From Calvin Hanson, Joey Mohler, Nicole Bowmer & Nikki Beezley

Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1034 Union Representation & Essential Negotiating Team at First Unitarian Portland

As Labor Day arrives, it gently nudges us to recollect the pursuit of organizing a union at First Unitarian Portland. It has had its moments of difficulty as well as snapshots of celebration. Some folks might not know that this church even has one. Well, we are here!

We, Calvin (Sexton), Joey (Acting Operations and Events Coordinator), and Nikki (Acting Communications and Social Media Coordinator), were given the opportunity by the original union organizers to represent the thirteen staff members who are in the church’s union. In the eight years of our formation, we have evolved into the resolute entity we are today.

The story of the union is directly tied to the integrity its congregants. In 2015, the congregants—many being union members themselves—created the necessary momentum for contract negotiations to begin. The idea that workers deserve a voice in shaping their working conditions and wages is a principle that unites unions past, present, and future.    

This congregation has set the trend in that solidarity, with a church staff being the first to unionize globally. We are truly grateful for this Beloved Community’s openness towards us. 

Throughout the changing seasons of this church, this union stands as a reminder that the ideals that define Unitarian Universalism—the respect for diversity, the pursuit of justice, and the celebration of unity—are principles that should flourish not just within the congregation but also within the very institutions that shape its identity. First Unitarian Portland’s continued collaboration with CWA Local 7901 amplifies these ideals, demonstrating that the union of faith and labor catalyzes the harmonious symphony that resonates through the Unitarian Universalist ethos.