June
6, 2003 Volume
104 Number 11
Opponents
fight Wal-Mart expansion site by site
Oregonians hoping to slow the expansion in of anti-union retail giant
Wal-Mart experienced one victory and one defeat in May.
Labor
bills to rein in drug costs face roadblock
With rapid increases in the cost of health care taking money out of the
pockets of America’s workers and employers, pressure is building
for lawmakers to do something. But at the same time, drug companies are
earning legendary profits from a topsy-turvy system of pricing, and they’re
using every bit of their political influence to drag down efforts at reform.
Metropolitan Alliance assembly gets labor
boost
More than 1,200 delegates — including a labor caucus of 139 —
took part in a May 13 Metropolitan Alliance For Common Good assembly at
the Oregon Convention Center.
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Barbara
Byrd, (right), a member of the Unitarian Church, and Rodney McCambridge
of Sheet Metal Workers Local 16’s Volunteer Organizing Committee, help
collect 1,800 ballots for the May 20 election that were turned in at the
Metropolitan Alliance For Common Good Assembly May 13 and delivered to election
officials. The ballot, which included Measure 26-48 to raise an income tax
in Multnomah County dedicated to school, health care and corrections funding,
passed with 58 percent of the vote. |
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Jury
awards iron worker $520,000 for jobsite negligence
A Multnomah County jury on May 15 found Slayden Construction, Inc., of
Stayton, Ore., negligent for the injuries suffered by ironworker John
Morris when the curtain of reinforcing steel he was working on collapsed
in April 2000.
Portland, AFSCME Local 189 settle 2001
dispute
The City of Portland and its biggest union have agreed to settle a two-year-old
dispute over an “illegal strike” by parking patrol officers.
Voters pass new income taxes to fund
schools for three years
Voters in Multnomah County voted to save schools, maintain help for the
medically needy and keep the community safe by passing Ballot Measure
26-48 in the May 20 election. The vote was 58 percent “yes”
to create a new county income tax of 1.25 percent dedicated to schools,
public health and public safety.
Bill targets 'Enterprise Zone' property
tax exemptions
Amendments to House Bill 2299-B have been drafted to force the state’s
enterprise tax zones to deliver the benefits they were designed to deliver
– good jobs for Oregon workers.
More news articles
* Transportation bills on the move in Oregon Legislature
* CPBCTC backs Oregon College Savings Plan
* Labor, employers support BOLI’s apprentice program
* Siegner
elected by national Painting Contractors
* Mano Frey wins coveted award from United Way
* Anderson re-elected to Salem Electric Co-op
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