PORTLAND, OR – The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555, Oregon’s largest private-sector labor union representing more than 30,000 workers in grocery, meat, retail, plants and manufacturing, healthcare industry, and pharmacies across the Pacific Northwest, today announced its endorsement of Governor Tina Kotek for a second term as Governor.
“Governor Kotek has shown time and time again that she will go to bat for the workers who stock our shelves, fill our prescriptions, and keep Oregon’s industries running,” said UFCW Local 555 President Dan Clay. “Whether it’s fighting to expand unemployment benefits for striking workers or standing up for fair wages, Tina Kotek doesn’t back down from taking on corporate interests to protect working people, and UFCW is proud to have her back.”
“I’m honored to have the endorsement of UFCW and the thousands of workers who keep Oregon running every day,” said Governor Tina Kotek. “These workers show up for us every single day, even as President Trump drives costs up and gives wealthy corporations massive handouts at their expense. I won’t let President Trump’s dangerous agenda undo the progress we’ve made in Oregon. I will never stop fighting for fair wages, safe workplaces, and an economy where the people who do the essential work can actually afford to live in the communities they serve.”
“Many Oregonians are living on the knife’s edge between prosperity and poverty,” said Stacy Anderson, a Local 555 member and healthcare worker. “As working families face an affordability crisis – with grocery prices increasing by 30% since 2020 – Governor Kotek has done great work lowering costs for working families by reigning in utility rate hikes, canceling proposed freeway tolls, and banning hidden junk fees. I’m grateful to partner with Governor Kotek in fighting for Oregon families.”
Throughout her career, Governor Kotek has been a steadfast champion for Oregon’s workers, partnering with unions to strengthen worker protections, support good-paying jobs, and ensure working people have a real voice on the job and in our economy:
- In 2025, Governor Kotek passed landmark legislation making Oregon the first state to expand unemployment benefits to striking workers, championing the bill early on to ensure it passed the legislature.
- In 2026, Governor Kotek signed into law increased workers’ compensation benefits for injured workers to ensure Oregonians have the financial stability they need to recover and return to work.
- Governor Kotek has fought to lower costs for working families by reigning in utility rate hikes, canceling proposed freeway tolls, banning hidden junk fees, and protecting Oregonians’ credit scores from medical debt.
- She also called on companies both privately and publicly to stop their anti-union campaigns and sign neutrality agreements when workers organize.
- Governor Kotek oversaw the implementation of Oregon’s landmark paid family and medical leave law after championing its passage as Speaker. As of March 2025, Paid Leave Oregon had paid out over $1 billion in benefits to more than 150,000 Oregonians.
- As Speaker, Governor Kotek also passed legislation to raise the minimum wage across Oregon, implemented paid sick leave, and created the nation’s first state-run retirement savings program for workers.
UFCW Local 555 joins a growing coalition supporting Governor Kotek’s reelection bid alongside the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, Oregon School Employees Association, Oregon Labor Federation, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon Building Trades, North Coast Carpenters Union, SEIU Oregon, AFSCME Council 75, The Mother PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon, Alliance for a Safe Oregon Action, and more.
ABOUT GOVERNOR KOTEK
Governor Tina Kotek has spent her career making history and fighting for others. Over the last three years, Governor Kotek has expanded access to affordable childcare, created thousands of new shelter beds, protected abortion access and vote-by-mail, and funded early literacy and summer learning programs. She has also been a national leader in pushing back against Donald Trump’s attacks on our communities, our healthcare, and our rights by blocking his illegal attempts to deploy the Oregon National Guard in our communities and working through the night to reverse his decision to strip food assistance from Oregonians by taking away SNAP benefits.
Governor Kotek is running for reelection to continue defending Oregon values and tackling the state’s biggest challenges – lowering costs, reducing homelessness, strengthening schools, expanding mental health and addiction care, and bringing affordable childcare to every corner of the state.