Reyna Lopez, PCUN, Executive Director, reynalopez@pcun.org
Farmworker Death Related to Heat-Illness
Amidst Oregon Heat Wave
while Oregon OSHA fails to adopt emergency rules ahead of the heatwave.
WOODBURN, Ore. As people across the state looked for ways to cool down during the record-breaking heatwave, farmworkers continued to work in the fields despite the unsafe conditions. The failure to adopt emergency rules ahead of the heatwave, as well as wildfire season, by Oregon OSHA has left outdoor workers’ health and livelihood at the discretion of their employers. Unfortunately, the lack of rules has resulted in a work-related heat death of a farmworker on Saturday, June 26th on a farm in St. Paul.
by Tim Gruver, The Center Square | June 02, 2021 08:00 AM Print this article
Oregon has no limits on how much money one person can spend on its elections. Voters and state lawmakers agree that needs to change.
Last fall, Oregonians voted to allow state lawmakers to pass statewide campaign finance reform. To date, political campaigns in the state report contributions and expenditures to the Secretary of State. Historically, spending limits have been up to local officials to decide.
Cities like Portland passed campaign finance limits of their own in 2018, limiting individual and political action committee (PAC) donations to $508. In Portland, unions and business groups are banned from throwing money into candidate races, but small donor committees have free rein. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler was sued for breaking those rules last fall after he allegedly donated $150,000 to his own 2020 reelection campaign.
PCUN receives $100k grant February 27 2021
Oregon Consumer Justice donates more than $1.7 million in trust-based community grants to 26 Oregon nonprofits
Woodburn-based Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN), received a $100,000 grant as part of a $1.7 million distribution from Oregon Consumer Justice.
OCJ announced the awards on Thursday, Feb. 25, as part of a mission to advance consumer protection with emergency response grants. In total, 26 entities received funds. We were honored, and relieved honestly, to get the financial support of OCJ, especially after the effects of Oregon s Labor Day wildfires. Those two weeks, and post air quality finally coming back to normal, PCUN Executive Director Reyna Lopez said. PCUN came in contact with about 1,000 people who needed help. This funding allowed us to increase capacity in our healthy workplaces program, which is the main program at PCUN that focuses on farmworkers outreach, services, and education.