Community Forum – Path to 2026: Oregon’s Labor Future
Date: Sunday, October 19, 2025
Time: 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/6075416208?pwd=bm05eW9KUGYxNVV2UW5LOEVlNFFNQT09&omn=83121943562
Meeting ID: 607 541 6208
Passcode: 232425Path to 2026: Oregon’s Labor Future
On September 30, 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 288 (AB 288) into law, creating a groundbreaking expansion of worker protections. Starting January 1, 2026, California’s Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) will have the authority to step in on private-sector labor disputes and union elections whenever the federal National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is inactive or unable to act.
This legislation comes at a critical time. The NLRB, responsible for enforcing workers’ rights to organize and collectively bargain, has been increasingly hamstrung by political gridlock, budget cuts, and understaffing. When the federal board cannot process cases, workers are left in limbo, often facing intimidation, retaliation, or stalled union elections. California’s law ensures that workers are not left unprotected when Washington, D.C. fails to act.
Why Oregon Needs Its Own Version of AB 288
Oregon has long prided itself on being a state where workers’ rights matter. Yet our labor laws still depend almost entirely on the effectiveness—or dysfunction—of the federal system. As we’ve seen, the NLRB can grind to a halt for months or even years, leaving workers vulnerable.
If California can build a state-level backstop to protect organizing rights, so can Oregon. We cannot afford to wait for federal politicians to resolve their stalemates. Our state should empower its own agencies to ensure that the right to organize is not an empty promise.
An Oregon equivalent of AB 288 would:
- Provide workers with a state-level venue to pursue fair union elections and address unfair labor practices when the NLRB is unable to act.
- Prevent employers from exploiting federal delays to stall organizing efforts.
- Strengthen Oregon’s reputation as a leader in protecting working people.
- Ensure that the basic right to collective bargaining is consistently enforced, regardless of what happens in Washington.
A Call to Action
The Eugene Springfield Solidarity Network (ESSN) believes Oregon must step up. Workers here deserve the same level of protection as those in California. Passing an Oregon version of AB 288 would be a bold and necessary step forward for our state’s labor movement.
We need to urge legislators, unions, and community organizations to begin this conversation now—before workers are once again left stranded in a moment of federal inaction. ESSN calls on Oregon’s leaders to put this on the agenda for the 2026 session and make clear that Oregon workers will not be abandoned.
To kick off this effort, ESSN will convene an Community Forum on Zoom on Sunday, October 19th at 6:00 PM. This will be an open discussion about how we can move forward in pushing our legislators to act in 2026, as well as what groundwork would be necessary if we were to pursue an even more aggressive ballot initiative in the same year.
It is time for Oregon to lead, not wait. California has shown the way. Now it’s up to us to make sure workers here have the protection they deserve.
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