Monthly Archives: December, 2019

Grand Central Bakery workers join union

Despite appeals from the CEO, workers at the Portland wholesale bakery voted 29-9 to be union-represented.

AFL-CIO endorses Trump’s revised re-write of NAFTA trade treaty

For the first time in a generation, NAFTA is getting a re-write, and even America’s premier trade union federation has endorsed the final draft.

Union fever spreading at Cascadia Behavioral Health

Last year, 270 Cascadia workers joined AFSCME; now 220 more are on route to joining them.

2019 Scrooge of the Year: BURGERVILLE

Burgerville has twice been nominated for Scrooge of the Year by the group Portland Jobs With Justice, but this year, the fast food chain won the most votes for its record of firing union supporters and stonewalling union negotiations.

Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle to TriMet: Don’t eliminate apprenticeships!

TriMet has been proposing in union contract bargaining to scrap its bus and light rail maintenance mechanic training programs.

UFCW Local 555 returns to original Kaiser union coalition

The union is leaving the recently-formed Alliance of Health Care Unions as of Jan. 1

Corvallis nurses reject contract offer

Over 500 nurses have been working at Good Samaritan without a contract since June 30.

Unions come together to put on massive holiday party for families experiencing hard times

The annual labor of love has become a highlight of the union calendar at holiday season.

Painters Local 10 members preparing to strike if necessary

The union’s three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Signatory Painting Contractors Organization of Oregon and Southwest Washington expires March 31, 2020.

A year of impactful change

The organized labor movement has always been the greatest check and balance to ruthless, relentless greed.

Close to 100 layoffs at Owens-Brockway glass

A new factory in Mexico, and a decline in local bottle orders, are factors in idling a furnace.

Democrats–and Herrera-Beutler–vote to cut drug prices

The bill allows Medicare to negotiate with drug companies to get lower prices on insulin and single-source brand-name drugs that don’t have generic version.

UFCW Local 555 endorses Williamson for Oregon Secretary of State

In the May primary, Williamson will face fellow Democrats Sen. Mark Haas of Beaverton, attorney Jamie McLeod-Skinner of Terrebonne, and first-time candidate Cameron Smith.

Garry Paul Goodwin, 1931-2019

He served union members as a local union president and training coordinator for the Carpenters Union.

Michael H. Carnahan, 1953-2019

He was an active member of IBEW Local 48 and treasurer of the IBEW and United Workers Federal Credit Union.

Santa visits the children of iron workers

The annual event has been going since 1985.

Young Machinists bring holiday cheer to foster teens in east Multnomah County

The union volunteer group coordinates with caseworkers at the Gresham Branch of the Oregon Department of Human Services.

New Seasons Market to become part of a subsidiary of a Korean retail conglomerate

The sale comes two years after a union campaign that flat-lined when the "B Corp" brought in union-busters.

Clark College faculty vote to authorize strike

Up to 550 faculty members could strike as soon as next month if the college doesn't agree to catch-up raises and lower the disparity between full and part time faculty.

The past, present, and future of American labor

For 19 years, journalist Steven Greenhouse wrote about labor for the New York Times. His new book looks at labor’s rise, decline and possible rebirth. Labor Press reporter Don McIntosh interviewed him by phone.

NLRB: Legacy must recognize union

Legacy Health asked the NLRB to annul a nurse union vote at Unity Behavioral Health, but all three Trump appointees rejected its legal appeal.

Labor loses spot on the Port of Portland Commission

For now, Governor Kate Brown has ended the tradition of having two labor reps on the board.