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.
Tag:
Congress
National
Senate GOP: No minimum wage increase
With the public in solid support of an increase, Bernie Sanders puts senators on the record, and not for the first time.
National
Bipartisan bill would ensure that if workers unionize, they get a contract
Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley signed on to the bill, which was sponsored by Republican Josh Hawley of Missouri.
National
The do-nothing Congress
This most recent Congress was the least productive since before the Civil War — just 158 bills in two years.
Retirement
Congress restores Social Security to public workers
Thanks to end-of-session action by Congress, about 2.5 million local, state, and federal employees will have benefits restored.
National
GOP Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer backs pro-union ‘messaging bill’ that would dump Janus
The bill is thought to have zero chance of passing the GOP House, and didn't get a hearing when Democrats were in charge either.
Workers Rights
NLRB: No more dodging labor law with temp agencies and franchise structures
Workers will soon bargain with all companies that have a say in their working conditions — not just the one whose name is on their paycheck.
National
Back in charge, House Republicans cut ‘labor’ from committee name
In her opening salvo on the House floor, the committee chair made her hostility to the word labor and to unions crystal clear.
National
GOP House strips union rights from staff
The anti-union language was included in the first bill to pass the newly Republican-led chamber during the 118th Congress.
National
Biden and Congress force a contract on rail workers
History may remember the episode as a betrayal by the man who pledged to be the most pro-union president in U.S. history.
National
Major Senate Breakthrough
A greatly scaled down Build Back Better bill will still spur climate jobs, cut drug prices, and limit corporate tax avoidance.
National
Bill would end tax benefits for union busting
A bill in Congress would end an unintentional tax benefit for corporations that try to stop their employees from unionizing.
Union Organizing
U.S. House staffers win union rights
Congressional staffers have long had the right to unionize, in theory. Now, they’re getting the legal protection to do so.
National
American Rescue
Signed into law March 11, a year after COVID was declared a pandemic, the $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill took effect almost immediately.
Retirement
How the COVID relief bill saves union pensions
The just-passed COVID relief bill will rescue and restore over 100 declining union pension plans.
National
House re-passes the PRO Act
The U.S. House passed the PRO Act—labor’s top priority—March 9. Five Republicans joined all but one Democrat voting yes.
National
New COVID relief bill passes Congress, signed by president
A new round of aid is headed to jobless workers, struggling businesses and to people who are doing just fine.
National
Democrats–and Herrera-Beutler–vote to cut drug prices
The bill allows Medicare to negotiate with drug companies to get lower prices on insulin and single-source brand-name drugs that don’t have generic version.
Retirement
Congress looks at failing multi-employer pensions
One solution, favored by many Democrats, is to have the Treasury step in to help.
National
GOP finalizes tax cuts
The newly passed law contains the biggest corporate tax cut in history, and nearly all its benefits go to the richest Americans.
Retirement
GOP Congress to states: Stop helping workers save for retirement
Five states, including Oregon, are setting up low-fee retirement accounts for workers without any employer-sponsored plan.
