Portland Jobs with Justice

Portland Jobs with Justice is excited to share with you that our exhibit, “Building Solidarity for 30 Years: Portland Jobs with Justice is now open at the Oregon Historical Society! It is a story of 30 years of solidarity that you, as members and activists in our coalition and community, make possible! Please share in our collective history by visiting during open hours through May 15th. We are so excited to commemorate movement history in a museum whose workers are represented by a key organization in our history, ILWU Local 5!

Jointly sponsored by the Oregon chapter of the Pacific Northwest Labor History Association, the exhibit, in the words of the Oregon Historical Society, “present(s) a thirty-year retrospective on the Portland chapter of Jobs with Justice. This is a local story with a national and global reach. Founded in 1991, Portland JwJ became a vibrant part of a “new labor movement” taking shape across the country at the turn of the century. This was a time when globalization, labor law, and declining union membership contributed to rising insecurity for an increasing number of American workers. Starting with a handful of organizers, Portland JwJ grew into an expansive coalition of a hundred organizational members and thousands of individual pledge supporters. Committed to restoring workers’ rights and empowering workers, Portland JwJ has supported workers with organizing and union contract campaigns and partnered with labor, faith, and social justice groups to further public policies for the common good.”

Now through May 15!
M – Sat, 10-5; Sunday Noon – 5
Oregon Historical Society (1200 SW Park Ave)
More exhibit information and preview here!

by Alma Raya, JwJ Executive Board Member

Excluding farmworkers from overtime pay is racist and it should be illegal! Farmworkers have been excluded from minimum wage protections and overtime pay through the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 for too long. 

Farmworkers already have challenging lives and are among the most vulnerable workers in our community. The vast majority migrated to this country risking their lives in the search for better work opportunities, leaving their homeland, culture and families behind. Despite the long hours of work, exposure to dangerous pesticides and harsh weather conditions, farmworkers struggle to make ends meet earning on average between $17,500 to $19,999 a year.

Throughout the pandemic, catastrophic fires and dangerous levels of air quality, farmworkers continued to work and make sure we have food available. It is our turn to stand together as a community and put an end to the racist exclusion that creates economic insecurity for farm workers and their families. 

There are over 86,240 farmworkers in Oregon that need our help. They are our friends, our neighbors, our community.

Tell lawmakers we must pay farmworkers for every hour they work!

Allies and community members, write testimony in support of Farmworker overtime. The bill is scheduled for a hearing 5:30 Tuesday, and your testimony is needed ASAP (by Wednesday 2/9 at 5pm) Please select “neutral” on your submission.

The link to submit your written testimony is now available: You can submit here

Helpful testimony template here!

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