“What Do We Want? Fairness!”

Final chant sums up resounding march and rally

After the marching and slogans and speeches and songs, the message came down to a simple chant rising from Terry Schrunk Plaza and echoing off the Portland skyscrapers around it:

“What do we want? Fairness! When do we want it? Now!”

With that, about 2,500 SEIU Local 503 members and allies concluded the United for Oregon march June 7 in high spirits, their resolve to gain fair contracts and protect services for vulnerable Oregonians reaffirmed in a memorable day of action.

It was a very long day for some members who climbed aboard buses from as far away as La Grande, Hermiston, Klamath Falls, and Medford. The event drove home the need to shield front-line workers and those we serve — children, seniors, and families made vulnerable by the economic downturn — from absorbing an unfair share of proposed state budget cuts.

Marchers gathering on the east bank of the Willamette River to form up for a march across the Hawthorne Bridge heard strong words of encouragement from SEIU 503 president Linda Burgin, DAS bargaining chair Kermit Meling, Children First for Oregon policy director Cathy Kaufman, AARP Oregon state director Jerry Cohen and Oregon House Majority Leader Mary Nolan.

Then, carrying signs and banners and accompanied by the Lions of Batucada samba band, they set off. More than 2,000 strong, they arrived at the plaza, where blues singer Linda Hornbuckle brought down the house with a rousing performance and SEIU 503 members drove home the day’s message.

Four members — DHS case manager Brandi Standridge, OYA counselor Ken Ross, SEIU 503 homecare president Mary Wood and OUS bargaining chair Marc Nisenfeld — delivered remarks surrounded by members and supporters from segments they represented: human services, public safety, senior care and education.

Following more songs from Voices for Fairness (a group of Salem-based DAS workers who annually promote the state workers’ drive to feed the hungry), Oregon House Speaker Dave Hunt and SEIU 503 Executive Director Leslie Frane sent the marchers off with strongly worded commitments to fight for fair treatment of front-line workers and vulnerable Oregonians.

Frane pledged the union members’ willingness to do our fair share to help the state through its economic crisis, but said front-line workers should not shoulder a disproportionate share of the sacrifice.

“We must not allow our safety nets to be shredded—not now, not ever,” she said. “We cannot allow our community-based approach to long-term care, long the envy of the nation, to be dismantled. Not now, not ever. We will not allow children to be abandoned, literally or figuratively, when they need child care and quality education, or when they are the victims of neglect or abuse. Not now, not ever. And we will not allow public workers and the individuals and families we serve to bear the brunt of the solution to a crisis that was not our making. Not now, not ever!”

As she finished and buses pulled up to take some of the marchers home, the last chant began:

“What do we want? Fairness! When do we want it? Now!”

Photos of march and rally on SEIU flickr page  :: Oregonian photos

KOIN 6 TV coverage (video) :: Other press coverage

Check out this panorama image created by SEIU 503 member Samuel Rutledge, a Case Manager at LCOG/Senior and Disabled Services in Eugene. Click the link below and then click and drag on the image in your browser to view a 360 degree panorama of the rally at Terry Schrunk Plaza. Rally panorama image

Video of Linda Hornbuckle at United for Oregon RallyBlues singer Linda Hornbuckle leads 2,500 United for Oregon rallygoers in a new rendition of an old Woody Guthrie standard: "This State is Your State, This State is My State." Thanks so much Linda! If you didn't get a chance to by a CD from Linda at the rally you can order one on her web site.