Culture

A record 130 apprentices compete in Plumbers & Fitters Local 290 skills contest

The top finisher in each discipline advances to the Western Regional Apprentice Contest this June in Denver, Colorado.

A view from the driver seat

A TriMet bus driver writing under the pseudonym "Deke N. Blue" has been blogging about life behind the wheel since 2012. Now he's published a book.

This union’s got talent

Portland-area SAG-AFTRA members met up to watch their union’s televised award ceremony for the most outstanding performances in film and television.

Cement Masons and Plasterers celebrate at holiday party

Cement Masons Local 555 and Plasterers Local 82 recognized longtime members and graduating apprentices at their annual holiday dinner Dec. 2.

Unions are wall-to-wall at Keller Auditorium

With the recent unionization of dancers at the Oregon Ballet Theatre, their shows are now executed by an all-union workforce.

University of Oregon LERC celebrates 40 years of support for labor

The $1 million a year university extension program helps unions with training and research.

New documentary film looks at the life of farmworker union leader Dolores Huerta

Dolores will screen in Portland and Eugene, and will air on OPB in February.

Local 290 apprentices compete in regional contest

Pavel Kovalenko and Michael Kitt took second place.

The future of Glaziers Local 740

Work right now is plentiful, and journeymen earn $38.35 an hour, plus $16.82 an hour for fringe benefits.

West Coast roofers compete

Female apprentice Suzanne Young of Local 49 took first place in 7th annual West Coast Roofers Apprenticeship Competition.

Labor’s future in the age of Trump

Working people must learn from history if they want to rebuild the labor movement and take the country back.

Women in the Trades

Nationally, women have never accounted for more than 3 percent of building trades workers. We asked three women building trades workers to share their stories.

Troublemakers take over Local 290 hall

Over 200 rank-and-file union activists took part in Portland’s third biennial Labor Notes “Troublemakers School.”

Annual contest challenges Bricklayer apprentices

Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1 held its annual apprenticeship contest April 1 at its training center in Northeast Portland.

Sheet Metal Local 16 apprentices shine at regional contest in Pasco, Washington

Thirty-five apprentices from 11 locals took part in the competition, which had been on hiatus since 2012.

Today’s lesson: Unions matter

Since October, a new union speakers campaign has visited more than a dozen local high school and college classes.

A ‘barn raising’ at Painters & Tapers Training Center

The Portland training center added classrooms, offices, and support space to what was a one-room warehouse.

Unionists waking up to bias

Given the prevalence of unconscious racial preferences, just outlawing racial discrimination isn’t going to be enough.

5 questions for anti-bias trainer Barbara Diamond

The Portland labor attorney says union staff need to confront issues of race, gender, and disability.

IBEW 48: More diverse than it used to be

A new online video by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) calls attention to diversity in Portland-headquartered Local 48. Local 48 was an...

VIEW RECENT ISSUES