DeRosa, Matt – Employment Dept: Candidate for Assistant Director

Matt DeRosa (he/him): candidate – Assistant Director of the Human Services Coalition.

Before diving into my statement, I want to thank each of you for being members of SEIU 503. The work of the Union takes a village – thank you for being an active member in our Union!

I am running for Assistant Director of the Human Services Coalition to further our member organizing efforts. I was at the bargaining table two years ago (and will be again during this cycle). I saw the challenges we had to get our Contract Action Teams organized and get everyday workers to participate in bargaining actions. I have had success implementing worker-led organizing campaigns in my sub-local, and I want to continue to broaden those efforts coalition wide. I have led:
• Workplace mapping,
• Communication and Engagement Scores,
• Weekly newsletters,
• Section Labor-Management Committees (and served on our Agency-wide LMC), and
• Annual employee-engagement surveys

For me, running for the Board of Directors must mean more than simply continuing this work. As Assistant Director, I want to help teach other coalition leaders how to do this work. I want to develop a coalition-wide strategy because Management wins when Labor isn’t working together.

Since May 2026, I have been serving as the Assistant Director of the Human Services Coalition. The very next month, we launched a monthly series called ‘Organizing in Action’ to help member leaders (stewards, sub-local elected officers, bargaining delegates, and general council delegates) form a cohesive organizing strategy – starting with Workplace Mapping.

This campaign is still in its infancy, but I hope it shows you my intent to bring the coalition together. Our work is incredibly diverse: from frontline staff serving Oregonians directly, to child welfare workers in our communities, to employees working remotely behind the scenes. While our jobs differ, our shared interests as union members unite us.

I’ll finish the way I began – Thank You! You all make the Department of Human Services, Oregon Health Authority, and Employment Department the terrific agencies they are. Because of you, the people of the State of Oregon get support they need. You are also the backbone of SEIU 503! Nearly 1-in-7 SEIU 503 members are right here in the Human Services Coalition; thank you! Together, we can build an even stronger, more engaged union, and I would be honored to continue serving as your Assistant Director.