Oregon Action: Who We Are
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Oregon Action is a statewide chapter-based grassroots organization
that works on many issues. We often work in coalition with other organizations
to enhance our power to win change.
Oregon Action was founded on the belief that organizing people
to build power at the grassroots is the only way to win change in the long
term, because that is the only way to change the balance of power.
Oregon Action leaders are the decision-makers for the organization.
Leaders represent the organization in coalitions and in regional and national
organizations. Leaders also represent OA when speaking to the press and testifying
in the legislature.
Members are trained in public-speaking, research skills, strategic
planning and in organizing. Most of our training is achieved with the help
and support of the Northwest Federation of
Community Organizations (NWFCO), Western
States Center and US Action. and
within Oregon Action with our more experienced leaders.
An
example is in the photo to the left. Portland leaders Blanche Gardner and
Moureen Rosera, having learned fundraising skills through their leadership
development training, are now training others in fundraising skills. They
presented a fundraising workshop at a recent NWFCO Conference in Idaho.
Any Oregon Action member can become a leader by attending OA
meetings and trainings and by volunteering on our campaigns. Oregon Action
is committed to leadership development and training, because that is how we
become stronger and more effective.
Oregon Action Has Fun
| Even when the topic is as serious as the prescription
drug crisis, OA members have fun. Here Stephanie Cho, Portland Organizer,
holds a game card in the Medicine Game Show - The Price is Right. |
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Summer Barbeque |
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Winter Solstice Party |
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OA Campaign History
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- 2001: Won renewed commitment to Food Stamp Refoms
Our second testing project identified
areas where reform needed to continue.
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2001: Introduced Prescription Drug Bulk-Purchasing
Pool bill.
Thanks to massive Rx industry opposition and lobbying, no hearing
were held. We will come back stronger next session.
- 2001: Defended Local Living Wage Ordinances From Attack
Oregon Action worked to defeat House
Bill 2744, a bill sponsored by Representatives Tim Knopp and Roger Beyer
that would prohibit country and local governments passing living wage ordinances
and invalidate living wage ordinances that have been passed. Although the
bill passed, it was amended to explicitly allow living wage ordinances that
applied to those who contract with cities and counties and those who receive
tax subsidies.
- 2001: Won Refundable Child Care Tax Credit Refundable.
Oregon Action, with the Rural Organizing Project,
CAUSA, Oregon Center for Public Policy,
worked to oppose budget cuts that would reduce help to low-income working
Oregonians. Instead, we successfully called on legislators to help low-wage
families succed by allowing them to receive the full benefit of the Working
Family Child Care Tax Credit. Oregon Action supported House
Bill 2716, sponsored by Representative Diane Rosenbaum and Lane Shetterly.
The bill was passed and signed into law by Governor Kitzhaber. On the national
level, the National Campaign for
Jobs and Income Security, with Oregon Action joining in, lead the campaign
for a refundable
child care tax credit on federal income taxes. OA Board member Rose
Spears traveled to Washington to meet with Senators Smith and Wyden and
won their support for this important victory.
- 2001: Successfully Opposed Repeal of the Alternative Minimum Tax.
Our CEO Panhandlers action was a big success
and since we shared our materials and research with other US Action affiliates,
it was used in other states around the country as well.
- 2001: Opposed Ashcroft Nomination
Oregon
Action opposed the nomination of John Ashcroft as Attorney General.
In addition to his statements in support of the Confederacy and his vicious
and untruthful opposition to appointing Ronnie White, a man of color, to
the judiciary, Ashcroft voted consistently against consumer interests to
benefit pharmaceutical companies and other corporate interests. OA regrets
that too few senators voted their consciences. We think it is appalling
that when there is so much uncontroverted evidence of institutionalized
racism in the criminal justice system (racial profiling, disparate sentencing)
that even one senator, let alone a majority, could support a Confederate
sympathizer to head the Department of Justice.
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2000: Oregon Political Accountability
Act
Ballot Measure 6. OA worked hard in drafting the legislation, building
a coalition and gathering signatures to put Measure 6 on the ballot. That
Measure 6 did not pass simply means that this campaign isn't over
.
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2000: No on 92 & 98.
Oregon Action opposed ballot measures 92 and 98. These were two measures
from Bill Sizemore that attacked political participation by union
members. Union members can easily opt out of union political activities.
These measures are merely attempts by the corporate lobby to close
down citizen participation in the political process.
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2000: Food Stamps.
OA won major reforms in the food stamp application process, including
a redesign of the application itself that cut its size from 16 to 4
pages. As a result, the number of food stamp recipients has grown 14.6%
from June 2000 to January 2001
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2000: Living Wage
Rogue Valley OA worked for passage of a living wage ordinance in Ashland
and Josephine County. They are near victory in Ashland.
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2000: Northwest Job Gap Study
Oregon Action released a study defining a living wage and determining
what is a living wage in specific areas of the state.
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1999: Undermining Democracy
Oregon Action released a report detailing the corrosive effect of
money on Oregon public policy.
- 1999: Fair and Clean Energy Bill
Oregon Fair Share formed the Fair and Clean
Energy Coalition in 1996. When OA formed in 1997, it continued the coalition
which has now spun off into an independent organization. In 1999, OA, working
as a member of the FCEC, passed SB 1149 which restructured Oregon's utility
industry, keeping the consumer protections that were lost in the many states
who rushed into utility deregulation.
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1999: Defending Minimum Wage
Oregon Action fought back attempts to weaken Oregon's minimum wage with
a tip credit and an exemption for youth and agricultural workers.
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1998: Bracero
Oregon Action fought the Smith-Wyden Bracero bill that would reduce many
agricultural workers to little more than slave laborers.
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1998: No on 58 and Yes on 62 and 63.
OA worked against a paycheck deception measure that would shut union workers
out political participation. Measures 62 and 63 defended democracy by
requiring measures that require supermajorities in the future to pass
by the same supermajority requirement they would require of others. You
might call it a sauce-for-the-goose-is-sauce-for-the-gander measure.
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1998: Color of Money
OA released a report that illustrated how the current campaign finance
system marginalizes candidates of color and the political power of people
of color.
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1998: Northwest Job Gap Study
Oregon Action released a study defining a living wage and determining
what is a living wage in specific areas of the state.
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1997: Business Income Tax in Portland.
OA worked with members and with other organizations to win a Business
Income Tax in Portland to supplement funding for Portland Public Schools.
