Media notes “anti-capitalist” push by teachers union

(file photo)
By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

The Oregonian newspaper has a special article this week detailing how Oregon’s top teacher’s union, the Oregon Education Association, is moving towards an anti-capitalist agenda.

The Oregonian notes,

“That small but formidable faction favors a more strike-ready approach, intended to put enough pressure on the political status quo to cough up billions more for schools and boost a broader anti-capitalist agenda that expands well beyond wages, benefits and classroom conditions.”

It further writes:

“In just the past three years, the union or its chapters in Portland and Beaverton have:
• Partnered with garment workers from Asia to demand that Washington County-based Nike, which employs more than 10,000 Oregonians, pay its factory workers a “fair wage,” paired with a call for the shoe and apparel giant to pay hugely increased state taxes to support public education.
• Floated a plan to call for an end to the development, deployment and use of artificially powered weapons systems.
• Proposed broadening the scope of local bargaining to encompass concepts like having school districts partner in developing affordable housing.
• Joined other national labor organizations in calling for a ceasefire in the Israeli-Hamas conflict and published guides on teaching and organizing for Palestinian rights in public schools.
• Put political might, muscle and dollars behind legislative candidates affiliated with anti-capitalist movements like the Democratic Socialists of America in contested races, including primary challengers to incumbent Democrats, while so far declining to endorse Kotek’s reelection bid.”

The fact that the union won’t endorse Governor Kotek in the Primary is a sign that the Oregon Education Association is veering recklessly Leftward.   Their handbook places advancing “social justice” among their top priorities.

It is not just the Oregon Education Association.   The Portland Teachers Association has been criticized for including anti-Israel and pro-Hamas signs in their Portland strike marches.  Additionally, the same union was found supporting pro-Hamas program items to students.

Last year, unions pushed the bill that paid jobless benefits to those who left work to strike against their own employer.  This is basically paying people to leave work.  This is greatly tilting the scales and balance of power towards labor over employers.

The Oregon unions’ move towards socialism will not work and will only drive businesses and entrepreneurs out of the state.   As businesses and entrepreneurs leave, they take their tax revenue with them.  As tax revenue declines, it puts pressure on politicians to raise taxes even further, and thus you have a doom loop that will wreck our economy and quality of life.

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