JENNIE OLSON for President

I have been a proud union member at OHSU since 2014, and have served the members of our bargaining unit as a steward since 2016. In 2022, I served on the bargaining team that won our union’s best contract ever. I am currently the secretary of our union’s executive board and a lead steward who participates in investigatory and pre-dismissal meetings and the filing of grievances.

I believe in a democratic and member-led union. Your vote for me is a vote for your priorities and the direction you want your union to take. I will commit my energy and time to listening to and acting on your concerns and needs. I will establish strong connections with our rank-and-file members, no matter where you work or what your job is, and will invite you all to create our agenda. I will provide all members with the education and resources needed to succeed and grow, both on the job and in our union.

Beyond my experience and qualifications for the position of president, I have the competence and confidence required to respond to the varied needs of our members and the different work units at OHSU. I have the character to stand for my values, uphold the right to debate, and meet the challenges that our union’s president will face. 

I am honored to run for president of AFSCME Local 328, and I believe strongly in my running mates. We work together well and communicate effectively; even when we don’t see eye to eye, we leverage our differing viewpoints to find solutions that result in action. Together, we will build power in our union to fight for our rights and win improvements at work.

JEN LAVERDURE for Vice President

I have worked at OHSU for 16 years in many roles, from field technology analyst (fixing your computer problems at your desk), to project manager, to trainer. I have been the Local 328 Political Action Committee Chair for nearly two years and a Council 75 executive board at-large member for over two years and was recently re-elected to that position. I was assigned to serve on the Council 75 Political Action Committee, where I have participated extensively in candidate interviews and endorsements for offices around the state. I am currently a unit steward for my work team, Clinical Business Intelligence. 

I have a history of activism in the Portland community that I will draw on to organize our members to build a stronger Local 328. I want our union to be led by the needs and concerns of all 8,000+ members of our bargaining unit, across campus and across the country. I look forward to building the participation of remote workers in our union.

This will be a challenge, but working collaboratively with our union’s other officers is the place to start! I am running for vice president as part of a slate of dedicated union members who bring expertise in Local 328’s operations, policies, and procedures; experience in representing their coworkers as stewards; and passion in building our union to win strong contracts and hold management accountable to them. 

CASSIE BARTON for Secretary

I have worked as an OHSU pharmacist for a decade. I am a representational steward and have served on Local 328’s executive board as an at-large member for four years. Throughout my time on the board, I have tried to provide a different perspective, asking tough questions about how and where we spend our money and ensuring all members are represented in the decisions made. If elected as secretary, I will continue to do just that. 

I promise to continue working to ensure that our union always thoroughly explores and critically considers the best ways in which to proceed in day-to-day operations, through bargaining, and beyond. I am committed to doing my best as your secretary, including taking detailed minutes and posting them on our website in a timely manner. 

As an officer of our union, I am committed to getting us back on track and focusing on what matters to our members. I believe we need strong leadership to steer us back to the basics: communicating with our membership, keeping our members engaged and involved in our union and their workplace, and fighting for strong contracts. Jennie, Jen, Claire, Haley and I are committed to working for you, our members. We stand for improved transparency, communication, and accountability. 

CLAIRE IRVAN for Treasurer

I have served as Local 328’s treasurer since October 2019. During this time, I have worked diligently to build budgets that protect our members’ dues dollars and allocate funds in ways that directly serve our members. I have seen our union through a bargaining year, three conventions, and the completed purchase of our building on Barbur Blvd. I have attended three financial-standards trainings to ensure my understanding of the financial codes and standards that we are required to maintain. I have been truthful with our board about my assessment of our union’s finances when hard financial decisions need to be made.

Over the past four years, I have partnered and built strong working relationships with Local 328’s bookkeeper, our accountant, and the state council’s fiscal director. We have developed a strong foundation for communication and collaboration. If our members see fit to re-elect me as treasurer, I will continue to build on this foundation, constructing the framework for processes for the future. I am determined to create a solid structure for our union’s treasury.

I respect your vote and your choice. Your vote for me as treasurer, and your vote for my running mates, will be appreciated and deeply regarded.

HALEY WOLFORD DAVIS for Chief Steward

I have proudly served as our union’s chief steward since January 2019. I helped represent us at the bargaining table in 2019 when we saw significant increases in our wages and benefits, and again in 2022 when we stood strong for even more! In 2022 we also saw impressive gains in steward contract language and employee protections — this has allowed me to restructure aspects of the steward program and increase participation over the last two years.

As I have rolled out exciting changes, I have been thankful to work with an incredible group of stewards who are as passionate as I am about making connections with our fellow members, representing your interests, improving your work environments, and defending your rights under our contract. I am not willing to simply rest on past wins or sit comfortably in this office — I see many ways our union can still improve! I’m excited about what our new site, The Hub (formally the eZone), has to offer members in the way of representation, transparency, training, and resources.

I’ve learned that managing the steward program requires a high level of collaboration, support, and buy-in from union officers and leadership in order to create the support structure necessary for stewards to best serve our represented employees. I am confident that the skills my running mates and I bring to the table will help Local 328 accomplish goals with a focus on empowering our members.