AFSCME Local 3336 Guidelines for Support of Environmental and Labor Groups
The mission of AFSCME Local 3336 is to act as the “stewards of DEQ’s stewards” of the environment. This stewardship includes advocating for working conditions, pay and benefits; supporting political activity that promotes pro-environment and pro-labor positions; building stronger labor coalitions that further the rights of all workers; and targeting Union resources to critical issues identified by the membership.
AFSCME Local 3336 (the Local) believes that our Union of environmental public workers will be more effective when environmental and public worker protections are strong. The Local follows these principles when responding to support requests from outside environmental and labor groups:
We believe that protecting and enhancing the quality of Oregon’s natural environment is critical to maintaining our economic vitality and high quality of life and that wise environmental stewardship strengthens the ability of communities to generate more jobs and higher incomes.
We recognize that land, air, and water quality are linked and that a contaminant may degrade multiple media. In general, we support policies and actions that protect human health from environmental pollutants and follow principles of environmental justice. Conversely, we oppose policies that reduce environmental protections only to derive financial benefit.
We believe that costs for cleaning up contaminated media to appropriate levels should be borne by those responsible for the contamination or private parties willing to assume the cost, not the public. We believe that tax credit recipients should be required to document the related public benefit such as environmental improvement beyond that required by law, job creation, or community enhancement.
Water quality
The Local supports positions, policies, and actions that enhance, protect, or restore surface water and groundwater quality. We consider water quantity to be inextricably tied to water quality, and, in general, support proposals to keep more water in streams, wetlands, and aquifers. We also believe that upland and riparian habitat preservation enhances water quality. We support the removal or modification of dams where scientific information indicates wild fish populations will benefit and there is no or negligible net job loss.
Land and air quality
The Local supports positions, policies, and actions that enhance, protect, or restore land and air quality. We support actions and policies that encourage reduced use or more efficient use of natural resources, including non-renewable energy sources. We support policies that promote reduction of solid waste and use of recycled products.
The Local opposes privatization of public services, regionally, nationally and internationally. We act on the belief that as a victory for one is a victory for all, a threat to one is also a threat to us all. The Local supports outside groups of public and private sector workers as they fight for the right to unionize, negotiate contracts, and strike.
If you have any comments send an email to Greg Geist.