Since the start of 2025, we’ve reported over 400 stories. As the year ends, we want to tie up loose ends and update readers about what’s happened since we last reported on some of those stories.
New Seasons refuses to reinstate worker fired for helping a blind coworker
In February, we reported that workers at as many as six New Seasons Market stores went out on strike after the company fired Randy Foster, a well-liked employee who’d been at the Arbor Lodge store for 19 years. Foster, the volunteer treasurer of New Seasons Labor Union, was fired for working while on his lunch break to help a blind coworker close out his till. The strike lasted nine days but New Seasons held firm against reinstatement. Supporters raised almost $16,000 to help him cover rent and bills. Foster ended up going to work elsewhere (for a nonprofit represented by ILWU Local 5), but he committed to continue to serve as New Seasons Labor Union treasurer through the Dec. 31 end of his elected term.
NLRB too slow for Medford hospital workers
It was a painful loss: In June 2023 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 49 came up four votes short in a 436-440 union election among 1,113 support workers at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford. A year and a half later, in December 2024, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled that rampant labor law violations contributed to the union loss and sought a court order overturning the election and requiring the hospital to recognize the union. We reported that in January. In September SEIU Local 49 stopped pursuing resolution through the NLRB, dropping the charges rather than continuing to wait for resolution. Asante workers have not re-filed for election and SEIU Local 49 doesn’t currently have an active organizing campaign at the hospital.
Can Kotek require union labor on state projects? Stay tuned
From January to April we reported on an executive order by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek to require union labor on state construction projects. Associated General Contractors sued saying she lacked the legal authority to do that, and in March a judge issued a temporary injunction blocking the order until the lawsuit can be decided in court. Several hearings have been scheduled and cancelled since then, and the parties are next set to go to court March 12, 2026.
Bigfoot still stomping on strikers
In April, we reported that Bigfoot Beverages was refusing to rehire Teamsters Local 324-represented workers who offered to return to work after more than 200 days on strike. Nearly eight months later, some workers remain on strike, hoping the National Labor Relations Board will eventually take action against the beverage distributor.
Still one permit to go for renewable fuels plant
In March, we reported that NXT Clean Fuels was waiting for just one more major permit before moving forward on a $2.5 billion renewable fuel production facility in Clatskanie, Oregon. Nine months later the Army Corps of Engineers is still at work on a draft Environmental Impact Statement; when that’s done there will be a public comment period, followed by publication of a final version, and then the permit can be issued. NXT is still aiming for full approvals in 2026. After that, construction will take two years, and will be all-union thanks to an agreement with the Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council.
PGE’s Forest Park transmission upgrade isn’t dead
This Spring we published several reports on union support for a Portland General Electric plan to upgrade existing transmission lines that go through the north end of Portland’s Forest Park. Environmental and neighborhood groups appealed a city hearings officer’s decision to approve the Harborton Reliability Project, and organized public opposition when the appeal went to Portland City Council for a land use decision. After a scripted hearing May 7 in which for legal reasons Portland City Council members focused their remarks on land use technicalities, the council voted unanimously to reject PGE’s proposal. But the project is not dead. After PGE filed notice that it intended to appeal the City Council’s decision to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals, a process of mediation began between PGE and the City. Three outside groups were given status as intervenors — Forest Park Neighborhood Association, Forest Park Conservancy, and Oregon Bird Alliance. Mediation is expected to continue into early 20026. If parties can agree on additional conservation steps PGE might take, the project might be able to move forward. And if they deadlock, PGE could still appeal to the state land use board.
Deported sheet metal apprentice walks free
In late Spring we published several reports about Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Sheet Metal union apprentice in Maryland whose March 12 deportation to a maximum security prison in El Salvador violated a judge’s order. Following an April 10 Supreme Court ruling, Abrego Garcia was returned to the United States in June, but remained in detention. After months of legal back and forth, he was released from immigration custody Dec. 11.
Providence home care spinoff still under review
In May, we reported that Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) opposes a plan by nonprofit Providence Health & Services to outsource management of its in-home care and hospice program to a for-profit private-equity backed company called Compassus. ONA hopes the Oregon Health Authority will block the proposed deal. On Dec. 5 OHA requested more information from Compassus; once that’s received it will have 77 days to complete its review.
Women’s Bureau survives … for now
In June we reported that the Trump administration in its budget request to Congress proposed to eliminate the Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau, a 105-year-old sub-agency that conducts research and analyzes public policy to promote the welfare of working women. For now the Women’s Bureau is still alive because Congress ended up funding the government through a “continuing resolution” keeping its budget at the same funding level as the previous year. But that continuing resolution goes only to Jan. 30, so the bureau’s fate is still up in the air.
Trump NLRB nominee may be near confirmation vote
In April and July, we reported on President Trump’s nominee for general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, which protects the union rights of private sector workers. Crystal Carey is a law partner at Morgan Lewis, a top anti-union law firm that has represented Amazon in its efforts to squash union campaigns. In her July 16 Senate confirmation hearing, she wouldn’t even agree that the NLRB is constitutional; the agency she wants to lead faces a court challenge from Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which is one of her firm’s clients. On Oct. 9, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted on party lines to recommend approval of her nomination. And on Dec. 11, a “cloture” motion was introduced to move her nomination to a floor vote.
Voters will decide on 6 cent gas tax increase
In June and July we reported on the tough time Oregon lawmakers were having finding agreement on how to increase transportation funding. After a bill to fund road and highway maintenance failed to win approval in the regular legislative session, Governor Tina Kotek called a special session of the Legislature, which ran from Aug. 29 to Sept. 29. A constitutional amendment passed by Oregon voters in 1996 requires a three-fifths majority of each chamber of the Oregon Legislature in order to increase taxes, but this year, Democrats had just enough to pass the transportation funding measure on party-line votes. House Bill 3991 includes a 6 cent per gallon gas tax increase, a gradual increase of 0.1% in the payroll tax that funds public transit, annual surcharges for electric vehicles, and increases to vehicle registration and title fees. Those increases were set to go into effect Jan. 1, but on Dec. 12, opponents submitted over 200,000 signatures to put that on hold until the measure is referred to voters in the November 2026 election.
Bend Bulletin still without a contract
In July we reported that reporters and photographers at the Bend Bulletin newspaper were having a hard time getting a first contract in negotiations with Carpenter Media Group, the paper’s Mississippi-headquartered owner. Bargaining has continued since then, but the two sides have made no significant progress, and the union put up informational pickets. It’s now been more than two years since they voted to join the NewsGuild.
New board nixes plans to sell Coos Bay hospital to private equity
In March and July, we reported on a campaign by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555 to stop Coos Bay’s publicly owned Bay Area Hospital from partnering with for-profit Quorum Health. Union backing helped elect a new slate of hospital board members, and the hospital’s executive director resigned soon after they took office. The following month, Bay Area Hospital and Quorum Health announced they were terminating their plans to have Quorum take over hospital operations. Since then, UFCW Local 555 has worked with the hospital on plans to shore up its financial footing, which could include state legislation to be taken up in the 2026 session.
Washington pot growers not in any rush to unionize
In July, we reported that a new Washington state law gave agricultural cannabis workers a state-recognized right to unionize. The Washington Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) was given authority over those unionizations. But the new law hasn’t resulted in a wave of unionizations. As of mid-December, PERC said it had not received any organizing petitions since the law went into effect.
Reed custodians got a contract
In September we reported on a rally by members of a unit of 43 custodians at Reed College after the college eliminated their night shift. SEIU Local 49 was pushing for a union contract clause that might prevent similar disruptions, but Reed said no. In the end the two sides reached agreement on a new three-year contract that allows the former graveyard custodians to continue to collect the $1.25 wage differential. It provides wage increases of 3% effective July 1, and second and third year raises of 3% or the amount the college gives to other non-academic staff, whichever is higher. Wages start at $20.69 an hour and reach $25 an hour after 15 years.
Still no contract at Kaiser
In October, we reported that roughly 45,000 Kaiser Permanente workers in four states, including 4,000 Kaiser workers represented by the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP), struck for five days. As of Dec. 15, workers still didn’t have new contracts at the local level or for the national Alliance of Health Care Unions. OFNHP Kaiser members issued a vote of no confidence in Kaiser CEO Greg Adams in early December. In national negotiations, Kaiser is still offering raises totaling 21.5% over four years, while the Alliance is seeking 25% over four years — both unchanged since before the strike.
Silverton reaches deal with Laborers
In October, we reported that the City of Silverton declared impasse in negotiations with Laborers’ Local 483, which represents around 17 city workers. Members ratified a new contract with the city Dec. 3 that raises pay 2% to 11% effective July 1, plus an inflation-based cost of living adjustment. Workers will get 2% plus inflation July 1, 2026, and again July 1, 2027. They’ll also get additional pay of 2% to 8% for certifications like wastewater treatment and water distribution.
Harmony returns to All Classical Radio
In July, we reported that a unit of 16 workers at All Classical Radio had authorized a strike. In October, IBEW Local 48-represented workers ratified a new one-year contract. Management had wanted to reduce health insurance coverage for employees’ families. Workers weren’t willing to take those cuts. All Classical Radio unilaterally implemented its final offer but the two sides ultimately settled on a one-year deal that maintained health benefits.
