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Monthly Archives: January, 2020

Union Organizing

Environmental justice group goes union … on the spot

OPAL executive director Huy Ong didn't think twice when his employees announced they wanted a union.
Culture

Class struggle takes the stage at the 2020 SAG Awards

The union's top award went to the Korean cast of Parasite, the runaway hit dark comedy that depicts a working class family that connives to escape dire poverty by getting jobs as servants for a rich family.
Collective bargaining

Strike wins big gains for faculty at Clark College

Not only do faculty get raises of roughly $10,000 a year, but the new contract reduces the college’s incentive to shift course load to lower-paid part-timers.
Our Jobs

Now open to the public, the Portland Hyatt Regency Convention Center was largely union-built

The hotel opened Dec. 19– on budget, and ahead of schedule.
Our Jobs

Tilesetting jobs were the one union sore spot on the Hyatt project

Bricklayers Local 1 warned Mortenson that there’d be problems with non-union contractor.
Worker safety

OSHA signs off on reduced fine against bridge painting contractor

Nearly three years after a near-fatal workplace accident under the Ross Island Bridge, contractor Abhe & Svoboda will pay just $24,500 in a settlement with Oregon OSHA, down from the $189,000 first announced. The non-union firm continues to bid on ODOT work.
Collective bargaining

Clark College instructors wage first-ever strike

The instructors want catch-up raises, and they want part-time faculty to be paid at the same rate as full time faculty.
Workers Rights

Oregon AFL-CIO ramps up pressure on Rep. Kurt Schrader to get behind labor law reform

The Protecting the Right to Organize Act would protect the right to strike, prevent misclassification of workers, increase penalties for retaliation, and more, but Democrat Schrader isn't on board.
Retirement

Oregon Democrats meet with public workers whose retirement contributions they voted to cut

Republicans wanted deeper cuts, Oregon’s House Speaker Tina Kotek and fellow Portland House Democrat Rob Nosse told public sector union members.
Workers Rights

Station owner trying to bust union at KOIN-TV

Station owner Nexstar Media Group told about 40 workers at KOIN 6 TV Jan. 8 that it will no longer recognize their union.
Comment

We need labor law reform

While every other member of the Democrat in Oregon’s Congressional delegation has signed onto the PRO Act as a co-sponsor, Congressman Kurt Schrader said he won't vote for the bill.
Union Organizing

Boise Cascade busts Carpenters Union campaign in Medford

A union campaign among 375 workers at a pair of southern Oregon plywood mills ended in a crushing union election defeat.
In Memoriam

Robert Blanche, 1962-2020

The former president of the Portland local of SAG-AFTRA was best known for playing Sgt. Franco on NBC's Grimm.
Union democracy

Elevator Constructors Local 23 re-elects Randy Carmony

The 295 members of Local 23 build and maintain elevators, escalators, moving walkways, and dumbwaiters in Oregon and southwest Washington.
Workers Rights

Is Grand Central Baking getting ready to fire union supporters?

A wholesale bakery manager quit after being told to target union supporters for discipline.
Union Organizing

Union campaign at Columbia Sportswear

When warehouse workers started looking at joining the Teamsters, billionaire CEO Tim Boyle came down to the shop floor to try to talk them out of it.
Health Care

Congress repeals ‘Cadillac’ tax

Two features of Obamacare that were opposed by organized labor were eliminated in a bill President Donald Trump signed into law Dec. 20.
Trade

House passes NAFTA re-write

It's the first major change to NAFTA since the three-nation trade agreement first took effect 25 years ago.
Analysis

2019 in review

As chronicled in the Northwest Labor Press, here are some of the year’s most important developments for labor and working people.
Union democracy

New leadership at Ironworkers Local 29

Challenger Jason Fussell outpolled incumbent Joe Bowers, becoming business manager effective Jan. 2.
Building our communities

Ham: Two pick-up trucks worth

Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Central Labor Council and local unions contributed $5,585 worth of hams for Lower Columbia CAP Meals on Wheels.
Building our communities

Who won the Presents From Partners’ Toy Challenge? The results are in

Five unions competed for bragging rights in the annual Presents from Partners Toy Challenge.

Northwest Labor Press is an independent union-supported newspaper founded in 1900. Our print version is mailed twice a month to about 45,000 members of over three dozen local unions in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Our online version has been maintained here since 1997.

Our staff are represented by:

Local 11

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