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Monthly Archives: June, 2021

Collective bargaining

Painters strikes end with major wage wins

After weeks of escalating strike action, Painters Local 10 reached a deal that if ratified will raise compensation by $3.50 to $4 an hour.
Union Organizing

Nowhere to go but up: Vancouver sheet metal workers win a union

Working long hours in unsafe conditions for near minimum wage, a crew of Vancouver sheet metal workers vote to unionize.
Washington

How working people and unions fared in the 2021 session of the Washington Legislature

Washington State Labor Council will soon report on the 2021 legislative session. Judging by a draft version, it was a good session for labor.
Culture

Labor Day picnics cancelled

For the second year in a row, all official Labor Day picnics in Oregon and SW Washignton are cancelled due to the continuing pandemic.
Oregon

How working people and unions fared in the 2021 session of the Oregon Legislature

This year as always, Oregon labor unions asked lawmakers to make life better for working people in big and small ways.
Union democracy

ATU Local 757 members elect new VP

Members re-elect Shirley Block and Mary Longoria, and replace longtime officer Jon Hunt with TriMet station agent Frederick Casey.
Culture

CBS’ Tough As Nails casting Season 4

The reality show celebrates hard-working men and women who aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty.
People

Labor peace at TriMet?

With a new general manager at TriMet, an era of antagonism between the transit agency and its union may have come to a close.
People

Belinda Reagan closes the book on decades of involvement

Reagan was president of Portland Federation of School Professionals, AFT Local 111, representing 1,400 staff at Portland Public Schools.
People

PERSONNEL REPORT

Sherman Henry and Lina Stepick leave LERC, ONA's director departs, and Mayor Wheeler reappoints Willy Myers to Prosper Portland.
People

Doctor Organizer: Joe Crane

In 2009, Joe Crane was working graveyard on the Portland Frito-Lay assembly line. Today he’s national organizing director at a doctors union.
Collective bargaining

Painters pickets continue

The pickets are protesting contractors' failure to provide information that would justify their refusal to offer more than a 25¢ raise.
Union Organizing

Homeless nonprofit. Union-buster.

The publicly funded homeless nonprofit Central City Concern just beat back a union campaign. Multnomah County Commissioners are concerned.
Our Jobs

Freightliner comes home

Daimler will make its next-generation electric Freightliner trucks in Portland, where Freightliner began … and raise starting pay $4 an hour.
Collective bargaining

Wages rise $4.96 an hour in new Roofers contract

Journeyman roofers in Local 49 will earn a $37.73 wage as of July 1, plus $19.23 in fringe benefits like health and pension.
Collective bargaining

Serious outbreak of wage increases across nursing home industry

Though their contracts aren't up til September, all five unionized nursing home chains have agreed to raise CNA starting wages to $18+.
Union Organizing

Hillsboro clinic the latest to unionize with AFSCME

A recent vote adds 61 workers at Lifeworks NW' Hawthorn Clinic to Oregon AFSCME, part of a wave of union organizing in behavioral health. 
Union democracy

Lindsey re-elected to third term as IBEW Local 280 business manager 

Drew Lindsey outpolled challenger Mark Crenshaw to lead IBEW Local 280 in Central Oregon. Membership neared a record 1,800 in December.
Collective bargaining

‘Ellensburg 6’ get raises

The City's proposed raise jumped from 1% to 9% after public protests and support from hundreds of locals and IBEW members in the region.
International

Factory owner hires hit man in plot to take out union representative

CAN'T MAKE THIS UP: The owner worried that the union activist would destroy the “family spirit” at the company.
Union democracy

New leadership at Painters Local 10

Local 10’s new president, Mark Fleming, is a 38-year member of IUPAT who has worked for Thompson Metal Fab since 1998.
Comment

Is it a labor shortage crisis, or a low wage, no benefits crisis? 

It’s hard to miss the countless news stories claiming that current labor shortages are the result of overly generous unemployment benefits.
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