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.
Initiative campaign for ‘just cause’ fails again
The initiative's chief petitioner says the campaign is ongoing and will next aim at the November 2028 ballot.
Washington Supreme Court rules that live-in caregivers must be paid minimum wage
The 8-1 vote on July 9 ends a decades-long state exemption that allowed employers to pay a flat daily rate averaging less than minimum wage.
Bill to speed up first union contracts passes House
The U.S. House passed a bill June 9 that would be the most significant reform to U.S. labor law in generations.
Congress to vote on major labor law reform
A bill to speed up first union contracts is heading to a vote in Congress.
Portland may look at capping Uber/Lyft’s grab of driver earnings
Driver pay is down even though rider cost is up. It's no mystery as to why.
Labor Department turns back clock to 2019
A new overtime exemption rule will result in greater exploitation of low-paid managers and professionals.
Albertsons/Safeway tops the list of employers with workers on food stamps
The list of food stamp recipients is full of grocery and home care workers.
Minimum wage will rise to $16.80 in Portland
Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries announced Apri that the state minimum wage will increase 3.3% July 1.
What KGW doesn’t want Portland to know
The union that represents workers at Portland’s NBC affiliate is ready to go public about the station’s off-camera abuse of workers rights.
Union to City Hall: Wage theft is tax fraud
Members of Portland City Council are also working with the Carpenters to draft an ordinance that would help crack down on wage theft.
NLRB orders Amazon to bargain with Teamsters
The agency said Amazon broke federal labor law when refused to recognize a union at its Staten Island warehouse.
REI must reinstate fired worker
An 11-year employee was fired for clocking in seven minutes early. That was just a pretext, said the judge.
PSU backs down, agrees to rehire laid-off profs
After union pushback, PSU agrees to reinstate 10 professors laid off in 2024, though it disputes the arbitrator’s authority.
Mushroom workers take fight to Washington Supreme Court
Fired and rehired with lower pay, mushroom workers now face a Washington Supreme Court test of forced arbitration agreements.
Just cause for all?
A long-shot ballot initiative proposes to extend union ‘just cause’ protections to all Oregon workers.
Lane Transit District used intrusive drug tests to intimidate workers, union says
ATU Local 757 won a 17-year driver’s reinstatement after he was unjustly fired over an improper “observed” drug test.
U.S. ranks near bottom in worker rights commitments
The U.S. has ratified just 2 of 10 core ILO worker rights treaties — fewer than nearly every ally and countries with terrible labor records.
PSU ordered to reinstate faculty with back pay
Administrators bypassed union contract rules when they eliminated 10 faculty positions.
Fake union at SkyWest airlines?
Last year the Department of Labor sued SkyWest alleging that its in-house pilot association violated federal laws governing unions.
Oregon Labor Board rules PSU broke labor law
Part-time instructors win back withheld funds and interest.
