Oregon Senate Bill 916 - Empowering the Right to Strike

In 2025, the Oregon legislature passed and Gov. Kotek signed Senate Bill 916 which allows striking workers the ability to collect unemployment benefits. The new law goes into effect on January 4, 2026. The new law provides that all striking workers, including public employees, are eligible for unemployment benefits during the strike. If those employees receive back wages later from the employer the employees will be required to repay those benefits received from the state. This law is the strongest of its kind in the nation and reaffirms Oregon's commitment to providing a fair workplace for all - including lower wage workers who often cannot afford to strike - and to giving unions the tools they need to organize and bargain for fair wages and working conditions.