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General Council 2026 Frequently Asked Questions

What is General Council?

General Council is the supreme governing body for SEIU Local 503, meeting every two years to review the submission of resolutions, discuss and adopt policies and goals that affect the union.

Event Details:

  • General Council will convene starting Thursday, August 20 at 4 PM. Workshops will be available starting at 1 PM on August 20. Events will conclude on Sunday, August 23. 
  • Meeting Location: Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Portland, OR 97232
  • Hotel Location: Hyatt Regency at the Oregon Convention Center, 375 NE Holliday St, Portland, OR 97232

What’s New This Year!

  • New Location! We will be at the Oregon Convention Center and the Hyatt Regency at the Oregon Convention Center.
  • New Start Date and Time! This year General Council will be starting our first business session on Thursday at 4 PM.
  • And plenty of other surprises on the way! Keep watching this space for more updates!

How will the event take place this year?

General Council will be presented in an In-Person Format. All delegates will need to appear in-person at the event. That means delegates who are unable to attend in person should follow up with their organizer as soon as possible, so the next alternate delegate is able to attend in their place. The final schedule of events, workshops and more details will be posted here as we get closer to the date.

What amenities will be available at the event?

Great meals, wellness rooms, activities and the opportunity to interact with your fellow delegates! We will have translation services available as well.

Wear your SEIU colors proudly and get your swag at our Purple Store!
The Purple Store will be open Friday, August 21 – Sunday, August 23 on site at General Council.

Interested in volunteering at General Council?

Volunteers play a very important role at General Council helping to ensure functions operate smoothly and that delegates have support throughout the event. If you are interested in volunteering please email Lily Quintanilla at quintanillal@seiu503.org.

Do I Qualify for Lodging?

The SEIU Local 503 Board of Directors passed an exemption to the lodging policy for General Council. If a delegate lives more than 10 miles* from the location of General Council then they are exempt from the standard SEIU 503 Lodging Requirement for distance and are therefore eligible for lodging at the hotel(s) secured for the event.

*Delegates living on Hayden Island or in Washington State will be eligible for lodging because of potential traffic conflicts.

[Map showing 10-mile radius from event location]
A map of northwest Oregon and southwest Washington showing a 10-mile-radius circle centered in downtown Portland

How does lodging work for General Council?

Lodging is provided in accordance with the SEIU Local 503 Administrative Policies and Procedures. Lodging is provided for one-half (1/2) the double room rate for each individual who is authorized for lodging. So, delegates attending are assumed to be sharing their room with another SEIU member.  Delegates attending with their dependents and a dependent care provider will be eligible for a single room (1 room with 2 queen size beds) in accordance with the dependent care program outlined below.

Attendees can request a single room for themselves and will be billed $75/night. If you have a documented reason that makes you eligible for an exemption from the room share policy, those requests will be approved on a case-by-case basis. Please use this link for more details and to submit a request.

Hotel check-out on Sunday is at 11:00 AM; Luggage will be stored with the Hyatt Hotel Staff for those arriving early or checking out before the program ends on Sunday. We do not recommend leaving luggage in your car throughout the day.

Confirmation Details for Attendees

How do I get to General Council?

Lodging will be provided at the Hyatt Regency at the Oregon Convention Center (375 NE Holliday St, Portland, OR 97232).

  • From the South: 
    • Take I-5 North 
    • Take Exit 302A toward NE Weidler St
    • Turn right onto NE Weidler St (Signs for Convention Center/Lloyd Center
    • Turn Right onto NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
    • Turn right onto NE Multnomah St (Destination will be on the left)
  • From the East: 
    • Take I-84 West 
    • Take the US-30 N Exit towards I-5N/Seattle
    • Take the exit toward Convention Ctr/Rose Quarter
    • Merge onto NE 1st Ave
    • Turn right onto NE Multnomah St (Destination will be on the left)
  • From the West: 
    • Take US 30 E to I-5 South, Follow signs for Vancouver/Portland
    • Use the right 2 lanes to take exit 302A toward Moda Ctr/City Center
    • Use the left 2 lanes to take the ramp to Weidler St
    • Continue onto NE Weidler St (Signs for Convention Center/Lloyd Center
    • Turn Right onto NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
    • Turn right onto NE Multnomah St (Destination will be on the left)

Luggage and Parking:

Upon arriving at the hotel, attendees should temporarily park by the Hotel entrance. We will have SEIU volunteers ready to help unload luggage into the lobby area. Volunteers will stay with attendees’ luggage while they go to park their vehicle.

Parking for General Council will be in the hotel’s self-parking lot.  Map will be added soon! Do not leave any valuables, luggage or anything visible in your vehicle.

Charges for Parking in the Garage will be charged to your hotel room. 

 

Those members that live locally will be able to park directly at the Oregon Convention Center. The entrance to that parking garage is at 17 NE 1st Ave, Portland, OR 97232.

Mobility Support:

Members who selected mobility support during their event registration will receive additional information via email for parking support, scooter support and other support needs. If you have questions about mobility support, please email orders@seiu503.org.

Hotel Check-In Details:

Lodging Confirmations will be sent out from the union no later than August 10.  When you arrive, please use your first and last name to check into the hotel room.  You should not be asked for a credit card at check-in.  If there is a discrepancy with the hotel and what you believe is your lodging status, please visit us at our SEIU lodging check in table so we can address the discrepancy.    

Those that are lodging on site should not bill any items to their room other than parking charges. Should any other items be charged to your room (ie. Meals, snacks, drinks, movies) you will be billed back for the charges.  If you are in a shared room with another member and notice your roommate is billing items to your room, please visit the SEIU event check-in desk to help us identify the appropriate person to bill for these charges. You can also notify us to issues by emailing us at orders@seiu503.org if that is more convenient.   

After checking into the hotel, please go to the Oregon Convention Center to find our Event Check-In Area. There will be multiple tables to visit as part of the check-in process to ensure everyone has all of the materials and other support information for the weekend.  

Technology & Interpretation for General Council:

This year we will again be hosting a General Council App! This tool will help both attendees navigate the event and connect with each other. You will receive a separate email in the days prior to General Council with instructions on how to download the app and use it. If you have any trouble with the app we will have staff available onsite to assist you.  

This year we will be working with a new company to provide universal interpretation for attendees. All attendees will be issued a transmitter to listen to all program in your chosen language. These devices will need to be returned on Sunday at the end of programming.  

Workshops at General Council:

Workshop will start at 1 PM on Thursday and take place at the Oregon Convention Center. Please arrive early enough on Thursday to store your luggage with the hotel and to check in for the event before going to a workshop.  

Workshop descriptions will be uploaded this summer!

Meals & Dietary Support:

Meals will start with our Welcome Reception on Thursday evening. Meals will be buffet for most functions. Menu items will be labeled and list dietary concerns. We will have alternate options when necessary for those who have indicated dietary restrictions. If you have any concerns regarding your specific dietary needs, please see our staff at the help desk for additional support. 

Health & Safety at General Council:

While we are excited to see all of you in person, we do want to recognize that COVID and other summer colds are not something that we want to share amongst our attendees. If you feel ill in the days leading up to General Council we encourage you to stay home. If you start to feel ill, please email us at orders@seiu503.org to request that your registration be cancelled. Thank you for helping us keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible.  

Dependent Care Program 2026

This year’s Dependent Care Program will have two components:

  1. Dependents who need to accompany their Delegate to General Council in-person.
  2. Dependents who will be cared for at their home or with someone else off-site.

Dependents are defined as a person who lives with an eligible delegate and who is under the age of 13 or a person of any age whose care is the responsibility of the eligible person. Questions about eligibility should be emailed to orders@seiu503.org.

Dependents who need to accompany their Delegates to General Council: 

  • Delegates with dependents* under the age of 13 or any age that require care and are the responsibility of the delegate must be accompanied by an adult (18 or older) who can serve as the caregiver for the dependents during the event. This caregiver for the dependent needs to be someone other than the General Council Delegate.
  • Dependents and Caregivers will be able to join their Delegates for meal functions.
  • Dependents and caregivers will receive a voucher to subsidize activity fees on Friday and Saturday. The voucher will be $100 per dependent or caregiver and will be direct deposited into an account designated prior to General Council. Families will need to check in to the Family Support Room at the Hyatt to confirm their attendance to be eligible for the voucher.
  • Recommended Activities: (Note: These are pages hosted by other websites not affiliated with SEIU 503. These sites feature activities for families to do in Portland. SEIU is not responsible for any mis-information that may be on these pages).

Dependents who will be cared for at their home or with someone else off-site: 

  • Delegates with dependents* under the age of 13 or any age that require care and are the responsibility of the delegate must be accompanied by an adult (18 or older) who make arrangements for their dependents to be cared for off-site from General Council for the duration of the event will be eligible for a reimbursement of $60/dependent/day (Maximum $240/dependent).

General Council, HCW & PSW Dependent Care Stipend Eligibility Guidelines

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