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.
Workers Rights
Workers’ rights are human rights. They don’t come from laws — they come from being human. In this section, we report on the right to organize and bargain collectively, the right to a decent standard of living, and the right to be treated fairly and with dignity.
Underfunded and Overwhelmed: Oregon’s labor commissioner will make the case for a big budget boost
Christina Stephenson, Oregon’s top labor law enforcer, says years of underfunding have created a crisis for her agency.
City of Portland threatens legal action over union pickets
Attorneys for the City of Portland say "practice pickets" are prohibited by the contract Local 189 signed with the city.
Tina Kotek agrees: BOLI needs a boost
In the two-year budget she proposed on Dec. 2, Kotek is calling for a 30% increase for Oregon’s tiny labor law enforcement bureau.
Laborers union to offer 12 weeks maternity leave
Starting Jan. 1, 2025, new mothers who are members of LiUNA will be eligible for up to $800 per week for 12 weeks.
Vigor pays to restore spray-painted vehicles
In not one but two overspray incidents, paint blown by the wind stuck to the vehicles of hundreds of shipyard workers.
NLRB and FTC work together to bar non-compete agreements
Non-competes are agreements saying workers won’t go to work for a competing employer in the same industry after they leave an employer.
BOLI at the breaking point
Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries says it’s time for lawmakers to put their money where their mouth is.
NLRB seeks court order against strip club owner
The owners of Magic Tavern are thumbing their noses at U.S. labor law. Strippers, and the NLRB, are not amused.
Illinois bans captive audience anti-union meetings
On July 31, Illinois became the eighth state to make it illegal for employers to punish workers for refusing to attend anti-union meetings.
Oregon Republican signs onto pro-union PRO Act
It’s the latest pro-union stance by swing district Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer, but the PRO Act has little chance of passage.
Just Cause for all Oregon workers? Not this year
Proponents of an Oregon ballot initiative to end at-will employment say they’ll try again in 2026.
Unions say Clark County owes members a 20% raise after it hiked the pay of its top manager
Four unions representing county employees filed grievances citing “me too” contract clauses. The case is in the hands of an arbitrator.
L&I says Boeing stiffed its workers on travel pay
Boeing has paid over $11.5 million to 495 employees to resolve complaints that it failed properly pay and account for required travel time.
DOL raises overtime threshold for 4 million salaried workers
Under a new DOL rule, salaried workers who make less than $43,888 a year will qualify for overtime pay effective July 1.
Montessori meltdown: Portland preschools close amid union push
Guidepost Montessori closed two preschools and furloughed nearly 30 workers after workers announced plans to unionize with ILWU Local 5.
New ‘Cemex’ rule makes unionizing easier
It’s the latest measure from the NLRB general counsel Jennifer Abruzzo intended to short-circuit union-busting.
Workwear for worrisome streets
Workers who maintain City of Portland sewage infrastructure recently received new city-issued workwear: bulletproof vests.
Potbelly Sandwich spent $100k to fight union
Potbelly hired Optimal Employee Relations of Henderson, Nevada, about a month before workers voted 9-6 to join Restaurant Workers of Portland.
Judge strikes down NLRB’s landmark ‘joint employer’ rule
The National Labor Relations Board was all set to stop companies from dodging labor law by using temp agencies and franchise structures.
Child labor violations at Vancouver trampoline park
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) found that 40 teenage workers at Sky Zone worked more hours than legally allowed.
