Gaudium et Spes: More than 600 Catholic Institutions with Labor Unions

One of the interestig annual reports on labor that I get comes from the Catholic Labor Network and lists those Roman Catholic institutions that are unionized by state. Oregon has a good number, but of course we will all benefit with more. Here is the introduction to the report and the relevant link from the Network.  

Gaudium et Spes: More than 600 Catholic Institutions with Labor Unions Happy Labor Day! During the year periodically we have to devote our newsletter to Catholic institutions engaged in union-busting behavior out of line with Catholic Social Teaching from Rerum Novarum to today. Happily these employers are not the last word. The Catholic Labor Network has identified more than 600 Catholic institutions that instead demonstrate Catholic Social Teaching by bargaining with unions representing some or most of their employees. In accordance with our tradition, each Labor Day the CLN offers its Gaudium et Spes report listing these institutions by State and Diocese. New entries this year include Catholic Cemetery workers in Youngstown OH who organized with the Machinists; nurses at Ascension St Agnes in Baltimore MD who joined National Nurses United; and Non-Tenure Track Faculty at two California Catholic Universities, University of San Diego and Loyola Marymount, who joined the SEIU. Most of these workers are still negotiating a first contract so please keep them in your prayers! Unfortunately, the list of unionized Catholic schools has shrunk a bit as organized schools in some urban cores closed. To find out what’s up in your state, check out the report: Gaudium et Spes 2024 If you know of additional Catholic employers with collective bargaining please report them to clayton@catholiclabor.org

Tax Fairness Oregon: Measure 118 is a hot mess!

A critical citizens’ initiative, Measure 118, will be on the ballot this November. If it passes it will dramatically change Oregon’s tax and spending policy. It would raise around $7 billion per year through a new gross receipts tax on corporations (that’s 50% more than the State’s current revenue from all taxes!) and devote it all plus some General Fund money to fund a one-of-a-kind rebate program to dole out payments to all residents who’ve lived here at least 200 days.

The proposed ballot measure is simple in concept and appeals to principles that Tax Fairness Oregon supports: increasing taxes on large businesses that have learned how to avoid paying taxes or hide their profits in tax shelters, and makings sure people have enough money to live with dignity. While the language of the measure was written by a group of folks in Eugene, funding for signature gathering and staff has been primarily financed by a California investor who supports a guaranteed minimum income and sees Oregon as a relatively inexpensive state in which to get a citizens’ initiative passed.

Unfortunately, we do not support the Measure as it was designed. Like most initiatives that are designed by a group without broad public discussion or legislative input, this attempt at funding a guaranteed minimum income is poorly drafted and fatally flawed.

This is an issue that will get a lot of attention in Oregon over the next four months. Let us know if you have questions. We encourage you to read not only our wonky set of talking points, but the measure itself and the State’s latest fiscal analysis (which will show you why we call Measure 118 a hot mess).

Tax Fairness Oregon

(503) 810-6654

TaxFairnessOregon@gmail.com

Oregon AFT: What we need to know about Ballot Measure 118 (IP 17)

The following ws produced before IP 17 became Ballot Measure 118:

"Oregon Rebate" Ballot Measure Analysis - What to Know

This November, Oregonians will vote on a recently qualified ballot measure going by "Oregon Rebate", Measure 11X (aka, IP 17). This is a static cash check to Oregonians created by raising the corporate minimum tax.

Here are some topline analysis from our coalition partners in the pro-education revenue and labor policy spaces, as well as a new Legislative Policy & Research Office report from the State of Oregon:

IP 17 would result in a $1 billion cost to the General Fund next biennium by shifting over constitutionally required education funding from corporate taxes to the general fund

In addition, the Legislative Revenue Office estimates IP 17 would cost at least $1 billion in general funds to get off the ground

IP 17 provides a non-progressive rebate: giving the same amount to the highest income Oregonians and the lowest income Oregonians

AFT-Oregon is committed to stronger funding and a multi-year revenue campaign in coalition with labor and advocacy groups. This measure may set us back decades and hamper new funding efforts for higher education.

The Politics, Policy, Legislation, and Solidarity Council and our Vice President for Political Action have been approached multiple times by the backers of this bill since 2022, and concerns have been raised to the petitioners each time without being addressed. As a result, our members have never endorsed this measure.
_____________________________________________________

Corporations and the wealthiest in Oregon should pay their fair share. Everyone should have the ability to cover their basic needs. Many people have heard these lines communicated by the Oregon Rebate - and these things are true. However, the approach of IP 17 raises dire concerns about whether dollars will go to those who need them most, the actual impact on low-income families, fairness, and implementation.

1. Legal complications for Oregon

The petition language is unclear on the funding mechanism for the rebate program because of other constitutionally mandated funding allocations. Even if there were a 1:1 match between corporate tax increases and subsequent rebate checks, IP 17 will require new general fund expenditures to occur for State School and Highway Funds.

2. Immediate new General Fund costs (Oregon is already facing a $300 million shortfall for the 2025-2027 Budget)

IP 17 would shift over $1 billion in constitutionally required education funding from corporate taxes to the general fund for 2025-2027. The Oregon Constitution requires that the "corporate kicker" be dedicated to the State School Fund. If passed, IP 17 would increase the corporate tax collection and the corporate kicker, but then allocate those dollars to the rebate. The result would be that next year, Oregon would have to somehow come up with the funds to meet the Constitutional requirements towards the State School Fund with new dollars.

In addition to $1 billion in shifted funds due to constitutional requirements, IP 17 would cost at least $1 billion in General Fund dollars to get off the ground. Because of the difference in time frames between when corporate taxes are collected in Oregon, when budgeting occurs, and requirements in IP 17, an estimated $1 billion would need to come out of our General Fund to meet obligations for rebate checks in 2025 and 2026. And this is before considering the costs of replacing lost benefits.

Unknown additional new costs to replace state benefits. Under the measure, if people choose to take the rebate check, the State has to pay for benefits lost if the additional income pushes them out of eligibility. Aka, if the $750 impacts OHP, Medicaid, SNAP, or other benefits, Oregon will need to foot the bill to make the person held "harmless." It's unknown how replaced health care coverage would be administered, and the full impact of how this directly hits Oregon's federally obtained funds for programs is also difficult to predict. But it isn't cheap, and those funds would need to come from the General Fund.

3. Fairness and equity

IP 17 gives the same rebate to the wealthy as it does our most vulnerable communities. IP 17 does not center families and communities who need it most, and the petitioners have not addressed or integrated any of the ample feedback given to them. People who do not receive the money will get checks, reducing the amount that lower income people could potentially receive. A better approach would be a targeted basic income program or cash assistance program similar to other countries who provide cash assistance, or such programs advocated for by progressive groups in Oregon.

4. Local verses out-of-state approaches

IP 17's approach - like the kicker - favors the wealthy, does not resolve budget issues long-term, and has unintended consequences. The wealthy California venture capitalists who spearheaded the funding of this campaign in Oregon did not have deep, or seemingly any, knowledge about Oregon's unique tax, revenue, and Constitutional funding obligations. This means that this program will come at the expense of schools, higher education, health care, and other things Oregon pays for.

Oregon's racial and economic justice groups have been sidelined by the Chief Petitioners. There is a long-time Oregon coalition working on Basic Income that works for our state which includes Urban League, Oregon Center for Public Policy, and many other organizations. There have been pilot programs and studies done which have paved a solid path already. However, the Chief Petitioners of IP 17 were invited into this space to work with these organizations, but instead moved forward alone with this approach. This raises serious questions about the viability, impact, and consequences.

Parachuting into Oregon's election landscape. The campaign is funded by tech millionaires who have refused at every step to work with the labor movement and Oregon's economic and racial justice groups. They have ignored concerns from local organizations. Some believe that Oregon's Initiative Petition process, which is one of the "cheapest" in the nation for outside funders to influence, have been taken advantage of. It's worth considering whether Oregon should be an experiment for outside interests to play with our election system through paying for signature gathering with out of state money. If successful, this sets a dangerous long-term precedent.

News From IATSE: Box Office Workers at Oregon Shakespeare Festival Unionize With IATSE

 

ASHLAND, OR — Box Office workers at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) have unanimously voted in favor of joining the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 154, the union announced Thursday. This marks the fifth group of workers at OSF to join the union, following the chartering of Local 154 by the festival’s stagehands in 2016. Scenic, props, costume shop artisans, and Facilities/Maintenance workers additionally voted to unionize in 2022 and 2023 respectively. Along with the box office crew, an estimated 1/3 of the roughly 400 OSF staff are now under IATSE representation.

The Ashland Oregon based OSF has an 89-year history of hosting an array of performances. With over 400,000 attendees annually, the festival hosts performances from classics to new works, musicals, and world premieres. “While this unit of 12 workers may seem small, they are a mighty crew,” said IATSE International Representative Amanda Sager. “I think we often forget the important role these workers play. They not only interface with customers at the ticket offices, but field phone calls, enhance the experience for patrons, and everything in between. I’ve learned so much from this group.”

“We are horned to welcome these workers into our Alliance,” said IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb. “We represent thousands of box office and ticketing staff across North America. These workers are increasingly aware that to gain respect and a seat a table, they must organize.”

Live event and theater workers nationwide are coming together to win essential access to healthcare, training, robust safety measures, mental health resources, and avenues for professional growth. If you are interested in joining the movement, head to iatse.net/join to contact a live events organizer.

# # #

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees or IATSE (full name: International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada), is a labor union representing over 170,000 technicians, artisans and craftspersons in the entertainment industry, including live events, motion picture and television production, broadcast, and trade shows in the United States and Canada.

For more information please contact:
General: comms@iatse.net
Press: press@iatse.net

Oregon Citizens Could Vote to End Union-Busting in Cannabis Industry

From The Valley Labor Report:

From Our Oregon Working-Class History

Oregon, 1939...

Caption
Young mother, aged twenty-two, has one little girl three years old. Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon. In mobile unit of FSA (Farm Security Administration) camp. New baby expected in December. During this year she has worked with her husband in: strawberries (Helvetia, Oregon); cherries (Salem, Oregon); beans (West Stayton, Oregon); hops (Independence, Oregon). Is now in potato camp at the end of that season. "We haven't got a cent now and we've lost our car because we've helped some people out. It seems like it's taken every cent to eat off, that and traveling around."

Source:Farm Security Administration (Dorothea Lange photographer)

Upcoming events and trainings, requests for solidarity, and some short union news updates

The following comes to us from Portland DSA and the Oregon AFL-CIO:

Union membership means more wealth for working Americans
June 24, 2024 | Labor Tribune
“New studies prove what unions have been arguing for years: Union membership means more wealth for working Americans. The Center for American Progress (CAP) analyzed new data from the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances and found that the median union household has significantly more wealth than non-union households, and these differences hold across demographic groups including race, ethnicity and education levels."

Labor and Community Organizations Stand with Chip Workers Demanding Living Wages and Safer Working Conditions
June 25, 2024 | Oregon AFL-CIO
“CHIPS Communities United (CCU), a coalition of labor unions, environmental organizations, and community groups, and the Oregon AFL-CIO today urged Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) to invest in its workers and honor their demands for living wages, safer working conditions, and an end to unpaid shutdowns. ADI worker demands point to larger job quality concerns and the need for strong labor standards accompanying public investment in the semiconductor industry.”

AFL-CIO President Applauds New Regulations Ensuring Fair Wages for Clean Energy Jobs
June 26, 2024 | AFL-CIO
“These new wage regulations are a historic win for working people, made possible with the culmination of decades of advocacy by the labor movement and years of work by the Biden–Harris administration. Today, we fulfill one of the key promises of the Inflation Reduction Act: that we can create good-paying union jobs and advance clean energy policy at the same time.”

Oregon Minimum Wage Has Increased More Than 30% Since 2016
June 27, 2024 | Oregon AFL-CIO
“On July 1, Oregon’s three minimum wage levels will increase by 50 cents, bringing the hourly minimum wage to $15.95 an hour in the Portland Metro Area, $14.70 in standard counties, and $13.70 in non-urban counties. According to the most recent data from 2022, just over 4% of Oregon workers earn minimum wage. That means over 100,000 people will see their paychecks go up in July.”

Race and Labor (a Labor Notes workshop)
Sat. June 29, 9-11am
How does racism show up in our workplaces and our unions? What are some strategies to confront it and build solidarity for a stronger, multiracial labor movement? And what can you say to union siblings who aren’t convinced racial justice has anything to do with union politics? This workshop addresses how class and race are inextricably linked, tracing back the origins of “race” as an invention of the ruling class to divide workers. We'll talk about how to move to strategies of unity. REGISTER: https://labornotes.org/events/2024/race-and-labor-june-2024

What to Do When Your Union Breaks Your Heart (a Labor Notes workshop)
Tues. July 2, 4:30-6pm
If you’re a union member, unfortunately the chances are good that you’ve had, or will have, your heart broken at least once by one of your own leaders. Whether you tried to get involved and there was nowhere to go, or the members got sold out, or leaders want to keep the union as their exclusive club, it can feel pretty harsh. In this workshop, we’ll talk about how to recommit to your union and change the culture into one where leaders respect and serve the members.
REGISTER: https://labornotes.org/events/2024/workshop-what-do-when-your-union-breaks-your-heart-july-2024

Secrets of a Successful Organizer (a Labor Notes training)
How to Organize at Work and Win !
Sundays, July 7, and July 14, 6-8pm
Portland Association of Teachers, 345 NE 8th (basement)
RSVP: https://actionnetwork.org/events/secrets-of-a-successful-organizer-2024/

Union Makes Us Strong - Jazz Performance (Portland Jobs with Justice)
Portland Jazz Ensemble Composers' Ensemble
Thurs. July 11, 6:30pm
Norse Hall, 111 NE 11th Ave, Portland
JwJ's annual Summer Solidarity fundraiser, dinner buffet, cash bar, raffle prizes
TICKETS: https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/pjwj-pjce-summer-jazz-show

LERC Summer School (OR AFL-CIO/)
Labor Education and Research Center
Fri-Sun, July 19-21
University of Oregon Campus, Eugene
Whether you are a new member or experienced leader, Summer School has something for you. Join us for a weekend of education, discussion and socializing with 100+ other union members from across the state.
REGISTER: https://lerc.uoregon.edu/ss24/.

Investigating Grievances - a Labor Notes Steward's Workshop
Wed. July 24, 4:30-6pm (zoom)
*Limited to stewards and officers who work with stewards
Grievances are a lot more than what you write down on a grievance form or what gets said in a grievance hearing. Some of the most important work that goes into winning a grievance happens before you even file, and pays off big time if a grievance ends up going to arbitration.
RSVP: https://labornotes.org/events/2024/stewards-workshop-investigating-grievances-july-2024

Support Unionizing Preschool Workers Illegally Fired (ILWU 5)
Workers at two Guidepost Montessori locations in the Portland Metro area have lost their jobs due to extreme union retaliation. Two of five locations in the Portland Metro area decided to unionize, and the company responded by shutting down the unionizing locations for at least 3 months each. Workers can use support while they stay committed to their unionizing campaign, and as they grapple with the loss of their livelihoods and relationships with their students. DONATE:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-unionizing-preschool-teachers-illegally-furloughed

Starbucks Workers United Rapid Response Network (SBWU)
Baristas will be bargaining a national foundational framework, an agreement that sets the standards for SBWU contracts across the country. The 10,000+ unionized Starbucks partners have come a long way to get to this moment – and we're determined to keep the momentum strong and fight to win at the bargaining table. By joining the rapid response network, you'll be on standby to mobilize quickly when called upon - this could look like calling into a store, holding a flyering event outside a store, organizing a solidarity standout, lodging customer complaints, etc. If your support is needed, it will likely be a tight turnaround time - so the form asks some specific questions to help gauge what level of capacity you and your organization may have for rapid response organizing. SIGN UP: https://tinyurl.com/SBWUrapid

Some of the faces and news from workers in motion this week

 

Fifty union members from CWA, Teamsters, and SEIU filled the Denver City Council

chambers recently to support an initiative to place collective bargaining rights for city

workers on the ballot this fall!!

“After weeks of tough negotiations, CWA Local 7172 has ratified a tentative 3-year

 agreement with Windstream in Iowa. This agreement includes significant wins for

 our members, such as much-needed wage increases, improved cost-sharing for 

healthcare, and an upgrade path for certain technicians.“

Photo from The Lake Oswego Review

Oregon AFSCME says: We're proud of our Lake Oswego Municipal Employees

Association/AFSCME Local 1546 members who rallied for better wages and fair 

treatment(on June 26). Local 1546 members are the backbone of this community, and

 they deserve to be heard and respected!

#PortlandPride is happening this July 20th and 21st #OregonLabor will

 be marching in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ siblings in the parade and will have

 a booth at the waterfront festival. RSVP to join us! https://fb.me/e/1Z7sVuAI0

We are excitedly preparing for our 24th annual dinner, "Las Voces del Trabajador," which is coming up in less than two months on Friday, August 23rd, 2024, at the Madeleine Church. This special evening will celebrate the resilience and strength of day laborers and domestic workers, featuring reflections on our history, achievements, current progress, and future plans. Our goal is to raise $25,000 to continue building worker power, stability, and transparency

Help us amplify "Las Voces del Trabajador":Buy a Ticket: Tickets are available now! Ensure your spot at this inspiring event by purchasing your tickets today. Link below!

Become a Sponsor: Help our event be a success by becoming a sponsor. Your sponsorship will help us reach our fundraising goal and support our mission. More information below!
Become a Volunteer: We need help with event planning, setup, and cleanup. If you're interested in helping out, please contact karla@portlandvoz.org. Your efforts will make a big difference!

Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we continue to share with you all the work that we have been doing, and highlight stories from our workers! We are excited to celebrate with you and share the progress we've made over the past year. None of this would be possible without your unwavering support. Let's come together to amplify "Las Voces del Trabajador" and continue creating positive change in our community.

It’s a big deal yall. No criminal trial defender has gone on strike since 1994. 

And the ‘94 strike was broken by the founding of BXD as a scab organization to

 break the Legal Aid strike. Historic that@BxDUnion is undoing the harm of founding

 and building power for us all.

Starbucks Workers Union: We’re back at the bargaining table this week! And

 we’ve got a special update from our Trans Rights Action Committee (TRAC).TRAC

 is bringing to bargaining and how we’re fighting for real, written protections for LGBTQ+ 

workers in our contract.

  Check it out and share to to raise awareness about how we’re centering LGBTQ+ and other voiced in our bargaining.

Congratulations to staff at Race Forward, the national nonprofit dedicated to

 "dismantling structural racism by building collective community power and transforming

 institutions," for voluntary recognition of their union with the National Organization of Legal

 Services Workers (NOLSW), UAW Local 2320. Unions are an essential part of racial justice, and advocates for this important issue deserve a say on the job.

Today was historic! Oregon's biggest nurse's strike is underway!

Providence Strike Day 1🌟Nurses across Oregon came out in full force for the first day of our six-unit strike! We kept the energy up and made it clear: we are here to show you what a fair contract means to us! #WeAreONA #RecruitRetainRespect #ProvStrike #SafeStaffingSavesLives

Text and photos/graphics above come from the Oregon Nurses Association. Today's Oregon Public Broadcasting story on the strike is here. 

This KGW clip has some good footage but comes across as supporting Providence:

STRIKE ALERT: The Largest Nurses Strike in Oregon History is Scheduled For Next Week!

From the Oregon AFL-CIO:

It is once again time for Oregon Labor to stand together in solidarity with striking workers. Last week, nurses represented by the Oregon Nurses Association at six different Providence Health Systems locations around the state gave notice that they would go on a three day strike from Tuesday, June 18 through Thursday, June 20.

Nurses are demanding Providence give them a fair contract that is in compliance with Oregon’s Safe Staffing law and prioritizes affordable, quality healthcare. Nurses are also demanding that Providence executives increase their focus on recruiting, retaining, and respecting frontline nurses. Despite four days of negotiations, an agreement was not reached.

An injury to one of us is an injury to all of us and it's critical that Oregon's workers and unions rally behind the striking ONA members until a fair contract is reached and ratified. When we join each other's fights, we have the strength in numbers to accomplish anything.

Here's how you can support the strike:

View the Strike Map here.

Sign up for a shift on the picket line.

Use ONA’s social media toolkit to help spread the word about the strike.

Sign the public petition to put pressure on Providence.

Donate to the strike fund to help support striking workers and help hold the line.

As we saw during the wave of strikes in the Pacific Northwest last year, our solidarity and our unwavering support of any striking worker will help to push management towards a fair settlement. Please stand together with ONA nurses at Providence in their fight to fix a broken health care system and to win the fair contract they deserve.

Please click here to see the latest news about this strike.

 

The Greater Albany Education Association Is Building Solidarity

 

I attended a spirited union contract rally held by the Greater Albany Education Association (GAEA) in Albany yesterday. Several hundred teachers and their supporters gathered to support one another and build unity behind a set of commonsense and flexible demands that can be read here. It was hot and there wasn't much shade, but the union provided burritos and water and the speakers kept us engaged. At the end of the rally most of those who had gathered to make their collective voice heard went inside the school building for a listening session. 

Unlike many rallies that I have attended over the years, the speakers at this one managed to get right to the point and tell some hard truths in just a few minutes about contract bargaining, the real balance of power in union contract negotiations, and the hard choices facing the teachers without either sugarcoating or being defeatist. The teachers understand what they're up against and they're preparing themselves for having to make some tough choices. They're determined, they're supporting one another and they have a strong sense of community or solidarity developing with one another. The rally was multigenerational and the union's demands speak to many different concerns.

There are ways to tell how a union is doing and what it's internal culture is like, and this tells you much about the union's capacity to build and win. I showed up early and offered to help set things up and the members gave me some tasks to do alongside of them. This is a sure demonstration of a union putting members first, the members knowing that it is their union and their struggle, and the kind of openness that builds bridges.

This is a difficult moment for educational workers in Oregon. Municipalites and school boards have been doing tax abatements and expanding and rewarding school administration for so long that funding programs and increasing pay and benefits packages for teachers and support staff has become difficult. The work isn't getting easier and Covid has left us scarred and we have a loud and increasingly dangerous minority of folks who oppose public services and public education. Meanwhile, the kicker kicked and Intel got $90 million---with more money leaving public funds for private industry---and working people in Oregon just took some hard losses in the primaries. Municipalities and school boards are competing with one another for grants, special funding, tax dollars and spare change, and most state, county and municipal services seem to be locked in competition with one another for any available funding as well. Common sense should tell us that this is a downward and no-win spiral.

Yesterday's rally showed a joyous determination to take the high road and fight with dignity for educational workers and the Greater Albany communities.

The next GAEA bargaining session will be held on Tuesday, June 18 at 2885 Cedarwood Ct. SE in Albany from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The union is asking that teachers and their supporters wear red and pack the house. Let's help do this!

Photos from GAEA.

The Struggle Continues At OHSU

Photo from Oregon AFSCME

 

From Oregon AFSCME:

PORTLAND, Ore. – Workers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) who are fighting for a fair contract and a seat at the table got high-profile help last week.

AFSCME President Lee Saunders took part in a rally organized by OHSU’s postdoctoral workers who are negotiating their first contract but facing resistance from university administrators.

The rally came during contract negotiations between OHSU administrators and postdocs who are seeking fair pay to improve hiring and retention. Despite their pivotal role in advancing OHSU’s research mission, these scholars face stagnant wages and sub-par benefits.

Rally participants say OHSU has failed to make any substantive progress on key issues, offering zero improvements in wages, benefits or diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Instead, the university came to the negotiating table with just status quo economic proposals.

Saunders said the 11,000 AFSCME members who work for OHSU and AFSCME’s 1.4 million members nationwide stand with the postdocs as they prepare to strike if management continues to resist.

“You’re standing up for what you believe in, you’re standing up because you have a seat at the table. They have a responsibility to negotiate a fair contract with you. And if they don’t, we will raise all kinds of hell,” Saunders said.

At another event, Saunders joined OHSU biomedical researchers to celebrate their success in forming a union through Oregon AFSCME (Council 75). Nearly 2,000 of them had their union certified by the Oregon Employment Relations Board (ERB) late last month.\

Photo: Oregon AFSCME

Saunders joined the researchers to celebrate their organizing victory. Worried about OHSU’s long-term plans for supporting research, they spent more than a year working to form a union to boost their job security and improve their pay.

OHSU’s research staff is on the cutting edge of life-saving work that focuses on cancer, ALS and seizure disorders, coronaviruses and mental health disorders, and other conditions. Eligible workers who signed union cards range from scientists to clerical staff and software and analytical tool makers.

“I’ve worked in the same lab at OHSU for 23 years but something changed a few years ago and we felt powerless,” said Lynne Swarbrick, a senior research associate in pediatrics.

“I was reclassified without a raise and without any sort of input from my PI (principal investigator) or department. Now that we have a union, HR can’t make arbitrary decisions about us, they have to bargain with a new but very powerful union.”

Saunders marveled at the work the researchers do and underscored the power they have through their union.

“With your new union, you can demand greater accountability and transparency from the university. You can demand answers about what they’re doing with grant money that is supposed to be for research,” Saunders said.

Now that the ERB has certified the union, members of OHSU Research Workers United will start the bargaining process with OHSU management.

The Northwest Workers Justice Project Gets Some Justice For Dispensary Workers Victimized By Racism

The Northwest Workers Justice Project is an invaluable force working for justice for workers and often going into areas and causes where unions don't have the necessary base or resources needed to win. If you can, please contribute to NWJP and support their good work. Here is a report from NWJP on a recent win here in Oregon that ought to help many other dispensary workers. Another interesting article on problems faced by dispensary workers can be found here.

 

NWJP staff attorney, Alex Boon, recently helped two cannabis dispensary workers who stood up for themselves after their supervisor used the N-word while at work. Our clients, who both identify as Black, complained of racist jokes and casual use of the N-word in the workplace by their supervisor. Both workers made an effort to put a stop to their supervisor’s behavior, including by speaking with her directly, meeting with management, and writing to management about the issue. However, the supervisor remained in her position, and both workers were fired not long after raising complaints with management. Also, during the civil rights investigation at the Bureau of Labor & Industries (BOLI) that took place after Alex helped the workers initiate legal action, the supervisor admitted that she used the full N-word in the workplace, and still felt that she had not done anything wrong by doing so. In other words, the problem had not been remedied. BOLI found in our clients’ favor, and Alex filed the case in court to support these workers in their fight to work in a respectful environment. Our clients recently secured a settlement that served to hold the dispensary to account. NWJP believes in the foundational right of workers to improve their working conditions and to address racial discrimination in the workplace. We were proud to back up these workers who made the effort to improve their racially hostile workplace by using the legal process available to them.

Familias Unidas por la Justicia and Columbia Legal Services win a court decision to force the Department of Labor to fix faulty formula that lowers H-2A wage rates.

The following post is take from The STAND, one of the best on-line labor publications around.  

PORTLAND, Ore. (June 3, 2024) — On May 24, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on behalf of the Washington farmworkers’ union Familias Unidas por la Justicia (FUJ) and its member Ramon Torres Hernandez that the Department of Labor (DOL) has a legal duty to protect domestic farmworkers’ wages in Washington state and require agricultural employers to offer the highest wage in contracts related to the H-2A program.

This federal program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural jobs. But H-2A workers are required to be paid a wage rate that is at least the highest applicable wage rate in effect at the time the work is performed.

The May 24 ruling overturns an order issued by federal district court judge Thomas O. Rice from Spokane and agrees with FUJ’s allegation that DOL has been rubber-stamping federal H-2A contracts with low hourly wages instead of requiring growers to offer higher prevailing wages, as outlined by federal statute.

“We are thrilled with the Ninth Circuit’s ruling because it recognizes that DOL has been failing to protect the interests of domestic farmworkers who are being pushed out of jobs by unlawful wages and working conditions in H-2A contracts,” said Andrea Schmitt, attorney from Columbia Legal Services who argued the appeal in early April. “We look forward to getting this order entered in the district court and working with DOL to protect the rights of domestic farm workers in the future.”

Here’s a video recording of that argument.

The faulty way DOL has determined and published wage data for the past 13 years has resulted in incorrect findings that have brought down wages for both H-2A and domestic farm workers. DOL admitted during the appeal that it had been following illegal policy since 2011 but had never publicly announced its policy until recently. With its ruling, the Ninth Circuit ordered Judge Rice to enter an injunction that excludes the unlawful lower wages from DOL’s annual wage survey that sets required wages for the H-2A program.

“It is shameful that DOL has been undercutting farmworker wages since 2011 and never had the courage to tell farmworker families,” said José Ramírez, the president of FUJ.

FUJ recently sued DOL a second time in federal court seeking to overturn new regulations issued by DOL in 2022 that also fail to protect farmworker wages. A preliminary injunction has been requested in that case, which was recently assigned to Judge John C. Chun in Seattle.

While the way DOL has handled wage-setting may be complicated, the impact on farmworkers is not. DOL is required by law to protect their wages. State legislation to improve parts of this system passed earlier this year, requiring future surveys to ask farmworkers directly (not just their employers) about their wages.

Washington is one of the last states in the nation that even attempts to protect local worker wages, thanks to decades of organizing. Local farmworkers in other states were long ago replaced with H-2A workers, making it easy for DOL to certify a shortage of local workers each year. This ruling is a step in the right direction toward a different future for Washington.

The farmworkers were represented in the appeal by Columbia Legal Services, Farmworker Justice, Barnard Iglitzin & Lavitt LLP, and Edward Tuddenham.

"You Belong" Outreach Campaign for Bias Response Hotline

From State Senator Floyd Prozanski:

Hate crimes and bias incidents are on the rise, both in Oregon and nationally. The Oregon Department of Justice Civil Rights Unit (CRU) has officially launched its "You Belong" campaign, a culturally and linguistically inclusive, statewide public outreach effort to increase awareness of Oregon's Bias Response Hotline as a crucial resource in the fight against the continued rise of hate crimes and bias incidents in Oregon.

It is up to all Oregonians to make sure that everyone is safe in our communities. Oregon's Bias Response Hotline is here to listen, support, and help. CRU's "Report and Support System" is designed to support victims and help track hate crimes and bias incidents. A key focus of this campaign is elevating the voices, faces, and experiences of real community members, and reflecting individual resilience, community strength, as well as resources available through the statewide Bias Response Hotline. The Hotline (1-844-924-BIAS/2427, StandAgainstHate.Oregon.gov) is the best place to report a hate crime or bias incident.

Some Short Takes On Labor In Our Region From The Oregon AFL-CIO & Other Sources

 Upcoming Events

NALC Branch 82 32nd Annual MDA Labor Bowl Sunday May 19, 2024 at 9:30AM to 12:30PM | Kingpins, 3550 SE 92nd in Portland Theme: Superheroes! There will be prizes for top fundraiser, top men's and women's total score, lowest total score and best superhero costume. Food: Pizza and sodas. All are welcome. Contact Branch 82 to join a team or submit your team of five. Call Branch 82 to pre-register (503)493-5903 or pay at the door. Bring donations for a silent auction from 10AM to 12PM. Cost: $60.00 minimum per bowler (with a goal of each bowler raising $100.00) 2024 Oregon Labor Organizing Summit Thursday May 30, 2024 at 9:00AM to 4:00PM | 17230 NE Sacramento St. in Portland The 2024 Organizing Summit is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for union members, leaders, and staff to come together to strategize and build community with other unionists, laying the foundation to organize. This year’s theme is Work, Life, Democracy: It’s Better in a Union because we know that when workers are members of a union, they are a part of something transformational that can create powerful change at work and in the community. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler is the keynote speaker of the event, and we will be joined by organizing experts from across the country. Participants at this year’s summit will have the opportunity to attend workshops on a wide range of topics related to organizing, learn best practices and strategies from organizers and workers. Registration fee: $50 per person. Registration is limited to union members, leaders, and staff of unions. To request registration information, please email us at communications@oraflcio.org

Must Read

May 30: You won’t want to miss it
May 16, 2024 | Northwest Labor Press

“In 2023, Oregon saw more NLRB union election filings per capita than any other state, only narrowly surpassed by Washington D.C. Organizing campaigns have taken root in Oregon in countless sectors — game workers, student workers, healthcare workers across a growing number of classifications, cannabis workers, and baristas to name a few — and they each provide lessons for our movement to learn and evolve. One of those lessons is that the labor movement must be doing everything in our power to invest in and prioritize organizing and growth, and that is precisely why we’re so excited to host our annual Oregon Labor Organizing Summit on May 30 at the LiUNA Local 737 union hall in Portland."

Oregon & Regional Labor

PROVIDERS AT LEGACY'S PRIMARY CARE CLINICS CALL FOR A UNION ELECTION

The group is the latest in a wave of union organizing at Oregon’s second-largest health system as rumblings of an OHSU and Legacy merger continue.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - On May 7, physicians, physician associates and nurse practitioners at Legacy’s Primary Care clinics announced their intent to unionize with the Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association (PNWHMA). The 150 providers are unionizing to ensure patient safety; increase retention, recruitment and respect of caregivers; implement safe staffing that will decrease burnout while improving caregiver wellbeing; and have a voice at the table as the details of the OHSU and Legacy merger unfold. The group submitted union authorization cards to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) May 8. The NLRB is expected to hold a hearing and set an election date in the coming weeks.

“As a group we feel we can have a much more unified and constructive approach for meaningful healthcare change by unionizing. We have seen many negative changes to the healthcare system. Primary care has a significant level of burnout, as evidenced by the numbers of primary care providers leaving this profession,” said Dr. Angela Marshall Olson at Raleigh Hills Primary Care. “Patients must be our first concern. It’s vital for us to have a place at the table to discuss provider retention strategies, which will elevate patient care and staff satisfaction.” Read lots more here. 

Montessori schools in Portland, Tigard shutter after teachers launch union effort
May 8, 2024 | KOIN

“Teachers and parents at two locations of Guidepost Montessori found out their day care facility was closing with less than 24 hours notice. The abrupt closures of the Tigard and Portland locations were announced April 7, shortly after staff at both locations announced they intended to unionize with ILWU Local 5.”

University of Washington student workers go on strike
May 14, 2024 |The Hill

“Thousands of academic student employees at the University of Washington (UW) went on strike on Tuesday, after union representatives and university officials failed to reach an agreement on wages Monday night. The union, United Auto Workers Local 4121, has held bargaining sessions with university officials since February, and all but one provision in the contract — wages — has been resolved.”

NURSES VOTE TO APPROVE CONTRACT WITH PEACEHEALTH SACRED HEART HOME CARE SERVICES

From the Oregon Nurses Association:

(Springfield, Ore.) - After 16 months of negotiations, home health and hospice nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services voted to ratify a four-year contract agreement with PeaceHealth May 13.

Nurses at the region’s largest home health and hospice provider care for many of Lane County’s most complicated patients and deliver hospital-quality care directly to patients’ homes. They have spent the last year-plus fighting for a fair contract to improve patient care; address record turnover and vacancies; and hold PeaceHealth accountable to their community.

The new contract includes several important care improvements.

Contract Highlights:

* Protects community health by ensuring nurses who are exposed to communicable diseases can isolate to avoid compromising vulnerable, home-bound populations.

* Raises safety standards by empowering an interdisciplinary workplace violence prevention committee to address workplace violence and prevention; physical and verbal abuse; and harassment issues unique to home care environments.

* Promotes advanced training and education to bring health care innovations to Lane County. The contract increases support for nurses’ professional development--allowing more RNs to take advantage of continuing education opportunities to learn and deliver the latest best practices to local patients.

* Creates accountability around health care costs by establishing a health benefits task force to explore workers’ and families’ health needs and make recommendations to keep care accessible and affordable.

* Increases wages up to 16% over four years and raises pay for nurses with advanced degrees and skills.

* The contract also includes a one-time bonus for nurses still with PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services in Jan. 2025.

While nurses are proud of what they were able to achieve, they remain concerned that inequitable wages will continue negatively impacting their community by accelerating record turnover and limiting recruitment opportunities.

Even with contractual improvements, nurses at every other local PeaceHealth hospital and home care service will receive significantly higher wages than nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services–including workers at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center in Springfield; PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Medical Center in Florence; and PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Home Health in Florence. This pay gap will continue to make it difficult for PeaceHealth to address vacancies and attract or retain experienced providers.

ONA and our members remain concerned about the corporatization of healthcare systems like PeaceHealth in Oregon and its impacts on the workers and communities. We will continue fighting to advocate for patients and providers. PeaceHealth has extensive work to do to repair its relationship with health care providers, patients and the local community–whose support for nurses was critical to the success of these negotiations.

“I want to send a sincere thank you to the many elected leaders, union allies, community groups and supporters from all walks of life who signed a petition, attended a rally, marched with us on the picket line and showed their appreciation for nurses. I’m touched by the support nurses and our patients received from people in every part of Lane County,” said Jo Turner, ONA bargaining unit chair and nurse at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services. “We know there’s more work to be done to expand access to health care and to keep holding PeaceHealth accountable to our community. I believe we can build on the work of our community coalitions and continue raising standards to make sure everyone in our community has access to high-quality, affordable health care.”

The ONA represents more than 90 frontline nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services and nearly 1500 nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center Riverbend.

Nurses began negotiating with PeaceHealth executives in February 2023. Their previous contract expired in April 2023. Nurses reached a tentative agreement April 24 and voted on the agreement May 6 - 13.

IBEW 46 brings the fight to NECA

From The Stand:

SHORELINE, Wash. (May 16, 2024) — Striking IBEW 46 Limited Energy electricians converged on National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Puget Sound headquarters in Shoreline on Wednesday, escalating their pickets after more than a month on strike. Labor siblings and supporters from all over the region joined the electricians on the line, demonstrating the strong support standing with the Limited Energy unit.

The strike by Limited Energy (LE) Electricians in the Puget Sound area began April 11. The union reports that NECA negotiators have refused to significantly improve its contract offer that was unanimously rejected by the IBEW 46 members.

LE electricians install and maintain multiple life-safety systems, such as fire and security alarms, building access and HVAC controls, computers, phones, emergency radios, and more. However, they are paid significantly less that other Puget Sound-area unionized electricians and NECA negotiators have refused to grant them something that most workers have: paid holidays.

Check out more photos from the line on the IBEW 46 facebook page. You can support the strike effort by calling NECA’s offices at (206) 284-2150 and urging them to settle a fair contract including paid holidays, and by signing the workers’ petition.

CWA District 7 Hosts Annual Meeting

From the Communications Workers of America:

Earlier this month, CWA District 7 hosted its annual meeting in Vancouver, Wash. Workers, activists, and retirees from across the district gathered to celebrate victories, share skills, and strategize for the upcoming year. The meeting also included workshops and breakout sessions dedicated to such topics as internal organizing, human rights, and advanced grievance arbitration.

During the opening session, attendees heard from several speakers, including CWA President Claude Cummings Jr.; CWA Secretary-Treasurer Ameenah Salaam; Public, Healthcare, and Education Workers Vice President Margaret Cook; Western Region At-Large Executive Board Member Keith Gibbs; and Oregon AFL-CIO President Graham Trainor.

“Unity is the key, and I don’t just believe it is; I know it is,” said President Cummings. “It’s not enough to ‘dream big.’ You’ve got to bring enough people together to get the job done, or big dreams fade away into nothing. Unity means we understand how connected we are and the simple truth: we will either succeed together or we won’t succeed at all.”

Secretary-Treasurer Salaam said, “As a 32-year, proud CWA member, I can testify to the difference a union makes: the difference in wages, the difference in benefits, the difference in respect, having a collective voice, and just feeling secure. The difference in being CWA. I want all of these things for all workers.”

CWA District 7 Vice President Susie McAllister kicked off the general session, followed by CWA National Political Field Director Curtis Hierro and CWA District 7 Administrative Director of Organizing Katie Romich.

"We need each and every one of us to be fighting and winning for our fellow working people,” said McAllister. “We do this by working the whole CWA triangle.”

That hard work has paid off. CWA District 7 has welcomed approximately 2,500 new members into the union since the last District 7 Meeting in 2022.

Activision Quality Assurance United (AQAU-CWA Local 7250) leaders shared a 20-minute presentation about their historic organizing campaign. They spoke about overcoming union busting from Activision Blizzard management while helping create the leverage for the groundbreaking neutrality agreement between CWA and Microsoft. They also shared how they collaborated with workers in Texas and California to move swiftly once the neutrality agreement was in place to certify their 575-member unit. They closed the presentation to thunderous applause by borrowing from the Call of Duty slogan that "the ultimate weapon is team,'' while displaying a graphic from the game combined with the CWA, CODE-CWA, and AQAU-CWA logos.

Three Upcoming Oregon AFL-CIO Get Out The Vote Events

From the Oregon AFL-CIO:

Labor 2024 Events

Canvass for Phil Chang for Deschutes County Commissioner and Anthony Broadman for State Senate
Saturday May 18, 2024 at 10:00AM to 1:00PM | Meet at SEIU 503 Bend Office in Bend.
Join Oregon Labor at a canvass for Phil Chang for Deschutes County Commissioner and Anthony Broadman for State Senate. Coffee, lunch and training provided. Sign up to volunteer.

Get Out the Vote Canvass with Willy Chotzen for HD 46 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General
Saturday May 19, 2024 at 10:00AM to 1:00PM | Meet at the Oregon Labor Center in Portland
Join Oregon Labor at a canvass for Willy Chotzen for State Representative in HD 46 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General. Coffee, lunch and training provided. Willy Chotzen and Dan Rayfield will be there to kick off the event!
Sign up to volunteer.


Get Out the Vote!
Monday May 20, 2024 and Tuesday May 21, 2024 | Meet at the Oregon Labor Center in Portland
Volunteer to knock on doors and make calls for a last push to get out the vote before the May 21st 8PM voting deadline. Sign up to get a phone list or stop by the Oregon Labor Center to grab a turf on Monday anytime between 11 and 5 or Tuesday between 11 and 4. Sign up to volunteer.