A Labor-Community Organizing Hub
Portland Jobs With Justice worked hard to support two local ballot measures in the recent election, Yes for Real Police Accountability (City of Portland Measure 26-217) and Preschool for All (Multnomah County Measure 26-214). We were thrilled to see both measures pass by large margins!
Yes for Real Police Accountability responds to long running demands from Black leaders and Mental Health advocates for a community-centered and well funded oversight board for Portland Police. JwJ participated in the Steering Committee for the measure, gave invited testimony to the City Commission supporting referring the measure to voters, helped organize local union support for the measure, and mobilized our pledgers to phone and text bank and donate to the campaign.
Preschool for All sets up a County led program to provide free preschool for all 3-5 year olds in the County through an income tax on the wealthy, while substantially raising pay for preschool staff and providing guaranteed protections for preschool workers seeking to organize. We’re particularly excited about the protections for workers to organize unions, which will help lift standards for pay, benefits, and security for the traditionally female and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color workforce. Our JwJ Executive Director was a chief petitioner for the early Portland DSA sponsored initiative that led to the referred measure.
Yes we can! ¡Sí se puede!