The Oregon Labor Dispatch is a weekly email and blog series designed to keep Oregon’s workers informed of the latest news about unions, worker power, and much more. Each week, we bring you a curated selection of news stories, graphics, and information about upcoming events and actions. When Oregon’s Labor Movement is connected, updated and informed we are able to be stronger advocates for all working Oregonians.
If you have a news story, event or action you’d like to see featured in the Oregon Labor Dispatch please email us at communications@oraflcio.org.
🗓️Upcoming Events
📖 Support SEIU Local 503 Members at Oregon’s Public Universities
Thursday, February 8, 2024 at Noon
SEIU-represented workers at all seven of Oregon’s public universities will hold practice pickets to call attention to their fight for a fair contract. These workers play an essential role in the operations of Oregon’s higher education system and deserve to work under a contract that meets their needs. Click here to learn more about their campaign, how you can get involved, and to register to attend a practice picket at a university near you! You can also sign a petition to show support if you’re unable to attend a picket.
✈️ AFA-CWA Worldwide Day of Action
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at 11:00am at Portland International Airport
On February 13, Flight Attendants from around the world are coming together to bring their collective struggle to the public eye. Together, they’re taking a stand against widespread corporate greed and fighting for the contracts they’ve rightfully earned. Click here to RSVP.
🕯️Providence Candlelight Vigil
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at 6:00pm at Providence Milwaukie, 10150 SE 32nd Ave in Milwaukie
It’s time to call Providence out on their failures. ONA nurses, health professionals, physicians, and their community and labor allies are holding a candlelight vigil to highlight the ongoing patient care crisis at Providence facilities. Join us to say ‘No More’ to unsafe workloads and added job requirements, chronic staffing shortages, and massive attrition caused by gross inequities in working conditions. We will gather outside Providence Milwaukie Hospital. Everyone is welcome to attend. Click here to RSVP.
⚠️Strike Alert
🩺 PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services on Strike in Lane County
PeaceHealth executives in Washington are abandoning local patients and putting their own profits ahead of patients’ needs … AGAIN. From heartlessly closing University District–leaving Eugene without a hospital–to handing corporate executives multimillion dollar raises during the pandemic, PeaceHealth’s corporate executives are cutting your health care again so they can cash in. Thankfully, your local ONA nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services are standing up to fight back!
The strike will be held February 12-23 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Health
Sign up for a picket shift or take supportive actions online by clicking here.
🖤 Black History Month
Coalition of Black Trade Unionists: Black History Month Events
Ongoing throughout February both on Zoom and in person in Portland The Oregon Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) cordially invites you to join us for a month-long recognition of Black excellence in conjunction with the Pacific Northwest Labor History Association, Portland Rising, Oregon AFSCME, and AFRAM/SEIU Local 503. The primary focus is health care.
February 1, 2024 at 6:00pm: Welcome address and podcast of AFSCME President Emeritus William Bill Lucy and the CBTU Under 40 Committee
February 8, 2024 at 6:30pm: Black Relevance in Politics Forum
February 15, 2024 at 6:30pm: Health Care Forum
February 22, 2024 at 6:30pm: Labor History Workshop (In Person at Oregon AFL-CIO)
February 29, 2024 at 7:00pm: Movie Night (In Person at SEIU Local 503)
👉🏼 Must Read
February 1, 2024 | Oregon AFL-CIO
“On January 27, 2024 nearly 100 union members, leaders, and staff gathered at the Oregon Labor Center for a day-long training designed to increase the effectiveness of Oregon Labor’s ability to plan, organize, and execute strikes and credible strike threats in order to secure collective bargaining wins.”
Oregon Labor
January 31, 2024 | Portland Business Journal
“After hard-won battles in 2023, unions representing nurses and other front-line health care workers aren't resting on their laurels.”
January 31, 2024 | OPB
“The state’s second-largest school district is gaining ground in recent mediation talks with both of its unions. But there are many things, especially regarding workload, that remain unresolved.”
January 30, 2024 | The Oregonian
“After nearly a year at the bargaining table, Portland Community College has reached a tentative contract agreement with the union that represents its roughly 1,400 faculty members, the college announced Tuesday.”
January 30, 2024 | The Oregonian
“After months of contentious bargaining, Portland Public Schools and the union that represents classified staff, including classroom aides, paraeducators, campus safety officials, library aides, administrative assistants and occupational and physical therapists, have reached a tentative contract agreement.”
January 30, 2024 | Central Oregon Daily
“The Bend-La Pine School District says it has reached a “conceptual agreement” on a new contract with the Bend Education Association (BEA) after months of negotiations. The new four-year deal is for certified employees including teachers, nurses, school psychologists, social workers and others.”
January 28, 2024 | KOIN
The union representing the Portland Public Schools office workers, educational assistants and para educators held a “practice picket” on Sunday outside Benson High School.
January 27, 2024 | Daily Emerald
GTFF announced the afternoon of Jan. 26 it has ratified its new contract with the University of Oregon — closing out 10 months of negotiations with the university. 95% of GTFF members voted “yes” to the new contract, with 81% of members participating in the vote.
Legislation & Politics
February 1, 2024 | OPB
“In a unanimous opinion that could have reverberations for the upcoming legislative session, the court sided with Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade’s interpretation of Measure 113, the 2022 ballot measure that voters approved with an eye toward ending legislative walkouts.”
January 31, 2024 | KWQC
“An Iowa House subcommittee unanimously rejected a bill that would have removed civil rights protections for gender identity and instead defined gender dysphoria as a protected disability.“
January 18, 2024 | Northwest Labor Press
“Washington could join New York, New Jersey, and Maine in providing unemployment benefits when workers go on strike.”
January 29, 2024 | Bloomberg Law
“The Biden administration plans to require companies with federal government contracts to disclose expected salary ranges in job postings, as part of a broader effort to boost race and gender pay equity. US contractors, as well as federal agencies, will also be prohibited from using a job applicant’s compensation history to set their starting pay.”
Organizing
January 31, 2024 | The Colorado Sun
“Throughout the month of January workers at the Denver Art Museum have inched their way toward forming a union to fight for higher wages, more transparency and improved safety procedures.”
January 31, 2024 | The Hollywood Reporter
“U.S.-based visual effects artists who help bring James Cameron’s Avatar epics to life have voted to unionize in a National Labor Relations Board election.”
January 26, 2024 | Pittsburgh Union Progress
“We’re really committed to an open and transparent process,” said Jessie Ramey, director of the women’s program and an associate professor at Chatham. “In fact, we’d like to be a part of a new wave in organizing, and I think that this could be part of a new paradigm where we work a little bit more openly.”
Strikes
January 31, 2024 | Chicago Sun-Times
“In what’s believed to be a first in Chicago newspaper history, reporters and other newsroom staffers at the Chicago Tribune plan to go on strike Thursday, joining hundreds of other Tribune Publishing employees in a nationwide action after years of contract negotiations.”
January 31, 2024 | The Hollywood Reporter
“A strike has been averted at The Onion and several of its sister publications, at least for now. Hours before their current labor agreement was set to expire, The Onion union — representing staffers at The Onion, Onion Labs, The A.V. Club, Deadspin and The Takeout — reached a tentative deal on a new contract with owners G/O Media.”
January 31, 2024 | Fox 5 Vegas
“Just two days before its strike deadline, the Las Vegas Culinary Union announced that it is moving that deadline back three days as negotiations continue with 10 downtown resorts.”
January 26, 2024 | NBC“UFCW 3000 says employees from the Bellingham and Southcenter Mall Macy's have joined the strike as workers continue to push for a fair contract. The union says workers will continue to strike and boycott the store until the contract is achieved.”
The Care Economy
January 26, 2024 | People’s World
“When hospital chains privatize in pursuit of profits, the quality of patient care goes down—way down–compared to a control group of other hospitals, a new study shows. Outcomes after discharge are worse.”
Labor Leaders
January 31, 2024 | Courier Journal
“In December, the now 43-year-old Reinstedler was elected and sworn in as president of the Kentucky AFL-CIO, a state labor council where all labor unions in the state are members.”
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