Kitzhaber for Governor

SEIU 503 Members Cite Democrat's Grasp of Issues

See a side-by-side comparison of Kitzhaber and Dudley on the issues here.

Members of the Services Employees International Union have voted overwhelmingly to endorse and support Democrat John Kitzhaber for governor and pledged to campaign actively on his behalf.

SEIU represents more than 50,000 workers in state and local government, homecare, child care, adult foster care and the state universities, as well as thousands of workers in the private sector including hospitals, nursing homes and property services.

The endorsement was recommended by the union's political action committee and affirmed by SEIU's Oregon State Council following a participatory process open to all candidates willing to respond to a questionnaire, appear before members and spend a day shadowing one member in the work place.

"We were impressed by Governor Kitzhaber's grasp of the issues, sincerity and candor," said Barbara Casey, a social services worker from Portland who chairs of the SEIU Local 503 CAPE (Citizens Action for Political Education) committee, "but more than anything else we believe he shares the values of our members and Oregon's working families."

"As a medical assistant I am thrilled that our union is endorsing Governor Kitzhaber," said Marsha King, who works at Kaiser Permanente and serves on the SEIU 49 executive board." Unlike his opponent he has a plan to improve quality care in our health care system and promote health and wellness while making sure every Oregonian has access to affordable health care."

Chris Dudley, the Republican nominee, a former officer of the NBA players union noted for finding ways around management efforts to cap salaries, spurned a chance to compete for SEIU's endorsement.

"Maybe he's more comfortable further enriching basketball pros than helping care providers to preserve services that allow seniors and people with disabilities to remain in their homes." said Mary Wood of Lincoln City, a leader of the SEIU 503 statewide homecare local. "We are so fortunate to have an alternative to that kind of thinking in the presence of John Kitzhaber, who is committed to protecting vulnerable Oregonians."

SEIU 503 members were impressed by Dr. John Kitzhaber’s encouraging words about the value of state workers and the services we provide, as well as his candor in assessing his role and ours in the coming round of contract negotiations.

Dr. Kitzhaber, who is the only candidate for Governor to accept SEIU Local 503’s invitation to address union members, appeared at a meeting of CAPE on 

July 12 in Portland. Two days later he spoke to state workers on the Capitol Mall in Salem. CAPE is our union's political action fund that endorses and supports candidates who will fight for working families.

Watch the video and see what you think. Then submit your comments here:

http://seiu503.seiu.org/KitzhaberComments