Oregon labor response to Obama

Here is a statement today by Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain on Obama’s State of the Union Address last night:

President Obama presented a vision of the future last night that working families across Oregon, and the country, stand behind. His vision is of an economy that works for all of us, where a minimum wage can support a family, workers can take paid time off when they’re sick, our tax code is fair, and we have expanded access to higher education. It’s encouraging to see our President take a stand for immigrant rights, for the right to form a union and for growing the middle class. That’s the America we need.

Following President Obama’s lead, we must keep fighting for income equality. That’s why raising the minimum wage is so important right now. I am concerned, however, about President Obama’s statements on expanding free trade agreements because Oregon lost thousands of jobs as a result of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The expanding trade deficit with China has displaced tens of thousands of jobs in our state. It’s clear to me that we can’t afford another free trade deal that leaves Oregon’s workers hurting and unable to make ends meet. My hope is that Congress is able to weigh all of the information in front of them before passing any kind of trade agreement that could negatively impact our economy.

The true test of Congress over the next two years will be to put the President’s plan into action and build an America where working families have a fair shot at economic prosperity.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!