Monthly Archives: May, 2018

Unions denounce move by Congress to privatize Veterans Administration

Just before Memorial Day, Congress passed a law that could lead to closure of veterans hospitals and send more veterans to private doctors for care.

What did New Seasons pay union busters? We’ll have to wait another year to find out

One worker wanted to know why fees New Seasons paid to a union avoidance consultant hadn't been disclosed, as required by federal law. So he called the union-buster.

Women in Trades Career Fair

More than a thousand people attended the Oregon Tradeswomen’s Career Fair held May 19.

ILWU to hold 2018 convention in Portland June 4-8

The 35,000-member union represents dock and warehouse workers in Hawaii and the West Coast.

Local 16’s SMART Army helps clean up Vietnam Memorial

Fourteen members of Sheet Metal Workers Local 16 spent a morning weeding, bark dusting, and doing general cleanup on the grounds.

WSLC backs Carolyn Long in race against Herrera Beutler

Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, made early election endorsements in the state's "top-two" Aug. 7 primary.

Building Trades’ conservation project helps Boy Scouts

Volunteers from Roofers Local 49 and Laborers Local 737 teamed with the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance to construct a shooting sports complex.

Ironworker Robert Camarillo will head Oregon Building Trades

The council coordinates the state-level political efforts of 21 affiliated building trades unions.

Nurses host Mother’s Day event for moms dealing with domestic violence

The project was a joint venture with United Nurses Association of California in honor of National Nurses Week.

Portland City Council approves resolution on the rights of Uber drivers

A city bureau has six months to come up with a proposal for a City oversight body focused on wages, dispute resolution, and other issues.

Nabisco unilaterally implements its terms on union workers

After two years without negotiations, Mondelēz-Nabisco is withdrawing from the union pension, and implementing annual raises of 2.25 percent.

At Outside In, an overwhelming vote to unionize

A union campaign that began in the wake of a stabbing ended with a 88 to 18 vote for AFSCME.

Pension crisis sparks reform debate

Over a million union members are in pension funds that are headed for insolvency. Here's how Congress created the crisis.

Nabisco’s “final” final offer: $15,000 signing bonus

Two years after the union contract expired, Mondelēz/Nabisco offers workers $15,000 to agree to the company's final offer — and gives a May 20 deadline.

Oregon 2018 primary results, labor union edition

Oregon labor unions backed 55 candidates in 41 contested races in the May 15 primary. Here’s how they fared.

New contract for support staff at Portland Public Schools

The contract provides across-the-board raises of 3 and 2 percent, and an additional 5 percent for para-educators.

Several top Oregon union leaders arrested

Ten union leaders and supporters refused to leave the offices of nonprofit Volunteers of America Portland, which has stonewalled union bargaining.

America’s search for our moral compass

Unbridled capitalism is failing the vast majority of Americans.

Oregon governor Kate Brown nominates unionists to boards

Former IBEW Local 48 business manager Keith Edwards will join the TriMet Board.

Gladstone Burgerville becomes the second store to vote in union

The vote was 17 to 5 to unionize with the Burgerville Workers Union, which is affiliated with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).

Karl Koenig succeeds Bob Livingston at Oregon State Fire Fighters Council

The election of officers took place at the union's 30th biannual convention in Bend.

Portland Fire Fighters Local 43 turns 100

In honor of the occasion, Oregon U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley presented an American flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol.