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.
Collective bargaining
“They don’t know their workers”
David Woods is the lead union negotiator trying to bargain a new contract at Nabisco. We spoke with him by phone Aug. 26.
Nabisco workers strike around the nation
It’s been a long time coming. Provoked by round after round of demands by Nabisco for concessions, the union BCTGM reached a breaking point.
Kaiser Permanente unions shocked by two-tier wage proposal
Is Kaiser’s reputation as a model union employer about to end? In bargaining, it's now proposing to pay new hires dramatically lower wages.
Strike ends at Topeka, Kansas Frito-Lay plant
Workers struck for wage increases and an end to forced overtime, but got only very modest improvements in the modified employer offer.
SEIU Local 49 ratifies new master janitorial agreement
Members of the union bargaining team that negotiated the master janitorial agreement. (Photo courtesy SEIU Local 49)
Painters Local 10 wins wage increases of up to $4.50
The first contract to be negotiated since members regained the right to strike contains the biggest raises in a generation.
As strike neared, Legacy Health Systems settled with SEIU Local 49
Help with advancement: Under their new contract, SEIU Local 49 members at Legacy Good Samaritan, above, have access to joint union-employer funds to pay tuition for classes that can help them get ahead.
Painters turn down $2.94 in raises, return to bargaining
A day after the lopsided vote to reject SPCO's offer, a competing contractor group offered $4.30 an hour over the same time frame.
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.
Painters pickets continue
The pickets are protesting contractors' failure to provide information that would justify their refusal to offer more than a 25¢ raise.
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.
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+.
‘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.
At Portland-area construction sites, union painters are primed for ‘Summer of Chaos’
Local Painters union members have been falling behind for a generation. They’re not gonna take it any more.
Bakers in another standoff at Nabisco
The snack-maker, flush with profits amid a snack boom, is demanding further concessions from its main union.
Providence Milwaukie signs first union contract
Providence Health System fought against the union of housekeepers and CNAs at every stage in their three-year campaign to win improvements.
IBEW 89 warns labor strife may be coming with purchaser of Frontier
It took 10 weeks to get bargaining dates with Ziply Fiber, and then the company was a no-show at the first scheduled bargaining session.
OIT faculty win first contract after eight days on strike
Faculty at the Oregon Institute of Technology were the last at any Oregon public university to unionize … and the first to strike.
Just weeks after IPS listed as ‘unfair,’ workers have a deal
IPS repairs electric motors and generators. Pay under the Metal Trades Council contracts runs from $22 to $33 an hour.
Union accuses Kaiser of understaffing
OFNHP says understaffing is leading to high turnover at in Sunnyside’s Emergency Department—40 nurses (57%) have left in the last year.
