Longtime Oregon AFSCME Leader Honored at Annual Diversity Conference

If you’ve ever attended an Oregon AFSCME Convention, board meeting, Political Action Committee event, or any kind of statewide action in the past two decades, you have most likely shared space with Percy Winters, Jr. For over 25 years, he has been an active member of Local 88, serving the Multnomah County Health Department. You might recognize him from the numerous leadership roles he has held in his local, Oregon AFSCME, and AFSCME International, but he has also been a champion for workplace equity and inclusion through his role as Board Chair and Co-Chair of the Northwest Public Employees Diversity Conference (NWPEDC) since 2006. 

Above: Percy Winters Jr. administers the swearing-in ceremony for newly elected leadership at the 2025 Oregon AFSCME State Convention. Below: Percy accepts the Robert Phillips Award at the 2025 NWPEDC. 

NWPEDC was founded in 1994 as a resource for public service workers across the state to come together and learn how to help create equal opportunities, respectful workplace environments, and culturally responsive practices for themselves and the communities they serve. Under the leadership of Percy, the one-day conference that started with just a few hundred attendees has grown exponentially year after year, with 1,700 workers participating this year. 

“When I started with Multnomah County, I saw so many instances of racism coming from a lack of knowledge and understanding. I knew I wanted to help create a work environment where people could speak up for themselves and their colleagues, and NWPEDC gave me the tools and opportunities to help others find their voices,” says Winters. 

For his 20 years of service to NWPEDC, Winters was awarded the Robert Phillips Regional Diversity Award at this year’s conference. Oregon AFSCME Executive Director Joe Baessler introduced Winters at the award ceremony, calling him a “guiding force within our union for thoughtful and kind leadership” and highlighting Winters’ involvement in the creation of the Equity, and Inclusion Officer position on Oregon AFSCME’s Executive Committee. The room erupted in a standing ovation as he took the stage to accept the award. 

Winters shared his fond memories of Robert “Pops” Phillips, one of the founding members of NWPEDC: 

“I think he would remind us that progress doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when ordinary people commit themselves to extraordinary goals, and when we choose unity over division.”

Percy Winters Jr. might describe himself as an “ordinary person”, but his legacy with Oregon AFSCME and NWPEDC is nothing short of extraordinary. 

To learn more about NWPEDC, visit their website.