OR Unions Vote To Support Gender Affirming Care – KXL

SEASIDE, OR – During the most recent Oregon AFL-CIO Convention, leaders say delegates from unions around the state voted to pass a resolution endorsing and committing to help support the Equal Rights for All ballot measure.  The campaign for Equal Rights for All ballot initiative targets the November 2026 election.  If successful, voters will be asked to update Oregon’s constitution to include language clarifying that everyone has equal rights to make private and personal decisions regardless of a person’s sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or if they are pregnant or seeking reproductive health care like IVF.

“Working people can’t always afford to pay out of pocket or travel long distances for healthcare. And each of us should be able to marry who we love, access the healthcare we need, and be who we truly are without fear of discrimination,” says Evelyn Kocher, a chief petitioner on the Equal Rights for All campaign. “We need to do everything we can to protect and affirm that each of us has these basic rights and freedoms. That’s why passing the Equal Rights for All measure matters for Oregon’s workers.”

The those behind the campaign must collect 156,231 signatures from Oregon voters to qualify for the November 2026 ballot, and have been seeking support for their efforts.

“We know that when we as workers do not have control over our own decisions and bodily autonomy, it affects our ability to work and organize effectively for the best working and living conditions,” Sarina Roher, Secretary-Treasurer of the Oregon AFL-CIO said. “We also know that the same forces attacking our reproductive, transgender and LGBTQ+ rights are the ones seeking to destroy our unions. Supporting the Equal Rights for All ballot initiative is a straightforward action we can take to protect our rights and build a stronger Oregon labor movement.”

AFL-CIO leadership puts membership in Oregon more than 300,000 people across 300 unions.