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.
Actions & Events
CITIZENSHIP CLINIC: The Oregon AFL-CIO is proud to host a free Citizenship Clinic and Community Fair alongside community partners and advocates for immigrants.
Saturday, February 18, starting at 8:30am
Oregon Labor Center, 3645 SE 32nd Ave in Portland
POSTAL RALLY: Protest understaffing, overwork, delay of mail. Raise wages and benefits to attract and retain Postal Workers. Sponsored by Communities and Postal Workers United and American Postal Workers Union Local 128.
Monday, February 20 from noon to 1:00pm
East Portland Post Office, 1020 SE 7th Ave
PETITION: Help build a brighter future for workers and the community at Portland State University. https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/psu-has-a-bright-future
PETITION: It’s critical to our collective prosperity that all Oregonians have access to interpretation services if and when they need them. If you agree, sign the petition to pass Indigenous Language Justice today. http://fairshotoregon.org/languagejustice
Black History Month
During the month of February, the National AFL-CIO is lifting up Black union siblings who make our movement stronger. Click here to access a folder of graphics of profiles of Black union siblings who have been highlighted by the National AFL-CIO so far this month - and be sure to check out our Facebook feed for more profiles of Black union members as Black History Month continues!
Oregon Labor
Feb. 6, 2023 | KGM
“The strike ended at 1 a.m. Sunday, according to a joint statement from the city and Laborers International Union of North America Local 483.”
Labor Law
Feb. 3, 2023 | Economic Policy Institute
“Employers regularly employ illegal tactics to suppress unions. An analysis of the latest government data on unfair labor practice charges and union elections shows that employers were charged with violating federal labor law in nearly 40% of elections—everything from firing to retaliation to changing work terms.”
Feb. 3, 2023 | Time
“In a complaint in January to NLRB, the YouTube workers alleged that Alphabet and Cognizant announced a return to the Austin, TX, office only after workers campaigned to unionize. They say that a return to the office would force many union members to quit their jobs, as many of them live far away from Austin and work second jobs to cover their living expenses.”
The Economy
Feb. 3, 2023 | The Washington Post
“William Spriggs, a labor economist who was originally critical of the mass layoffs in the United States, now says the shake-up may have ultimately encouraged service workers to look beyond low-wage jobs. “This has been a good evolution — it has raised wages and changed the structure of the labor market in a deep, profound way,” said Spriggs, chief economist for the AFL-CIO. “Workers who were trapped in low-wage jobs were able to escape by switching to higher-paying industries.””
Feb. 3, 2023 | CNBC
““Black workers are the canary in the coal mine – are you actually hiring people?” said Bill Spriggs, chief economist at the AFL-CIO. The group generally faces higher unemployment and more difficultly in securing work than their White and Asian peers.””
Feb 1, 2023 | Center for American Progress
“This year, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) turns 30. In that time, it has enabled millions upon millions of Americans to get the care they need or be there for their families. However, the law’s restrictive eligibility criteria mean that nearly half of all employees are not covered.”
Education
Feb. 6, 2023 | American Federation of Teachers
“American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, AFT Secretary-Treasurer Fedrick Ingram and Florida Education Association President Andrew Spar announced a new round of the AFT Innovation Fund’s What Kids and Communities Need grants today, totaling nearly $500,000 in support for educators, students and communities and bringing the union’s total commitment to $1.6 million since the start of the pandemic.”
Trade
Feb. 7, 2023 | Reuters
“The Biden administration has made digital trade the centerpiece of its trade negotiations, and the AFL-CIO wants a bigger say in how the U.S. Trade Representative's office sets goals in this area, arguing they are too often dictated by big technology companies.”
Collective Bargaining
Disney workers vote down company’s dollar-an-hour wage hike, 96%-4%
Feb. 7. 2023 | People’s World
“By a 96%-4% margin, workers from six unions who toil at Disney resorts in Central Florida voted down the firm’s dollar-an-hour wage hike for each year of a proposed five-year contract. The Disney theme parks clustered in and around Orlando employ 45,000 workers, two-thirds of whom make $15 an hour under a 2018 contract that expired in October. And before that pact, many—especially cooks and housekeepers—made $10.”