City of Beaverton employees began bargaining with their employer in late April. Money Magazine has consistently ranked Beaverton among the best American cities to live in. Yet the SEIU 503 members who work for the City of Beaverton are facing increased health insurance costs and the Portland area’s ever-rising cost of living.

“Frankly, a good portion of the membership cannot actually afford to live in Beaverton,” said Adam Korst, a graphic designer and steward. “Very few of us can afford to live alone. With the proposed healthcare increases and low cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) proposals, we are essentially facing a pay cut.”

To kick off their 2018 bargaining campaign, SEIU 503 members at the City of Beaverton gathered at City Hall on April 24th to attend the City Council’s meeting with Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle. With less than two weeks notice, City of Beaverton members turned out in record numbers.

As Council members filed into the hallways for their meeting, they were greeted by nearly 70 SEIU 503 members wearing purple and asking the city’s elected officials to remember throughout bargaining that frontline staff are the people who make Beaverton the Best.