December 19, 2008 Volume 109 Number 24
 

An Oak Harbor Christmas
 It's fixing to be a lean Christmas for truck driver Jeff Murillo and his family. Murillo, 45, is a member of Portland-based Teamsters Local 81, and one of about 600 Pacific Northwest truck drivers, loading dock and warehouse workers who've been on strike at Oak Harbor Freight Lines since Sept. 22..

[Left, Oak Harbor strikers gather in front of a picket line Christmas tree.]

GOP slams labor, derails auto rescue package
When U.S. auto industry CEOs asked Congress for aid this month, critics of organized labor seized the crisis as a chance to slam unions.
Sizemore released from jail — but not from legal woes
Because of a contempt of court ruling, union adversary Bill Sizemore and a sham Nevada charity he created will likely owe $500,000 to $750,000 to two teachers unions. Plus, the judge granted the unions greatly expanded power to subpoena further testimony and documents from Sizemore, his groups and associates.
Third group of child care workers joins Laborers Local 320
A third group of child care workers from the Oregon Child Development Coalition have voted to join Laborers Local 320. Workers at the Marion County facility voted 68-9 on Dec. 3 for union representation.