Politics

Oregon Legislature passes unemployment extension

Two bills signed March 24 will extend unemployment benefits to Oregonians still looking for work.

Oregon Legislature one third of the way through

Several bills backed by organized labor are progressing through the legislative process. Others are still at the starting line.

Bills banning collective bargaining are buried

Washington State Labor Council is tracking dozens of bills that could help or harm union members and working people.

Hundreds rally in Salem for jobs and solidarity

Oregon AFL-CIO sponsored a March 7 “Jobs Rally” on the Oregon Capitol steps

Building trades miffed at Metro for bypassing Shiprack

Building trades unions are miffed that the Metro Council didn't appoint Bob Shiprack to a vacant seat in District 6.

Labor leaders attend Obama Intel visit

A dozen plus Oregon labor leaders attended President Barack Obama’s Feb. 18 “winning the future” speech at Intel Corp. in Hillsboro.

Bill proposes ‘bereavement’ be added to Family Leave Act

A member of Bakers Union Local 114 is behind a bill in the Oregon Legislature.

IBEW’s Malbin to co-chair prevailing wage advisory panel

Norman Malbin is in-house counsel for the IBEW Local 48.

Kitzhaber taps Shepard for labor adviser

Duke Shepard has been Oregon AFL-CIO political director since January 2006.

Shiprack seeks open Metro seat

A freshly retired union official seeks to fill an open seat on the Metro Council.

Unions prepare to defend working families agenda in Salem

Oregon’s citizen legislature convenes Feb. 1.

Labor applauds Clackamas County for Sellwood Bridge funding vote

Clackamas County Board voted Dec. 9 to increase vehicle registration fees to pay for replacing the crumbling Sellwood Bridge.

Labor vote makes the difference in tight Oregon races

In Oregon, organized labor’s get-out-the-vote campaign propelled Democrat John Kitzhaber to the governor’s mansion. Kitzhaber defeated political newcomer Chris Dudley by the narrowest of margins. Labor-endorsed candidates also fared quite well down the ticket.

Merkley will push for rule change to end filibuster abuse

Oregon’s freshman Democratic U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley favors reforming a parliamentary procedure known as the filibuster, in hopes that doing so will allow the Senate to get some work done.

AFL-CIO Poll: Voters punished Dems, but no mandate for GOP

Though Republican victories in the 2010 elections will put the union Congressional agenda in jeopardy, labor leaders took some consolation from a pair of election night polls commissioned by the national AFL-CIO.

Oregon, Washington labor weigh election results

Oregon voters mostly returned labor-backed Democrats to office, bucking the national Republican tsunami in the midterm elections. But for Washington's union movement, election night was bittersweet.

U.S. House resolution recognizes Labor Press

Oregon Congressman David Wu (D-1st District), introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives recognizing the 110th anniversary of the Northwest Labor Press. It has one co-sponsor, U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-3rd District).

Unions fight Washington ballot measure to privatize workers comp

A lot is at stake on the Washington ballot this year, and the Washington State Labor Council, the statewide body of the AFL-CIO, is working to get the word out about ballot measures that will impact workers — like a measure to privatize Washington's workers' comp system.

Labor pulling hard for Kitzhaber

In an Oregon governor's race close enough to hinge on union member turnout, organized labor is pulling hard for John Kitzhaber, while Chris Dudley lacks any union endorsement. That’s because Kitzhaber’s platform is much closer to what the union movement has been advocating in Salem. It’s also because Kitzhaber has sought union support, and Dudley has not.

Union electrician runs for Oregon House

In suburban South Salem, career union electrician Claudia Kyle is making an energetic run for state representative. Kyle, a Democrat, is challenging two-term incumbent Republican Kevin Cameron, owner of a 12-location restaurant chain, Cafe Today. Kyle is a licensed electrician and a 31-year member of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

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