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:
Oregon AFSCME
Oregon
Labor gets ready for an action-packed session of the Oregon Legislature
With strong Democratic majorities in the state house and senate, the mood is optimistic
Collective bargaining
Multnomah County workers ratify new contract with $15 minimum wage
About 160 workers will get raises under the new minimum
People
Lobbyist Mary Botkin to leave Oregon AFSCME after 31 years
Botkin plans to begin a practice as a contract lobbyist in Salem.
In Memoriam
Steven Fritz, 1960-2014
The OSH psychiatrist was head of his AFSCME local and husband to Portland Commissioner Amanda Fritz
Building our communities
Labor joins with business to raise funds to knock out cancer
Phil Knight’s $500 million pledge spurs labor to join business for OHSU cancer research
People
Longtime AFSCME rep Rick Henson retires
Henson started as a Carpenter, became head of SEIU Local 49, and returned to serve AFSCME
Workers Rights
Supreme Court decision in Harris v Quinn creates “right-to-work” situation for home care workers
Noel Canning, a separate decision, will create bureaucratic headache for the NLRB.
Politics
Mixed bag for labor in Oregon’s short legislative session
No big gains, but no setbacks either.
Oregon
‘Right-to-work’ initiative dropped
Sponsors of two anti-union initiative petitions — including a so-called right-to-work measure for public employees — have agreed to withdraw their measures aimed at...
Collective bargaining
Workers consider strike after City of Portland worsens its offer
City appears in no hurry to reach deal with 1,600 workers in the DCTU
Politics
AFSCME 88 backs Bailey for Multnomah County Commission
The three-term legislator defied Kitzhaber over PERS cuts
Union democracy
New leadership at AFSCME Local 88
The union of Multnomah County workers faces a political election and contract bargaining in 2014
Oregon
Union-backed Oregon group files anti-antiunion initiatives
If it gets more votes than an antiunion initiative, it would prevail
Collective bargaining
Oregon unions sign tentative pacts for 22,000 state workers
SEIU and AFSCME members will get modest cost-of-living raises
Union democracy
Jeff Klatke elected president of Oregon AFSCME
He succeeds Gary Gillespie, who did not seek re-election.
In Memoriam
Bill Fritz, 1945-2013
A labor educator, he headed the Portland office of UO's Labor Education and Research Center
Building our communities
New union storefront on Barbur
OHSU Local 328, AFSCME’s largest, buys nearby storefront
In Memoriam
James Hester, 1957-2012
Lung cancer took the life of the union rep and former head of AFSCME Local 189.
Health Care
Health insurance ate my pension
What some unions are doing about out-of-control health care costs
Oregon
Jobs will again top labor agenda at Oregon Legislature
Lawmakers will push to lessen outsourcing, put trades to work, and divest from Wall Street banks.
