We’ve reported over 300 stories in 2024. At year’s end, we update readers about what happened since we published some of those stories. 

At Fried Egg, out of the frying pan and into the fire

In May we reported on a pending union vote by workers at the local breakfast sandwich chain Fried Egg I’m in Love. On May 30, workers at all locations voted 20-4 to join the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). But things have not gone smoothly. Since then, the union has filed seven unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleging that the company has violated federal labor law. The NLRB is investigating the charges, which include allegations that the company made coercive statements, made unilateral changes to working conditions without negotiating over those with the union, and fired a union supporter. Colin John, a bargaining team member, was fired by email from the Hawthorne location on Oct. 1, a week after workers held a one-day strike. John told the Labor Press five union members were fired this year and an even larger number quit due to mistreatment in the workplace. But some of those former workers, including John, are still active in the fight for a contract. The union campaigned to get fired workers reinstated, but management made it clear they wouldn’t budge. In bargaining, the union is seeking fair and consistent discipline policies and a stop to managers receiving a share of pooled tips. 

Union Cannabis 

As we previously reported, in January workers at the only two unionized cannabis dispensaries in Oregon — Flowr of Lyfe and Spacebuds The Dispensary — voted unanimously to leave UFCW Local 555. But there’s once more a union cannabis dispensary: On Nov. 20, a Portland cannabis shop voted unanimously to join Local 555 — Jayne PDX, at 2145 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Meanwhile, as we earlier reported, workers at Grön Confections — a Portland maker of cannabis candy — unionized in January with Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757. The two sides have met to bargain but have not yet reached agreement on a first contract. 

Labor secretary couldn’t get a job at the post office

In March, we reported that President Joe Biden nominated his former labor secretary Marty Walsh — a former union leader and Boston mayor — for a seat on the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors. But the U.S. Senate never took action to confirm him, and on Nov. 14, Biden withdrew Walsh’s nomination. Walsh has served as executive director of the National Hockey League Players’ Association since he stepped down as Biden’s labor secretary in March 2023. 

Starbucks deal could be close

As we reported, Starbucks and Starbucks Workers United announced Feb. 27 that they would restart bargaining after years of deadlock over negotiating ground rules. As of this month, the union says it’s in the final phase of negotiations. In September, the number of union stores passed 500, totaling over 10,500 workers. That’s all since December 2021, when a Starbucks location in Buffalo, New York, became the first to unionize with Starbucks Workers United. 

Vancouver library workers got a contract and a raise

In March, we reported that a unit of library workers had hit a standstill in contract bargaining with Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries. The unit of 160 workers is represented by Washington Public Employees Association. On Aug. 26, the library board voted unanimously to approve a new contract with a 10% raise.

One less union sign company

In March we reported that Portland Sign Co. signed a union contract with IBEW Local 48 covering four workers who install, maintain, and repair electric signs. But on Nov. 6, workers there voted 3-0 to decertify the union after some staff turnover.

The Coors boycott is over, by the way

It didn’t get a ton of publicity, but back in April, we reported that the International Brotherhood of Teamsters — with 420 members on strike at the Coors brewery in Fort Worth, Texas — was calling on consumers nationwide to boycott Molson Coors products until the company agreed to a fair union contract. The Teamsters announced a new contract on May 22, ending a three-month strike and the union boycott. But the deal came without the involvement of the leaders of Local 997, which represented the striking workers. The international placed Local 997 under a trusteeship on April 28, the same day that 98% of workers rejected a contract proposal from Molson Coors. A Teamsters official told the Fort Worth Report that the trusteeship was initiated because of “significant representational concerns and financial improprieties,” but an online petition started by a Local 997 member and signed by 210 people said members were proud of the local executive board’s accomplishments and called for their reinstatement. On Dec. 6, the IBT announced it would merge Local 997 into Local 767, another local in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

No action in Congress on de minimis trade loophole

In April, we reported on retiring Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer’s hope to crack down on the de minimis rule. That’s a trade rule that says that goods worth less than $800 can be shipped to the United States without import duties or taxes. It’s what’s behind the explosion in direct-to-consumer online commerce in Chinese-made goods. Nearly a billion packages were mailed duty free from China to U.S. consumers last year. The loophole has also contributed to an increase in fentanyl and other drugs entering the country. Blumenauer hoped to stop that with a bill to prohibit China from using de minimis. The bill, HR 4148, didn’t go anywhere. But in September, the Biden administration announced it would issue new rules to limit de minimis imports. The proposed rules would make a significant amount of imports ineligible for the exemption; increase the information collected about de minimis shipments; and require importers to file consumer product safety certificates. 

Portland container terminal still open

In May, we reported the Port of Portland’s announcement that it planned to shut down Oregon’s only international shipping container service in October. That didn’t happen. A month after the port announced the shutdown, Governor Tina Kotek said she would include funding for capital investments at Terminal 6 and channel maintenance costs in the lower Columbia River in her proposed 2025-27 budget, which would allow the port to continue container shipping at T6. Container operations at T6 provided nearly 700 jobs in 2022, with average wages of $79,000 per year, according to a business plan the port provided to Kotek in August. Many of those workers are employed by International Longshore Workers Union (ILWU) locals 8, 40, and 92. Harbor Industrial is the current stevedore at T6, which means it manages the workers who load and unload cargo ships. The Port of Portland is also involved in T6 operations, but it will soon take a step back. In December, the port announced that Harbor Industrial will soon become the primary operator of T6, leasing the terminal from the port.

Biden’s overtime expansion blocked in court

In May, we reported that the Biden administration’s Department of Labor was set to raise the overtime threshold for salaried workers to $43,888 a year as of July 1 — an increase of more than $8,000. Salaried employees like managers are typically exempt from the federal requirement to pay time-and-a-half for overtime hours, unless they earn below $35,568 per year. The change would have benefitted four million salaried workers, but it didn’t go through. In November, a federal judge permanently blocked the revised threshold rule. The rule would have increased the threshold again on July 1, 2025, to require overtime pay for salaried workers making less than $58,656 per year. Instead, the threshold will remain at $35,568, which was set in 2019. A worker with a $35,568 annual salary makes equivalent to $17.10 per hour for a 40-hour work week. If that overtime-exempt employee worked three extra hours a week, they would make less per hour than a minimum wage hourly worker in the Portland area.

New supervisor for NLRB in Portland

In July, we reported that Jessica Dietz — a well-respected agent in charge of the Portland office of the National Labor Relations Board — was out on extended leave. Dietz recently left the NLRB and Adam Morrison started supervising the Portland office’s work this fall. Morrison has worked for the NLRB for more than 20 years, including a period as an attorney in the Portland office before becoming a board agent in Spokane. Morrison now serves as a supervisory field attorney for Region 19, which includes more than 20 agents covering Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and parts of Idaho and Montana. The Portland office, Subregion 36, has five agents. The title previously held by Dietz, officer-in-charge, has to be appointed by the board, but there hasn’t been any movement toward an appointment.

The funeral home union dies

In May, we reported that Teamsters Local 305 had launched an organizing campaign for funeral directors, undertakers, crematory operators and other workers in Oregon and Washington employed by Service Corporation International, the largest provider of funeral and cemetery services in North America. The 120 prospective union members worked at 21 facilities across the two states. Several weeks later we reported that the union withdrew the union election petition in the face of legal objections, but intended to refile later. In mid-December, Local 305 President David Schmidt said there had been no progress on organizing for months. Union leaders met with potential members from Service Corporation International after withdrawing the petition and instructed them on next steps required to refile, but progress halted after that, Schmidt said.

Laughing Planet is laughing at the union

In February we reported that workers at the 4110 SE Woodstock Blvd. location of the Laughing Planet burrito chain voted 10-1 to form their own independent union. But the company doesn’t appear to be in any hurry to negotiate a contract. ​​Ellie Hendricks, a worker who’s been taking part in bargaining, says the union presented a complete contract proposal when the two sides first started meeting to negotiate a contract in early spring. The company has yet to respond to most of it and has made only two offers of its own: restoring a paid day off on workers’ birthdays (which it used to offer) and paying time-and-a-half on Labor Day. The two sides are scheduled to meet every other Thursday morning, but they’ve met only once in the last two months, Hendricks says, because the company has been routinely canceling bargaining sessions on short notice. “Three weeks ago, we sent them an email about the concerning number of cancellations,” Hendricks said, “and then the week after that, they canceled our meeting.”

Reprieve for workers at the Keller Auditorium

In July, we reported on a campaign by entertainment unions to save jobs at Portland’s publicly owned Keller Auditorium in response to discussion about closing it for renovation. Closing the Keller for two years would result in the loss of more than 200 jobs, according to a report commissioned by the city, but the venue needs seismic upgrades. The 3,000-seat auditorium was built in 1917 and last underwent significant renovations more than 50 years ago. In October, the Portland City Council approved a plan that would close the Keller for two years for renovations — but not until a new Portland State University theater is completed. The plan anticipates the PSU site would be ready to open in 2029.