PSO Members Work at Advocacy Conference, Hob-Nob with Bikers!

Attendees at 2009 OEA Advocacy Conference packed to the gills the meeting rooms of the Portland Airport Holiday Inn on a gray-rainy-gray-rainy-sunny-gray October 17 day.

Adding to the excitement: the Holiday Inn also hosted a biker convention of motorcycle clubs from Oregon and Washington.

The sight of OEA staff and members mingling amid tough-dressed people in black leather jackets with exotic patches and emblems isn't something you see every day. The biker convention was engaged in its own advocacy, with a table of materials covering their rights as motorists and citizens along with accident insurance. A strong visual contrast, sure, but not dissimilar events.

PSO members led or co-trained sessions on Beginning Bargaining, Advanced Bargaining, Basic Advocacy, Bargaining Benefits, Engaging Members, Political Advocacy, Organizing & Bargaining Communications, Show Me the Money!, and Community Colleges.

ASO and PSO hosted a joint table in the main meeting hall where the OEA Foundation, California Casualty, and several OEA members running for office also had tables. In this photo, ASO members Jackie Youngbar and Becky Corkill sit with PSO member James Sundell. In the basket? A colorful selection of PSO stress balls.

Better Know Your PSO: Monica Smith!

Meet new PSO member, OEA Bargaining Coordinator & UniServ Consultant Monica Smith!

Although Monica just joined in March, her history serving OEA extends for many years as a labor attorney for both public and private sector unions in Oregon including OEA, AFL-CIO, Portland Fire Fighters, musicians, and stagehands (just to name a few).

Monica has spent 26 years in private practice. She took a ride on the wild side for 6 months before starting with OEA and enjoys biking, singing, and gardening while her fascinating work history includes beekeeping, waitressing, and teaching ESL.

In April, Monica led a staff meeting training on Oregon bargaining rights and included a lesson to the tune of "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music. She not only kept her small troupe of performers (her longtime law partner Barbara Diamond and two PSO members) in tune, but actually brought the trainees to a standing ovation. Not easy to do on a warm afternoon.

Currently on Monica's nightstand: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.

What does she see as her most important job qualification? Growing up in a family of 8.

Welcome Monica!

PSO Members to Attend Staff Union Retreat Sept 13-15

It's been a solid month (with more to come!) of Board and UniServ retreats at OEA conducting council business, tackling bargaining issues, treasurer's trainings, communications workshops, legislative and policy updates, upcoming political campaigns, OEA-PIE drives, and school funding issues.

This weekend PSO-Oregon members will be holding our own staff retreat at our expense and time from Sunday, September 13 through Tuesday, September 15. As we're normally spread across the state, we appreciate this time together (our first retreat in three years) and promise to behave ourselves. The agenda for the three days is full [too full in this editor's opinion], so you OEA member-friends can expect few sensational details on Facebook or Twitter. [Alas!]

OEA members & PSO Win Against District

OEA members and PSO UniServ Consultants marked a rare non-renewal win against a district when the Knappa School Board overturned its earlier decision to non-renew a probationary teacher based on accusations from the principal and Superintendent.

More than 45 students, parents, and alumni members filled the Knappa High School Library for the March late night hearing that resulted in the renewal of Vocational Agriculture teacher, Courtney Bangs. During the public hearing the School Board was represented by Hungerford lawyer Richard Cohn Lee, while the Principal and Superintendent were represented by Nancy Hungerford.

In the hearing UniServ Consultant Dot Russell (pictured) and OEA member Courtney Bangs countered every criticism with facts, documents, and calm reasoning which gained the attention of the five member school board.

Toward the end, Nancy Hungerford reminded the board about what the “very broad discretion” the law grants them to non-renew, but the board took to heart Dot Russell’s points that the law was broadly written to grant them the ability to retain their own sense of ethics and justice.

Right after the Board hearing, the Knappa Superintendent tendered his resignation to the School Board chair. After three scheduled mediations, which were not completed, the Superintendent has moved on to a new assignment.

PSO Pleased to Join OEA Members and Staff at August Board Retreat

This June, OEA Executive Director Jerry Caruthers extended an invitation to all OEA staff to join the OEA Board during its August retreat.

The members of OEA’s Professional Staff Organization (PSO) are pleased by this invitation will eagerly join the OEA members of the Board, our Associate Staff Organization (ASO) colleagues, confidential staff, and OEA management for a day and a half of strategic planning August 3 & 4, with an evening BBQ on the OEA grounds in Tigard.

“No question it has been a tough year for OEA and its members with this latest economic downturn leading to contract reopeners and anxiety in districts and colleges, but there is a lot to celebrate: a historic general election and huge wins on ballot measures this past fall,” shared PSO President Catherine Alexander. “OEA leaders and the Government Relations Team did yeoman’s work this recent legislative session.”

Alexander added: ‘We take this invitation to the Board Retreat as a significant step toward building on OEA’s potential to become the best and strongest advocate for public education and worker’s rights in Oregon.”

Better Know Your PSO: Sandra Goveia!

One of the newer additions to the Professional Staff at OEA is Sandra Goveia, working as the UniServ Consultant for the Three Rivers Education Council (TREC). Sandra’s education career began a high school English and Social Studies teacher first in Texas, and then Washington.

From teaching she moved to Iowa to attend law school, where she studied labor law and negotiations. When she saw a job listing for a UniServ position in Iowa she realized that this was a great way to mix her teaching past and legal expertise. She is now here at OEA “mixing it” for the TREC members in her council. Welcome Sandra!

New PSO Organizational Goals

After months of discussions, the members of PSO-Oregon collectively voted to approve a series of goals to guide us as a staff union in both the short and long term. Among the goals:

- Promote union values internally and externally

- Promote partnerships with mutual respect and shared values among all levels of OEA membership, staff, and management

Our aspiration is to continue to follow our motto as "partners in advocacy" and work as role models in the causes of union values, public education, and championing the rights of OEA members.

For more on our goals and union values, visit www.oregonedstaff.org

Better Know Your PSO: Meg Krugel

Meg Krugel joined PSO to work as OEA’s new magazine Editor and Communications Consultant. Meg most recently worked in Seattle as an Assistant Editor for Colors NW, a magazine focusing on race and diversity issues. She grew up in Roseburg and graduated from the U.O. with a BA in Journalism and a minor in English. We now have another “DUCK” in the Center for Public Affairs Department – so watch out Beavers!

Meg and her spouse Tara currently make their home in Northeast Portland. In her spare time, Meg cooks, jogs, and creates Martha-inspired projects (we hope to sample the cooking soon!). Meg also plays the oboe and recently joined a community band. She is eager to form a PSO band with UniServ Consultant and folk singer John Lorang. Welcome Meg!