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.
Support Active Picket Lines in Oregon & SW Washington
Right now, four different unions have active picket lines in Oregon and SW Washington: UAW Local 492 members at Chrysler, UFCW Local 555 and SEIU Local 49 members at Kaiser Permanente, and Operating Engineers Local 701 members at Republic Services.
Join picket lines at locations across the Portland Metropolitan Area, Vancouver, Salem, and the Corvallis area:
UAW Local 492 members at the Chrysler Parts Distribution Center in Beaverton, alongside UAW locals around the country representing workers at the Big 3 automakers, have been on strike since September 22nd and will continue to hold the line until a fair contract is reached. They are picketing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Click here for directions to the picket line in Beaverton.
IUOE Local 701 members have been on strike at Republic Services in Corvallis for a first contract since September 11th, 2023. They are picketing outside of the Coffin Butte landfill outside of Corvallis from 5:30am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday, click here for directions to the picket line.
UFCW Local 555 members began an Unfair Labor Practices strike at Kaiser pharmacies on October 1st and will continue to picket until October 21st. They are picketing at the following locations daily beginning at 6:00am and ending at 7:00pm:
SEIU Local 49 members walked out on Wednesday, October 4 starting a three day Unfair Labor Practice strike against Kaiser in Portland, Salem, and Vancouver. They are picketing at the following locations and times from Wednesday October 4th through Friday, October 6th:
Upcoming Events
🎥 SAG-AFTRA Photo Op - Portland to Portland Monday, October 9, 2023 - 12:00pm - 12:30pm | 1037 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205
Join Portland SAG-AFTRA Local members and supporters in front of the Portland sign on Schnitzer Concert Hall for a photo op in conjunction with the New England Local members in Portland, Maine. From Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon we stand in solidarity! Please meet up at the corner of SW Broadway and SW Main St. Members and supporters will then gather for a photo opportunity.
📢 OFNHP Practice Picket at PeaceHealth SW in Vancouver
Wednesday, October 11, 2023 - 5:00pm - 8:00pm | 400 NE Mother Joseph Pl, Vancouver, WA 98664
Join us at our practice picket from 5:00pm - 8:00pm on October 11th at PeaceHealth Southwest (400 NE Mother Joseph Pl) where we can show management we are united as a potential strike becomes more possible. Click here to RSVP and let OFNHP know you will join them on the picket line!
🏥Die-In Protest | Save Eugene's Hospital
Friday, October 13, 2023 - 12:00pm - 1:00pm | 1200 Hilyard St, Eugene, OR 97401
PeaceHealth's corporate executives in Washington are trying to increase their profits by shutting down Eugene's only hospital-PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center University District. Their greed will lead to worse health care for you and your loved ones, longer waits, and slower emergency response times.
Come to a Die-In protest in front of University District Friday, Oct. 13 and lie on the ground with us for 15 minutes to demonstrate to PeaceHealth executives how many people will die if they put profits over patients and close University District.
Oregon Labor
October 4, 2023 | Oregon AFSCME
“Multnomah County Dentists, who care for Multnomah County’s most vulnerable residents, have reached a boiling point in their contract negotiations with the County, leading to Dentists overwhelmingly voting to authorize a strike.. They have expressed deep concerns with the County’s current contract offer, which includes a decision to increase the number of patients they see in a week without consideration to how this will impact the quality of care they are able to provide to their patients. This, coupled with the County’s refusal to offer a fair compensation package and additional administrative time has led these unionized workers to authorize a strike.”
October 4, 2023 | Fox 12
“Nurses at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria hospital have voted to authorize a strike, the Oregon Nurses Association announced Wednesday. If a strike is called, nurses will give the community and hospital executives a 10-day advance notice to allow the hospital to prepare.”
September 30, 2023 | Fox 12
“Pharmacy workers at Kaiser Permanente locations in Oregon and southwest Washington will walk off the job Sunday morning to protest what they say are unfair labor practices used by the hospital since they started bargaining months ago. The striking workers, who are pharmacy technicians, clerks and warehouse employees, will be picketing every day between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Kaiser Sunnyside and Westside Medical Center campuses as well as two locations in northeast Portland.”
September 29, 2023 | Oregon AFL-CIO
“UFCW Local 555 members at Kaiser Permanente Pharmacies in Oregon and Southwest Washington will begin a ULP strike on Sunday, October 1, 2023 at 6:00am. Let's stand together with fellow union members to tell Kaiser to follow Federal Law at the bargaining table. Kaiser has committed numerous Unfair Labor Practices (ULPs), including failing to provide information regarding bargaining and grievances, attempting to directly deal with UFCW Local 555 members, and attempting to dictate to Local 555 who may serve as its representative.”
September 27, 2023 | AFSCME
“Thousands of state government workers will see fair and much-needed pay increases under a new contract negotiated through their union, Oregon AFSCME, and ratified last month. The contract offers more evidence of the union difference and benefits of workers securing a voice on the job.”
September 26, 2023 | OPB
“Nurses and administrators at Oregon Health & Science University announced on Tuesday that they have reached a tentative agreement that will avoid a potential strike. The three-year contract includes pay raises, new safety measures and the right to reopen the contract to negotiate over the impacts of a proposed merger with the Legacy Health system.”
September 23, 2023 | KVTZ
“A rally and march to support workers' rights and fair contracts took place at Drake Park in Bend Saturday as the 58th Oregon AFL-CIO State Convention was taking place at The Riverhouse in Bend. The event, which was organized by the union organization, brought out crowds of people, including community advocates, concerned citizens and most importantly union workers. They carried flags and signs which read "Solidarity Forever" and "Union Strong."
September 14, 2023 | Corvallis Gazette-Times
“A seven-man unit of heavy-duty equipment mechanics are on an indefinite strike, picketing in front of the Coffin Butte Landfill in Corvallis. The walkout, which began early on Monday, Sept 11, is in protest of what they say are unfair labor practices by Valley Landfills Inc., a subsidiary of the waste management company, Republic Services, which runs the Benton County dump.“
Kaiser Strike
Striking Kaiser Permanente workers say patients and employees are suffering under staffing shortages
October 4, 2023 | NBC News
“From coast to coast Wednesday, more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers picketed outside of health care facilities, arguing that staffing shortages have reached crisis levels for employees and patients alike. Sarah Levesque, the secretary-treasurer for OPEIU Local 2, told NBC News’ Tom Costello that workers were “looking for Kaiser executives to come to the table and bargain in good faith over the short-staffing crisis.”
October 3, 2023 | OPB
“As roughly 4,000 Kaiser Permanente workers in Oregon and Southwest Washington go on strike this week, the health care provider is advising its patients to expect some delays.”
October 2, 2023 | The Oregonian
“About 400 pharmacy technicians and other workers at Kaiser Permanente in Oregon walked off the job Sunday, beginning a 21-day strike. Another 4,000 Kaiser workers in Oregon and southwest Washington are poised to do the same Wednesday morning in a three-day strike that includes 75,000 Kaiser workers across the health care giant’s vast territory.”
UAW Strike
October 4, 2023 | UAW
The UAW just released “Broken Promises,” a new video that reveals the deep roots of the union’s ongoing strike against the Big Three automakers. The video, narrated by UAW President Shawn Fain, describes the deal made during the Great Recession when the auto industry was on the brink of collapse. As Fain says, “The deal was, UAW members take some short-term cuts for the long-term survival of Ford, General Motors and Chrysler.”
October 2, 2023 | Reuters
“A tight U.S. labor market, the expiry of union contracts and high living costs have led to tough negotiations for pay hikes and benefits from workers and triggered strikes and protests across industries. Nearly 309,700 workers have been involved in work stoppages and strikes through August this year, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, putting 2023 on track to becoming the busiest year for strikes since 2019.”
September 29, 2023 | CBS News
“United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain on Friday announced additional work stoppages as the union continues its historic strike against the Big Three carmakers, expanding the walkouts to a General Motors plant in Lansing, Michigan, and a Ford plant in Chicago.”
September 28, 2023 | The Atlantic
“The United Auto Workers union is striking for a better contract. The combination of a tight labor market and President Joe Biden’s pro-labor appointees to the National Labor Relations Board has given workers new leverage, leading workers in writers’ rooms, kitchens, and factories to demand more from their employers. This has been broadly beneficial, because many of the gains made by union workers benefit other workers.”
Hollywood Strikes & Contract Negotiations
October 4, 2023 | Los Angeles Daily News
“After negotiators for SAG-AFTRA and the major studios met for the first time since the actors union walked off the job in mid-July, talks are set to resume today in a bid to put Hollywood back in business. Following Monday’s initial negotiating session, the two sides issued a joint statement saying only that they had met for a full day. The sides are set to reconvene Wednesday — while pickets continue outside all the major studios around the Los Angeles area.”
October 4, 2023 | The Hill
“A tentative agreement between Hollywood writers and film studios could set a precedent for protecting workers from being replaced by artificial intelligence (AI). After a 148-day strike, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) reached a tentative agreement last week including several AI-related protections for writers.”
Organizing
October 3, 2023 | Los Angeles Time
“Walt Disney Pictures visual effects workers voted to unionize under the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb, in a statement, said the workers’ collective action “represents a seismic shift in this critical moment in our industry.””
October 2, 2023 | Slate
“Unions are hot right now, but you wouldn’t know it from the historically puny percentage of workers who are members. The news is full of high-profile organizing drives at Amazon and Starbucks, and in food service, retail, and nonprofits; strikes or possible strikes by autoworkers, Hollywood writers and actors, and Las Vegas hospitality workers; and President Joe Biden’s historic visit to striking workers on the picket lines in Detroit. Public support for unions is at an all-time high, and a majority of American workers say they would join a union if they could.”
Labor Education
October 3, 2023 | Common Dreams
“While Republican-controlled state legislatures have rolled back child labor protections this year, Democratic lawmakers and rights advocates in California on Monday celebrated Gov. Gavin Newsom's signing of a first-of-its-kind law that they say will make young people less vulnerable to workplace abuses by teaching them about labor protections.”
Labor Law
September 29, 2023 | CNN Business
“Starbucks violated federal labor law when it increased wages and offered new perks and benefits only to non-union employees, a National Labor Relations Board judge found Thursday. The decision is the latest in a series of NLRB rulings finding that Starbucks has violated labor law in its efforts to stop unions from forming in its coffee shops.”
