May 17, 2002

Labor headlines from the May 17, 2002, edition of the Northwest Labor Press

On Saturday, May 4, the Oregon AFL-CIO launched the New Alliance, a strategy intended to create permanent neighborhood-based political activist networks and to coordinate multi-union organizing blitzes in all corners of the state.

U.S. panel says Canadian softwood imports hurt American woodworkers

Effective May 22, the United States will impose tariffs averaging 27 percent on softwood lumber imports from Canada, as a result of a ruling that the Canadian lumber industry is unfairly subsidized.

Workers at Umatilla Chemical Depot vote union

Workers at the Washington Demilitarization Co. voted 85-72 to join Operating Engineers Local 701 and Electrical Workers Local 112 in an April 15 election April.

KPTV 12 news staff decertifies from AFTRA

Led by Portland television news anchor Kurt Ludlow, reporters at KPTV Channel 12 voted 12 to 6 April 24 to decertify their union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists-Screen Actors Guild.

Labor collecting signatures for initiative to boost minimum wage

Initiative 88 would raise the state's hourly minimum wage from $6.50 to $6.90 on Jan. 1, 2003, then would allow for annual adjustments to keep pace with inflation based on the annual increase in the cost of living.

Columbia-Pacific Building Trades asks unions to join Metro Alliance group

The citizens organization is comprised of 35 religious, labor, environmental and community groups concerned about such issues as affordable housing, health care access, public education, the environment, family-wage jobs and bringing power back to the people.

Building trades hold May Day rally

The Organizers Roundtable of the Columbia-Pacific Building and Construction Trades Council held a May Day rally at the Museum Block on Southwest 10th and Jefferson Street in downtown Portland in a show of strength for construction union trades.