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.
Comment
Opinion. Debate. Discussion. Analysis. This section is where we publish guest submissions in our open forum.
Union labor is the key to energy goals – and avoiding blackouts
Without major new transmission capacity, the Northwest risks grid unreliability, higher electricity costs, and failed clean energy goals.
Why the trade war with Canada amounts to self-sabotage
The economies of both countries are so intertwined that everyone will suffer.
When union members elect champions for workers, we win
Supporting champions for workers at the ballot box is an act of radical hope. We bet our collective power that we can live a better life.
Open letter about JH Kelly
A great construction company is built by more than the people in the field.
It’s time for just-cause employment
The current default, at-will employment, undermines labor protections, while making workers more financially insecure.
This is what democracy looks like
A thousand unionists gathered in Minneapolis for the AFL-CIO's 30th Constitutional Convention, and came home ready for action to build power.
Protect college athletes, not the power brokers
The Protect College Sports Act, now before the Senate, would open the door to private equity investment in college athletics.
The bad days teach us who we are
In the labor movement, we’re quick to celebrate our wins. But if we’re honest, the moments that shape us most aren’t the easy victories.
SAVE Act is about rigging the election
Trump says the SAVE Act is about stopping non-citizens from voting. That’s not true. It is entirely about stopping citizens from voting.
Cesar Chavez: A moral reckoning. And a teachable moment.
The news that Cesar Chavez was a sexual predator who abused young girls and raped United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta hit me hard.
Don’t let the wealthy gut Multnomah County’s free universal preschool program
Multnomah County’s free preschool program faces pushback from wealthy critics, despite proven gains for kids, families, and workers.
Love is a Riot: A statement on what’s happening at Stonewall
Stonewall’s Pride flag removal is a warning. Attacks on LGBTQ+ rights are attacks on labor and worker protections.
PSU deserves funding that works for Oregon’s workers
Portland State serves working, first generation and transfer students, powering Oregon’s workforce. Its mission needs funding to match.
Why I’m thankful: the union
A union contract is the rare guarantee in an uncertain world, binding employer, employee, and union for stability and fairness on the job.
Break bread, build back, grow power
Like any family, labor’s strength depends on unity—breaking bread across differences to grow collective power.
Deep cuts coming to Oregon higher ed
PSU's proposed cuts could result in the elimination of more than 200 full-time faculty and staff positions.
Oregon is not a military target
This blatant federal overreach endangers our families, freedoms, and futures.
Strength through Solidarity
This year’s convention, the largest gathering of the Oregon labor movement, couldn’t have come at a more consequential time.
Salem needs to empower Oregon to build a thriving economy
Oregon is a state of builders, but it’s stalled by policy. Its future hinges on infrastructure and innovation.
