Our story is OSEA’s story

As our chapter number indicates, the origins of the Oregon School Employees Association can be traced back to Eugene, when in 1938 a small group of school janitors joined together as the Lane County Janitors Association to promote their trade and provide job-related training. This group formed the nucleus of a statewide organization that elected Guy Davis as its first president in 1941. By 1952 (the year it changed its name to OSEA), the organization had grown to include six local chapters — with Lane County (aka Eugene) designated as Chapter 1.

Eugene Chapter 1 — like OSEA as a whole — is a member-controlled and -directed union that reflects the character and spirit of its members who are individually and collectively responsible for its identity and success. Our members are secretaries; special education, instructional, English as a second language and media assistants; custodians; maintenance workers; groundskeepers; bus drivers; couriers; food service workers; nurses; teachers; physical and occupational therapists; sign language and language interpreters; campus security; braill-ists; reproduction specialists; computer technicians; Adult Basic Education instructors; and district office staff such as payroll clerks, accounting clerks and bookkeepers, among many other positions.

OSEA is a recognized leader within Oregon’s labor and education communities. It represents 22,000 employees throughout the state and enjoys a history of assisting its chapters and members in areas such as contract negotiating, organizing, member communications, public relations, lobbying and political action. The union also provides excellent union-skills training.