Media
Union members are especially responding to Jonathan's message, and his 40-year union membership and leadership. He was president of UAW Local 1981—a key role because it shows that he is more than bluster and talking points: he did the whole range of running the Local (finances, budgets, strategy), legislative lobbying (state and federal), political efforts (as part of the UAW primarily), and oversaw the union's various organizing campaigns. He got things done.
When Portlanders look for a potential fearless representative for their issues, they know that Jonathan has no hesitation taking on the most powerful elites: he battled Big Media and won a U.S. Supreme Court case that set a new standard for rights for all freelance artists (https://www.oyez.org/cases/2000/00-201 ).
No other candidate in the race has his broad organizational experience. He knows how to play on the big stage: he was a national surrogate for Bernie Sanders in 2015-2016, wrote a book for the campaign ( https://www.workinglife.org/essential-bernie-sanders/ ) and also ended up doing a ton of TV. Here's a reel tape he made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8jgWAQdctI It shows that the powerful business elites won't have a push-over/mouthpiece on the City Council and can't snow him with economic malarkey.
Jonathan has 27 union endorsements, by far the most in District 2, representing thousands of Portlanders: Teachers, retail workers, public employees, laborers, health care workers, truck drivers, janitors, electricians, ironworkers, carpenters, engineers, pipefitters, landscapers, workers who repair bridges, roads, sidewalks and bikeways, park rangers, painters, operating engineers, letter carriers, and auto workers.
Unions, unlike non-profit advocacy groups, have actual dues-paying members who are the core of our community and live in every corner of the district. That matters: "Grass-tops" groups can speak about issues but they do not have a base of membership. Union do!
Renters have been especially drawn to Jonathan's campaign because of his emphasis on defending renters. As a life-long renter, he emphasizes when he speaks to voters that houselessness is an issue of economics: the minimum wage to rent a 2-BR place in PDX needs to be $32-an-hour (source: National Low Income Housing Coalition). Jonathan is the only candidate specifically calling for a hike, in stages, in the minimum wage to $25-an-hour. He supports the Renters Bill of Rights.
Climate change is central to Jonathan's appeal to voters across the district. He has worked closely with activists who are working to move the Critical Energy Infrastructure which poses a grave threat to the district and the entire city. This activism builds on his lifelong work on climate change and the environment. He has the sole endorsement of global climate change leader Bill McKibben (see below).
His message of thinking long-term, rather than knee-jerk short-term solutions, is resonating at the over 11,000 doors (as of October 23rd) he personally has knocked on since May. For example, he is advocating for a four-day work week for the same pay, starting with public employees—a movement that is far advanced around the world, and is being embraced by private sector employers. Voters love the idea and they see it as part of Jonathan's long-term thinking.
Three years ago, he launched a global project on workers’ Just Transition to advocate for a “high bar” Just Transition, not the on-the-cheap version workers always see when economic forces create changes. Bottom line: without collective bargaining in the mix, Just Transition is just a fancy slogan. He has been immersed in the issue for a while and is strongly committed to the issue. He wrote this: https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/usa/18089.pd
Jonathan answers some of the points in this KATU "Know Your Candidates" profile.
Some thoughts about Jonathan from key leaders:
“We need fighters like Jonathan Tasini taking the working class’s issues straight to the halls of power, from city council to the statehouse and beyond. As a 32-year UAW member, Jonathan knows what it takes to fight and win big for workers, and will always be on the front lines with labor”—Shawn Fain, president, UAW.
“Jonathan combines exactly what Portland needs: someone who doesn’t waver from core moral principles and someone who knows how to get things done”—Valdez Bravo, former vice-chair, Oregon Democratic Party.
"Rarely does a candidate come along who understands the fundamental economic proposition of the labor movement as well as Jonathan Tasini. He will make a great city councilor because he understands that to rebuild Portland, we must focus on closing the wage and wealth gap”—Laurie Wimmer, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, NOLC.
Bill McKibben, 350.org founder and global climate leader, says, in his sole endorsement for any candidate: “Jonathan Tasini fights at the important intersection between environmental change and the lives of workers. It’s a crucial place to be.”
A great moment with endorsement by citywide labor movement and Jonathan explains the connection to the UAW's organizing victory in Tennessee!
Jonathan appeared on "Eye On Northwest Politics" to explain his vision for his campaign, and who he would represent on the City Council—the working people of the city! I
Jonathan explains how Measure 119 expands the frame of thinking about the basic rights of cannabis workers.
On March 23rd 2024, Jonathan spoke to a packed house at Local 48 of the IBEW—the first union to endorse his campaign for Portland's City Council District 2. In this short speech, Jonathan's theme was simple: a paycheck is not red or blue, it's the color of the bills that can be paid with a decent paycheck. The broader crisis we face is taking on the economic system that has enriched a few at the expense of everyone else. Houselessness is the end result of people not being able to afford the rent because a paycheck is too meager. And we can change the system with union power at the center of a movement.
Jonathan met up with members of the Carpenters at 6AM before they distributed literature in the district to promote the union's endorsement of our campaign