September 6, 2002

Labor headlines from the September 6, 2002, edition of the Northwest Labor Press

Contract votes cast Aug. 29 by members of the Machinists Union employed at Boeing Co. were sealed and not counted after a federal mediator called the sides back to the table in Washington, D.C., starting Sept. 4.

Sizemore initiative lawsuit tossed out

It's official. Bill Sizemore's anti-union "paycheck deception" initiative won't be on the ballot this November.

Building Trades Council endorses Smith for U.S. Senate

Roll-call vote at annual convention strongly favors incumbent.

Labor's own Randy Leonard vies for Portland City Council seat

Of the 16 candidates running in the Sept. 17 special election for Portland City Council, it was very clear very early which would get labor's endorsement.

AFSCME organizes staff at Hermiston's only hospital

The union has 225 new members, and hospital workers at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston have a union.

Beleaguered workers at Boydstun Metal vote for Local 16

Bullied by management, employees work at high speed, with mandatory overtime, in sometimes unsafe conditions, for low pay with minimal benefits.

PGE workers and Democrats demand accountability for corporate crooks

In an hour-long mini-rally Aug. 21 at downtown Portland's Lownsdale Square Park, three PGE/Enron workers spoke of the pension plan losses they suffered when their company stock plummeted following revelations of fraudulent accounting.