Black-Employee Listening Session Nov. 12

Every employee represented by Local 328 receives the same raises and other guarantees under our contract, but there are coworkers who face systemic challenges at OHSU while others enjoy processes that are biased in their favor. After the killing of George Floyd in May and the summer of Black Lives Matters protests, our union has taken a closer look at the biases and blind spots within our own processes and our accessibility to Black and other POC members.

As a member-driven organization, it is our union’s responsibility to  do a better job listening to the voices of our Black coworkers. To that end, our union will hold an online listening session for black employees on Thursday, November 12, at 5:00 p.m. Please refer to our October 30 email for the Zoom link and phone number to participate. The Local 328 executive committee and Oregon AFSCME staff will be available during this session to listen and better understand the issues faced by Black employees at OHSU.

It is time to create space for those who may have felt uncomfortable discussing these issues elsewhere. Our union should be an organization where all members — especially those who are underrepresented — are given support and are able to give feedback about what they feel is failing them.

Are there improvements you would like our union to make? Are there areas of the contract that could be improved? How can we do a better job supporting our Black members and make OHSU a better place for all employees?

We hope to see you on November 12!