Convention Information
Location:
The 2023 Biennial Convention will be held at the Salem Convention Center located at 200 Commercial Street SE, Salem, OR 97301. Convention convenes on Friday, April 28 at 6:00 p.m.
Convention registration will begin on Friday, April 28th from Noon until 5:30 p.m. and will continue on Saturday, April 29th from 7:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. Registration will end promptly at 9:30 a.m.
Convention Landing Page:
The Convention landing page contains all pertinent convention information. Delegates will have access to electronic versions of all Convention documents, including Convention Amendments and Resolutions. Please bring your personal laptops/notebooks to the convention to be able to access up-to-date information as it becomes available. The link to the landing page will be available on our website.
Election of Delegates and Alternates:
All delegates and alternates to the Council 75 Biennial Convention must be elected from locals in accordance with the Elections Code of the AFSCME International Constitution, Appendix D. The names of such delegates shall be certified by the President and Secretary of each local union to the Council 75 Secretary, who shall submit such certificates to the Credentials Committee.
Credentials:
The original white copy of the credentials bearing the signatures of both the local President and local Secretary must be returned to the AFSCME Council 75 Salem office no later than March 29, 2023. Please use the enclosed self-addressed, postage-paid envelope to return your credentials to the Salem AFSCME office.
Please note there is a separate Alternate Credential sheet. Please list all alternates from your local on this sheet and mail to the AFSCME Council 75 office with your credentials. You cannot elect more alternates than you have delegates. Signatures of both the President and Secretary of the local are required on this form as well.
You will find information about your Sector and Regional District on the Convention Call. You will need to fill in this information on the Official Credential form.
The deadline for any credential status changes is April 29th, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. at the convention registration desk.
Registration Fees for Delegates and Alternates:
For those locals who have not yet paid the convention registration fee for all their local delegates and alternates, please pay the full amount at the convention registration desk.
If your local’s credentials were received prior to the March 29th deadline, the fee is $125.00 each for both delegates and alternates. If your credentials are received after the March 29th deadline, the fee increases to $150.00 each for both delegates and alternates. ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
Guest Meal Fee:
A Guest Meal Form must be filled out in advance by each delegate, alternate or staff person for guests that will be accompanying them to the meals provided at convention. The form must be returned to the AFSCME Portland office no later than April 14, 2023. There is a $100.00 guest meal charge which covers the two dinners provided at the convention. The fee cannot be pro-rated among meals. Children 12 and under will eat for free. ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
COVID Safety:
One of the tenets of the union movement is that of safety. As we approach the convention date, we are still responding to the global impacts of the COVID-19 health crisis. This situation is of course dynamic and is an important factor in planning the convention to assure that we are deploying the best practices available. Because of this ever changing landscape, there will be a Health and Safety Committee that will be convened prior to convention. This committee will be tasked with developing and implementing health and safety protocols. Delegates, alternates, guests and Local presidents will be made aware of these best practices closer to convention in response to the community experience to COVID-19 and other health and safety concerns.
Size of Delegation and Voting Strength:
The voting strength and the number of delegates for your local is determined in accordance with Article IV, Sections 5 and 6 of the Oregon AFSCME Council 75 Constitution. See the Convention Call to determine your local’s Regional District voting strength and be sure to familiarize yourself with Article IV, Sections 18 through 21 of the Constitution.
In order to petition a change to your Regional District designation, you must submit a letter, in writing, to the Council 75 Secretary, at 1400 Tandem Avenue NE, Salem, OR 97301. This letter must be postmarked by March 29, 2023 which is at least 30 days prior to the opening of the convention.
Resolutions and Constitutional Amendments:
Article IV, Section 14 of the Council 75 Constitution requires that all resolutions, including proposed constitutional amendments, be certified by both the Local President and Secretary, and mailed to the AFSCME Council 75 Salem office at 1400 Tandem Avenue NE, Salem, OR 97301. They must be postmarked by February 27, 2023 which is at least 60 days prior to the opening of the Convention. Constitutional Amendments and Resolutions submitted after the February 28, 2023 deadline must receive the consent of a 2/3 majority of the delegates before they may be accepted.
All constitutional amendments and resolutions must be accompanied by an impact statement of 200 words or less. Such statements shall include rationale and financial impact to the Council.
Constitutional amendments and resolutions are available on the convention website. Review them carefully as you will be voting on these during the convention.
Election of Officers:
Council 75 statewide officers and trustees are nominated on Friday, April 28th with the election held on Saturday, April 29th. Regional District Vice Presidents, Workplace Sector Vice Presidents and Council 75 Executive Board members are elected on Sunday, April 30th. Election details are available on our website.
Special Fliers/Handouts:
Council 75 will not be responsible for making or paying for copies of special fliers or handouts distributed by locals or individuals. Be prepared to submit 200 copies to the Sergeant-at-Arms for distribution of these special fliers or handouts to delegates. Please note that the convention rules state that materials must be pre-authorized in advance of distribution by the chair of the Convention Committee.
Hotel Reservations:
We have a block of rooms reserved at the Grand Hotel in Salem. Locals are responsible for making and paying for their own room reservations and reservations must be made directly with the hotel. You can make your reservation(s) by contacting the hotel at (877) 540-7800 and indicate that you are with the AFSCME group. Reservations must be guaranteed with a credit card or an advance deposit. The cut-off date for hotel reservations is March 24, 2023. After this date reservations will be taken on a space-available basis. If you are in need of an ADA accessible room, please let the hotel know when you make your hotel reservations. Hotel check-in time is at 4:00 p.m. and check-out time is 11:00 a.m.
Parking:
The Salem Convention Center & Grand Hotel have complimentary underground parking. Overflow parking will be available and signs will direct you if needed.
Convention Committees:
If any delegates from your local are interested in volunteering to be on a convention committee, please fill out the enclosed form and return it with your credentials by March 29, 2023. Please note that if a delegate serves on the Credentials Committee or Elections Committee, they are not eligible to place their name into nomination for any Council 75 elected position, including an Executive Board position.
Memorial:
We will be recognizing our members who have passed away since our last convention in April of 2021. We are asking locals to submit the names of their members they would like acknowledged during the memorial presentation. All names must be submitted to Amy Moskal amoskal@oregonafscme.org by April 14, 2023.
Travel Fund:
The Oregon AFSCME Executive Board has approved the 2023 Oregon AFSCME Biennial Convention as a Travel Fund eligible event. The maximum reimbursement is $1,258.00 for one participant per local. The Travel Fund Policy and its procedures may be found in Section VII C. of the Council Policy Manual. Travel Fund reimbursement forms are available on the Council 75 website and will also be available at convention.
Convention Meals for Delegates:
The daily per diem rate for Salem is $59.00. No reimbursement will be allowed from the Council 75 Travel Fund for meals provided during the convention (dinner on Friday evening, April 28th and dinner on Saturday evening, April 29th). Complimentary breakfast is provided to hotel guests and will not be reimbursable.
All other meals are “on your own” and are eligible for reimbursement from the Council 75 Travel Fund for one delegate per local.
Childcare:
If delegates and/or alternates are in need of child care during the hours the convention is in session, please contact Amy Moskal (amoskal@oregonafscme.org) by April 7, 2023 with your request, including number of children, age(s) and primary language spoken.
Language Interpretation:
Any requests for language interpretation during the Convention should be forwarded to Amy Moskal (amoskal@oregonafscme.org) by April 7, 2023. Please include your language preference, including sign language.
Questions:
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Amy Moskal at 971-271-7861 or via email at amoskal@oregonafscme.org.