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.
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Let ‘partners’ become partners
Have you noticed we don’t have workers in America anymore? Instead, we have associates, team members, crew members, and partners.
We’re here now, and we must act
When Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, it excluded farmworkers, who at the time were primarily African Americans.
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
Why do unions always support Democrats? It’s a really good question, and one that a lot of union members have asked over the years.
Biden’s new NLRB shows what real enforcement looks like
Under Jennifer Abruzzo, the “new sheriff in town," Amazon, Starbucks and others have learned that powerful companies are not above the law.
Now is not the time
As much as we all want to move on, to put the pandemic behind us, now is not the time to relent. We must push on.
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
I’ve been given a sacred responsibility— renewing this 122-year-old labor institution so that it can help rebuild our labor union community.
Don’t Mourn. Publicize.
We can get our stories told more often and more fairly if we are persistent, creative, and cultivate relationships with journalists.
We’re just getting started
Strikes and collective action are spreading like wildfire, and workers are just getting started.
Winning at Kaiser
Workers were prepared to take a stand in what would have been one of the largest strikes in history at Kaiser Permanente.
NWSL players’ fight for change is our fight too
Oregon labor was proud to show solidarity with the Thorns players at their Oct. 6 game, the first game back after the weekend’s pause.
This strike is so much bigger than one bakery
Workers are fed up, and they are doing something about it: Strikes, shop floor actions, civil disobedience, and work stoppages.
OPINION: Millions of Americans are employed because of natural gas
Renewable gas projects are predicted to create 7.3 million jobs by 2050. These are family-wage jobs that come with healthcare and pensions.
Rich would want us to not miss a beat
Rich Trumka believed in the potential of strong local and state labor movements, and invested and supported state federations like ours.
Honoring the life of Sebastian Francisco Perez
As the recent extreme heat and last year’s historic wildfires become more rule than exception, workers need more from our state government.
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.
Legislature must prioritize essential worker pay
Oregon will receive billions in federal dollars. This is an opportunity to invest in the heroic workers who kept our communities functioning.
A time for mourning and action
This year, on April 28, Oregon’s unions will observe Workers Memorial Day amidst a grim backdrop the likes unseen in our lifetime.
Working women need more than lip service this month, and every month
Over 2 million women left jobs during this “she-cession,” bringing women's labor force participation to the lowest level in over 30 years.
Lawmakers must put workers and communities first
We must ensure that the Legislature will do what it takes to prioritize workplace and economic safety and security.
January 6, 2021: We must never forget
Our democracy suffered a serious attack on January 6. We cannot ignore the lawmakers who encouraged or participated in the insurrection.
