Over the last decade, SEIU Local 503 grew from representing 52,000 employees in 2010 to more than 72,000 employees today. Overall union representation in Oregon also continues to grow, going from 256,000 to 277,000 represented workers last year alone. National union representation dipped slightly over the last year, driven largely by anti-union legislation taking away people’s right to collectively bargain. 

We know that when people are represented by a union, we have higher wages, better access to affordable health care, and are more likely to have a pathway to retirement. Compensation disparities experienced by black and brown workers are also narrowed when workers can form a union. That’s why SEIU is committed to our Unions for All Agenda to ensure that every worker is able to join a union.

Our work at the Oregon Legislature helps pave the way for workers across our state to unite and win. SEIU 503 members saw this in action in 2019 when we won the best contracts in over a decade for more than 90% of our members. That’s the union difference.