Supermajority of OTCO employees ask for recognition of Oregon Tilth Workers United, an affiliate of OPEIU Local 11
Corvallis, OR – Staff at Oregon Tilth on Tuesday announced the formation of Oregon Tilth Workers Union (OTWU) with the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 11. A supermajority of workers signed union authorization cards and asked the Oregon Tilth executive team and board of directors to voluntarily recognize their union.
“The purpose behind organizing OTWU is to collaboratively strengthen the organization through transparency, integrity, courage, compassion, harmony, knowledge and teamwork,” said Megan Ogle, a certification officer who has worked at Oregon Tilth for 3.5 years. “I’m supporting this union to bring a strong foundation back to our workplace. I worked hard to land this job, and now I’m working hard to keep the values at Tilth that brought us all here.”
Oregon Tilth is a non profit organization that offers certification services for organic crop, livestock, wild crop and handling operations, as well as certifying to other standards including GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) Organic, LPO (Mexican Organic standards), Bee Better, Salmon Safe and OPT Grassfed. Its employees work and live across the United States and Mexico.
Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO) has been certifying organic products and operations for 50 years and was accredited by the USDA NOP in 2002 when the final rule was first published. In addition, Oregon Tilth provides education, advocacy and outreach for organic farmers, producers, partners and organizations. THis year, the nonprofit is celebrating 50 years of continuously building a “socially equitable and biologically sound” food and agriculture system by providing certification services, education and advocacy for farmers, businesses and consumers. OTWU members know a socially equitable food system starts in the workplace.
“Oregon Tilth is the largest certifier in the US that certifies to the GOTS Standard, a comprehensive standard which addresses environmental safety in the textile industry, along with the industry’s notoriously poor labor practices. GOTS heavily emphasizes workers rights to unionize, stating, ‘Workers, without distinction, have the right to freedom of association, union membership and collective bargaining,’” said Linden Steinmann, a GOTS inspector at Oregon Tilth. “We are hopeful that the Oregon Tilth executive team will uphold the same values we hold our GOTS clients to, and voluntarily recognize our union.”
Though OTWU is not the first organic certification workplace to unionize — Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association voluntarily recognized its employee union in October — workers hope their action will inspire employees of other certifiers and nonprofits to manifest their own values and affirm and encourage their collective efforts.
OTWU welcomes your support as they work for the ultimate goal of an equitable food, fiber and farm system for all stakeholders. You can support them by signing a letter of support https://actionnetwork.org/letters/solidarity-with-oregon-tilth-workers-united and following them on Instagram @oregontilthworkers and Bluesky @oregontilthworkers.bsky.social.
About OPEIU local 11
OPEIU Local 11 represents nearly 1,800 employees across five states: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Montana. OPEIU Local 11 ’s members work in many settings, including local governments, offices, mental health care facilities, nonprofits, and utilities providers. Through OPEIU Local 11, employees have a voice on the job and an avenue to equality, fair treatment and economic security. Learn more online at OPEIU11.org.
Non-profit workers are some of the hardest-working, lowest-paid and most essential members of our community, which is why we’re proud to represent workers at nonprofits such as Columbia River Mental Health, Columbia Wellness, National Network of Abortion Funds, and now, Oregon Tilth.