News The Service Employees International Union Local 503 has announced it's endorsing Charlie Hales for mayor. This follows the announcement last month that SEIU 49—the state's second largest labor union—would endorse Hales. Hales announced the endorsement Tuesday on Twitter.Hales and his opponent, Rep. Jefferson Smith (D-East Portland), continue to split the the labor endorsements.Smith has won endorsements ...   More

News Union groups plan to descend on the Oregon State Capitol on Monday, but they can't seem to agree on what to call the rally—or why they're having it.The SEIU 503, which represents state workers, advertises the Presidents Day event as “A Day of Action for Oregon’s Future.” (Fliers for the rally were handed out at an Occupy Portland event Thursday night.)But the Oregon Education Association—which ...   More

News Until this week, the state's two largest public employee unions, the Oregon Education Association and Service Employees International Union Local 503, each represented about 47,000 public employees.But SEIU Local 503 vaulted ahead of the teachers' union with the announcement today that it will now represent about 7,500 people who provide support to developmentally disabled Oregonians (some also serve ...   More