Workers Rights

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.

AFL-CIO: Abortion rights are workers rights

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to reverse its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision drew immediate opposition from national labor groups.

Local 16 finds prevailing wage violations at Vancouver Fire Station

Washington Labor & Industries is investigating, but similar cases have been ongoing for years without a resolution.

Fred Meyer settles child labor charges

An investigation by the Department of Labor found the company regularly allowing minors to load power-driven box balers at stores in Oregon.

Ontario, Oregon hospital trying to bust nurses union

A labor dispute between the Oregon Nurses Association and an eastern Oregon hospital intensified after management withdrew union recognition.

America’s top wage and hour law enforcer

Jessica Looman, former head of the Minnesota building trades union council, now leads the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division.

Starbucks charged with extensive labor law violations

The complaint brings together a slew of charges the union Workers United filed against Starbucks from November 2021 through April 2022.

Eugene Starbucks workers go on strike

Baristas shut down stores to protest the company's anti-union stance in the Pacific Northwest and nationally.

High school students investigate union busting at Starbucks

For a class assignment, three Portland high school students formed a “workers’ rights board” and explored anti-union activity at Starbucks.

Teamsters battle with Hood River Distillery continues

Two years ago, workers at Hood River Distillers went on strike. HRD responded by illegally firing them. Company lawyers are still fighting.

Oh, the outrage! City Auditor investigates Portland firefighters washing their cars

On Jan. 6, Fire Chief Sara Boone declared on-the-job car washing to be unlawful, and ordered firefighters to cease and desist. 

ILWU reefer case headed back to court

A jury in 2019 ordered ILWU to pay $93.5 million in damages to a Philippine terminal operator. Now a new trial is likely.

Construction workers on public assistance?

Low-wage non-union construction jobs aren’t just hard on the workers. They’re also a strain on public tax dollars, according to new research. 

New year raises Washington minimum wage 

More salaried Washington workers just got the right to overtime too. And Oregon minimum wage goes up July 1.

Multnomah County votes for labor harmony 

At non-profit county contractors, union-busting is about to get a little harder.