Workers Rights

NLRB: Unfair employers must pay more than just lost wages

Workers face financial pressure beyond lost wages when they're illegally fired. Now, the NLRB says employers should generally cover those costs.

Workers sue Fred Meyer for unpaid wages

Kroger is planning to buy competitor Albertsons for $24.6 billion. But the grocery monolith can’t seem to find the cash to pay its workers.

St. Charles Hospital in Bend hires union buster

The Florida union buster is just the latest for the Oregon hospital’s hard-core anti-union human resources team.

Oregon paid leave ready to launch

Starting next September, Oregon workers will be able to take up to 12 weeks off using paid, parental leave.

Nurse union asks district attorney to prosecute Providence for wage theft

Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt says he’s ready to prosecute employers who commit wage theft. Oregon Nurses Association has one in mind.

Catching up with Christina

Worker-side labor attorney Christina Stephenson, Oregon’s next labor commissioner, describes her priorities for the job when she takes office next month.

Nine Oregon Starbucks join nationwide strike

The strike involving more than 100 stores was timed for the day Starbucks launched its annual “red cup” holiday promotion.

Starbucks fires Portland union organizer

It’s illegal to retaliate against workers for union activity, but Starbucks has been firing union supporters around the country.

NLRB says Starbucks violated labor law in Eugene

The complaint lists the dates and store locations where violations occurred, and the names of managers who committed them.

AFSCME says Meieran threatened retaliation after non-endorsement

A Multnomah County Commissioner took it very badly when county workers union AFSCME Local 88 backed her opponent.

Contractors stuck with bill for subcontractor wage theft

Washington ordered a quarter million dollars in back pay and penalties for prevailing wage violations by 360 Sheet Metal.

Stephenson: Labor laws mean little without enforcement

Christina Stephenson says heightening BOLI’s wage theft enforcement will be a top priority if she’s elected as labor commissioner.

Judge: Starbucks illegally fired workers for union activity

Starbucks must reinstate seven workers the company fired in Tennessee after a federal judge found the terminations were illegal retaliation.

Nurses sue Providence for back wages

Oregon Nurses Association says a new payroll system at Providence hospitals has an unfortunate feature: It routinely underpays thousands of nurses.

Wage thieves will soon face criminal prosecution in Multnomah County

District Attorney Mike Schmidt is teaming up with Val Hoyle’s labor bureau to go after employers who steal from workers.

The world’s worst countries for workers

The latest International Trade Union Confederation report shows an increase in workers rights violations in recent years.

Starbucks to close 16 stores, citing safety

For Starbucks Workers United, the timing made Portland's 4th and Morrison store closure a clear escalation in union busting.

St. Alphonsus hospital in Ontario accused of egregious antiunion conduct

Union busting alleged at an Oregon hospital would be enough to influence the results of an upcoming representation election, regulators say.

Homeless nonprofit fires whistleblower

Things aren’t ‘all good’ at All Good Northwest, which runs tiny house villages for the homeless in Portland.

The law that poisoned labor: Taft-Hartley turns 75

Taft-Hartley brought 12 years of explosive union growth to a sudden end, and it contributed to what has now been a 75-year decline.

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