News briefs

NLRB orders new election at Corvallis Good Samaritan

CORVALLIS - The National Labor Relations Board has ordered a new representation election for 324 workers at Good Samaritan Hospital here.

The board's order set aside the results of an April 17 election tainted by management intimidation and harassment, which Service Employee International Union Local 49 lost by a vote of 139-122.

The board ruled July 1 that hospital management had created an intimidating atmosphere through the use of extra police and security, had denied lawful access to union representatives and had denied workers their right to talk and distribute materials about the union.

An election date has not been set.

Unions denounce 'bizarre' lockout at Longview Aluminum

LONGVIEW - "Bizarre, unnecessary and unlawful" was the way leaders of the Steelworkers Union described an unexpected lockout July 8 of hourly workers at Longview Aluminum Co. and cutting off health insurance.

Most of the 700 employees, represented by the Longview Federated Aluminum Council (a coalition of unions that, along with the Steelworkers, represent hourly employees), had been laid off as a result of a massive industry slowdown. Only eight bargaining unit members were working when the lockout occurred, said Gaylan Prescott, a staff representative of the Steelworkers.

The council is in the midst of bargaining a new contract at Longview Aluminum, which was owned by Reynolds Aluminum until 2001, when it was purchased by Michigan Avenue Partners of Chicago, which immediately curtailed operations and sold off its Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) power for $225 million.

"The company has told BPA that the parties are at impasse," said Prescott. "This is a false assertion. It is true that negotiations had been proceeding slowly during June, but we are certainly not at a bargaining impasse."

Wes Wheeler, president of the Aluminum Council, said Michigan Avenue Partners bought the plant with money from the sale of BPA's federal power, which is a public resource.

"Using the proceeds of a public resource for private gain and then to deprive workers of their jobs is another example of the kind of questionable business practices that Congress ought to investigate," he said.

The council is urging elected officials to get involved by contacting company executives and asking them to rethink their actions.

"The cutoff of health insurance for hundreds of families is outrageous," Wheeler said. "Our members are fully prepared to continue working while we continue to negotiate a new labor agreement. We don't understand why the owners of Longview Aluminum would take an unlawful action that simply makes a difficult situation desperate."

PHC landscapers land on Unfair List over first contract

The landscape division of Portland Habilitation Center (PHC) has been placed on the Unfair/Do Not Patronize List of the Northwest Oregon Labor Council.

The action was requested by Municipal Employees Laborers Local 483, which is trying to negotiate a first contract for landscapers.

PHC is the same company that recently was awarded a contract to provide janitorial service at the Portland Public School District, displacing more than 300 union custodians who are members of School Employees Local 140.

PHC is a multi-million-dollar non-profit corporation that offers employment and training services to people with disabilities.

The Laborers Union organized landscapers at PHC a year ago, but has been unable to secure a contract.

A federal mediator has been called in to help in the negotiations.

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