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:
SEIU Local 503
Jobs
As session nears end, transportation workers worry for their jobs
Oregon lawmakers are weighing new taxes to pay for roads, but opponents may try to refer the bill to the ballot to try to defeat it.
National
Rallying for Medicaid as Congress weighs deep cuts
A House Committee wants to cut $880 billion over 10 years from programs it oversees, and it can’t do that without deep cuts to Medicaid.
Collective bargaining
New union contracts at nursing homes
SEIU Local 503 represents roughly 4,200 workers at 59 Oregon nursing homes owned by six companies — half of the nursing home beds in Oregon.
Oregon
Rayfield appoints labor advisors
The Oregon Attorney General-elect wants advice on how to respond to possible future actions by the incoming Trump administration.
Union democracy
Oregon’s largest union rejoins the Oregon AFL-CIO
The re-affiliation of SEIU Local 503 has in the works for a year and a half.
Union democracy
SEIU Local 503 rejoins the Oregon AFL-CIO
The phased-in re-affiliation will boost Oregon's premier union federation by 30%. It also signifies greater labor unity.
Collective bargaining
Oregon nursing home workers may strike
More than 3,000 unionized nursing home workers across Oregon are operating under expired contracts as of Oct. 1.
Union Organizing
OPB reporters unionize
Oregon Public Broadcasting and KMHD Jazz Radio voluntarily recognized SAG-AFTRA as the union for 65 on-air staff, hosts, and reporters.
Collective bargaining
Higher ed: COLA should keep up with inflation
SEIU Local 503 and the Oregon university system are pretty far apart on bargaining over raises for campus support workers.
Collective bargaining
Oregon home care workers get raise of $1.73 an hour Jan. 1
The current base wage is $17.77 an hour. The new two-year agreement also increases the number of hours caregivers are allowed to work.
Collective bargaining
State of Oregon workers ratify union contract
The two-year contract covers nearly 25,000 workers represented by SEIU Local 503. It provides 13% raises and a one-time $1,500 bonus.
Collective bargaining
Unions reach deals with state of Oregon
Two unions representing nearly 30,000 Oregon state workers reached agreements that would provide a cumulative 13% raise over two years.
Jobs
Low pay causing problems recruiting and retaining state workers
There are now nearly 9,000 vacancies across state agencies in Oregon, and 9% of budgeted positions are currently vacant.
Workers Rights
School custodians want hazard pay for hazard conditions
As skies dumped snow on Portland, administrators were warm in home offices, but night custodians battled blizzard conditions to get to work.
Collective bargaining
OPB workers ratify contract bringing raises and bonus
In the end, management proposed a 4% raise in year one and merit-based raises of at least 1.5% in years 2 and 3.
Collective bargaining
OPB workers enter second month without contract
Management at OPB had an interesting wage proposal for 26 workers represented by SEIU Local 503: No raises for the next three years.
Politics
A Union steward goes to City Hall
SEIU Local 503 member Micki Varney says serving as a steward was good preparation for her public service as a Salem City Councilor.
Collective bargaining
Pay rises $2 an hour in new contract for home care workers
The deal between SEIU Local 503 and the State of Oregon covers 30,000 Oregon home care workers and also adds holidays and a step pay system.
Collective bargaining
Serious outbreak of wage increases across nursing home industry
Though their contracts aren't up til September, all five unionized nursing home chains have agreed to raise CNA starting wages to $18+.
Collective bargaining
OIT faculty win first contract after eight days on strike
Faculty at the Oregon Institute of Technology were the last at any Oregon public university to unionize … and the first to strike.
