership Committee -This committee provides a foundation for membership to direct and influence how we build our collective power as a union. We do this through member education, increasing membership, and recruiting members. Time commitment is 2 to 5 hours per month, with an hour meeting, an hour outreach, and some trainings. Reach out to Chiefsteward@afscme3336.org

Newsletter Committee - This committee is in charge of sending out the quarterly newsletter. Topics in the newsletter are variable, but will include educating membership and reflecting on member experiences. Time commitments will vary between 1 to 4 hours per month, depending on the month. Please reach out to secretary@afscme3336.org 

Elections Committee  - This committee will be responsible for ensuring fair elections conducted in accordance with the Local’s constitution. Members will meet on an as needed basis, but should anticipate a larger time commitment during the months involving Local elections. This committee is in need of members! Please reach out to secretary@afscme3336.org 

Upcoming Political Engagement:

Council 75 has endorsed several candidates, and we need your help to drive and extend support!

• We're doing phone banking every evening M-TH and canvassing in PDX, Eugene, and Salem on Saturdays: 

• (PDX) Nafisa Fai for Washington County Chair in Tigard 

• (Salem) Virginia Stapleton SD 11 at our office in Salem

• (Eugene) Heather Buch for Lane County at our office in Eugene

Please sign up using the forms below:

Canvass: https://forms.gle/NFamnZVXveJRjPiw7 

Phonebank: https://forms.gle/MHi449v2BtbfszAR8

We need all our help to make our Union strong!

Stephanie Summers, Eric Feeley, and Martha Cruse

While Union Marches differ in extent and purpose, they are driving and empowering. Being with your people is a unique and privileged experience everyone will remember. 

Historically, marches have been one of the key forces promoting change in our country.  May 1st is International Worker’s Day, an annual celebration of labor rights and solidarity. This date commemorates the 1886 Haymarket March in Chicago, Illinois, where workers marched for the eight-hour workday we benefit from today. This year, major events and rallies are planned worldwide, including in Salem, Oregon at the State Capitol. The gathering coalition has four major demands: ICE out of Oregon, pathway to citizenship, an economy that works for all, and a democracy for all. If you are able, we encourage our members to come out on May Day and support working people, the Unions that support them and other organizations that are fighting for justice in the workplace and in our democracy. 

On January 31, 2026, several members of our Local Union (AFSCME Local 3336), along with 30 other unions, participated in a march in Portland against ICE’s immigrant enforcement actions in Oregon and around the country. ICE has been excessively violent and heartless. For example, ICE murdered two non-violent protesters in Minneapolis, Renée Good and Alex Pretti. Alex Pretti was a nurse and union member who died trying to protect his community, as did Renée Good. The Union-sponsored event in Portland drew thousands of people of all ages. Following a rally at Elizabeth Caruthers Park, where several Union members shared their experiences of living through this time of intense racial profiling, protesters marched peacefully to the ICE facility in the South Waterfront area. At the facility, ICE responded with tear gas, pepper balls, and flash bangs. While this response was upsetting, frightening, and impacted the health of protesters and the community living around the facility, the act of standing up for our community and speaking truth to power was fulfilling.

Stephanie Caldera

Are you interested in connecting with your colleagues as a mentor, or mentee? In the past, DEQ has operated a formal mentorship program open to all employees; however, we’ve been informed that the staff support is not available at this time through the Central Services Division – so your Union Executive Board is looking into how it can support its members!

This effort is to understand the level of potential interest and start exploring the logistics for a Union-supported mentoring program at DEQ.

Mentorship in the workplace has benefits for all participants, and helps strengthen our collective knowledge and skill development across the agency. While informal colleague connections and networking may already be happening, and are excellent to continue, being able to set up formal structures, processes and recognition supports our Union siblings in career planning and strengthening our resiliency as workers. Having formal processes in place also ensures that equity is centered in creating a strong program that uplifts the people who make up our Union.