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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. Click here to subscribe to the Oregon Labor Dispatch weekly emails. Keep up with the latest from Oregon’s unions: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Take Action Today Send a letter telling City Council to protect Portland’s arts and entertainment jobs! Portland City Council is considering proposals in late May that will determine the future of Portland’s beloved and iconic performing arts venue, the Keller Auditorium.These proposals have the potential to shutter this landmark entirely or for a prolonged period of time, which would deal an enormous blow to workers and the economy. During the pandemic the entertainment industry was hit especially hard with workers, performers, and businesses who rely on live entertainment all suffering disproportionately. We cannot afford to shut down the Keller again, decimate workers’ livelihoods, and strike another blow to Portland’s revitalization. Fill out Community Alliance of Tenants’ Oregon Tenants Survey The Community Alliance of Tenants wants to hear from you about the issues you care about right now. As we continue to combat predatory rent hikes, mass evictions, and bad-faith corporate landlords, it’s critical that we hear tenants across the state to inform the future of advocacy. We take your feedback seriously. Past feedback from Oregon tenants has helped us secure major victories like the Right to Cooling law, extend pandemic-era protections, and led to historic levels of investment into rent assistance while we continue to fight to make housing safe and affordable for all. 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 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 5/20 anytime between 11 and 5 or Tuesday 5/21 between 11 and 4. Sign up to volunteer. 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 Labor After 16 months and a strike, PeaceHealth signs contract with Eugene area hospice nurses May 14, 2024 | The Register-Guard “After 16 months of negotiations, a strike and unfair labor practice reports, nurses with PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services have ratified a four-year contract with PeaceHealth. The Oregon Nurses Association represents approximately 90 nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services in Springfield. These nurses serve over 500 patients and perform crucial home visits for vulnerable individuals in Lane County — some of whom are in the final days, weeks or months of their lives.” Undergrads are unionizing, in a sign of labor’s resurgence May 13, 2024 | Stateline “While graduate students and teaching assistants have been organizing since before the pandemic, large-scale undergraduate unions at public schools are new, joining recent moves by their counterparts at a number of private schools. Students, who often work next to unionized full-time employees, are looking for better pay, more predictable hours and benefits such as holiday and sick pay.” Providence Accused of Retaliating Against Union Drive May 12, 2024 | Willamette Week “Last month, the Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association filed formal charges with federal regulators, accusing Providence Health & Services of firing a physician assistant in retaliation for helping to push a successful unionization drive among medical providers at the health system’s urgent care clinics. A Providence spokesperson declined to comment. The charging document, filed April 15 with the National Labor Relations Board, accuses the health system of having “discharged [the PA] because the employee joined or supported a labor organization and in order to discourage union activities.” Union president: ‘We’re not making a living wage’ at Ashland School District May 9, 2024 | Oregon Center for Public Policy “More than half of classified workers in Ashland schools surveyed are not able to make ends meet on their current salaries alone, union representatives said last week, with 52% surveyed saying they’ve had to take a second or third job to make ends meet. With the median pay for an Ashland School District classified worker tagged at $24,841 a year or $2,070 per month, many could be categorized as below the poverty line for a family of three. Those are bus drivers, IT workers, educational assistants, and janitors, and many can’t afford the average rent in Ashland, which Zillow says is $1,375 per month. One-third live outside of Ashland.” Legacy Health’s primary care providers consider unionizing May 8, 2024 | KOIN “Legacy Health’s primary care providers could be the next to unionize. On Wednesday, a group of 150 workers across the healthcare company’s primary care clinics in Oregon and Southwest Washington sent union authorization cards to the National Labor Relations Board. According to the Oregon Nurses Association, the physicians, physician associates and nurse practitioners plan to join the Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association — part of the American Federation of Teachers.” 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.” Washington Labor 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.” Spokane grocery store workers ratify 3-year contract May 13, 2024 |Fox 28 “Spokane grocery store workers overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year contract in their first union negotiation. UFCW 3000 confirmed their new contract on May 2, expressing their excitement with the negotiations. “In the midst of a proposed grocery mega-merger, we’ve sent a clear message —We have power in our communities, we have a voice in our workplace, and we have a strong new contract that will be the backbone for our future,” UFCW 3000 said.” Unions, lawmakers protest Boeing firefighter lockout May 13, 2024 | Reuters At a rally outside Boeing headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, IAFF President Edward Kelly, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and Representative Val Hoyle urged Boeing to make a deal. Shuler said Boeing "is looking to establish a pattern and if we can start here with the firefighters it might trickle over to a bigger impact with another union." She added having skilled firefighters was crucial for Boeing. "What makes the company safer ultimately makes the company more trusted and more profitable," Shuler said.” Washington nurses union files unfair labor practice charge against PeaceHealth May 10, 2024 | The Columbian “The Washington State Nurses Association has filed an unfair labor practice charge against PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center on behalf of the 1,465 nurses the union represents at the Vancouver hospital. The union filed the charge April 24, alleging PeaceHealth violated the National Labor Relations Act by interfering with employee rights and engaging in bad faith bargaining.” Educational Student Employees authorize strike at WWU May 10, 2024 | The Stand “A supermajority of Educational Student Employees at Western Washington University (WWU) voted resoundingly by 93 percent to authorize their union’s elected bargaining committee to call a strike if significant progress is not made in their negotiations for a first contract. Seventy-three percent of the entire unit cast votes, with a total of 686 Yes, and 55 No. The 1,100 Educational Student Employees at WWU are members of Western Academic Workers United-United Auto Workers (WAWU-UAW). The union won recognition last June and has been bargaining a first agreement with the University administration since September.” Union Busting Mercedes workers in Alabama face anti-union message ‘barrage’ before election May 13, 2024 |  The Guardian “The United Auto Workers (UAW) union is setting its sights on its next big union victory in the south, at two Mercedes-Benz plants in Vance and Woodstock, Alabama. Coming off the historic union election win at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, 5,200 workers are to begin voting in their union election from 13 May to 17 May. The UAW’s recent win at Volkswagen to represent about 4,300 workers was one of the biggest union election wins in manufacturing in the past 16 years.” No Contract, No Pirouettes — Ballet Dancers Are Organizing for Labor Rights May 11, 2024 |  Truthout “As they perform Swan Lake, dancers at Miami City Ballet in Florida have been facing a union-busting campaign from the company’s management. Their case went to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which ruled on May 8 in favor of the dancers seeking to unionize, clearing the way for a union election on May 14. These dancers are just one group in a wave of ballet companies unionizing with the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA). But in Miami, organizing dancers endured significant challenges.” Tesla interfered with union organizing at New York plant, US agency claims May 9, 2024 |  Reuters “Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has been accused by a U.S. labor agency of discouraging workers at a Buffalo, New York assembly plant from union organizing by barring them from using phones and other devices, an agency spokeswoman said on Thursday. A National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) official issued a complaint late Wednesday claiming Tesla's workplace rule banning personal technology use, recording, and storing or sharing content violates U.S. labor law, according to the spokeswoman, Kayla Blado.” Collective Bargaining Too many flight attendants earn so little they live out of cars MAy 14, 2024 | The Street “While the early days of aviation helped cement the image of the glamorous flight attendant, the reality often could not be farther from it. Despite dealing with unpredictable hours and increasingly difficult passengers, flight attendants often have salaries that are nothing to write home about — Labor Department data shows that the average flight attendant in the U.S. earned just over $63,000 last year. "While Alaska Airlines executives reward themselves with millions in bonuses, frontline Flight Attendants literally have to choose between buying groceries and paying their bills," AFA Alaska President Jeffrey Peterson said in a statement on the findings. “By dragging out contract negotiations, management is harming Flight Attendants. Enough delay. We demand a fair contract now." Organizing Are Advertising and Marketing on the Brink of a Union Wave? May 15, 2024 | Non Profit Quarterly “When one thinks of unions within the media industry, film and television actors and reporters likely come to mind. These sectors have been highly unionized for decades, mainly through SAG-AFTRA, NewsGuild-CWA (Communication Workers of America), the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, and the Writers Guild of America. Even newer iterations of these fields—like digital journalism—have had recent organizing gains.” Unions Struggled in the South for Years. The Economy Gave Auto Workers an Opening. May 11, 2024 | The Wall Street Journal “For two decades, Jeremy Kimbrell and his co-workers at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama could expect to hear the same thing when they raised concerns about pay, time off or working conditions: With no college degree, you should just be happy to have a job. Those days might be over. Roughly 5,000 hourly employees of the Tuscaloosa-area facility are set to vote starting Monday on whether to join the United Auto Workers. Just last month, 73% of employees who cast ballots at Volkswagen’s slightly smaller plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., opted to unionize, a first for a foreign-owned auto factory in the South. The vote in the week ahead will be a pivotal moment in the UAW’s organizing blitz in the South’s booming auto industry.” Metro Atlanta app drivers are rallying for union representation May 9, 2024 | WABE “On May 1, around 50 Atlanta drivers for ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft joined a nationwide protest asking for higher wages and more worker protections. A handful of picketers were outside the state Capitol holding signs such as “App Workers Want a Union.” Justice For App Workers is a group leading drivers to push for a fairer pay structure and improved safety. Organizers also say drivers of color are disproportionally deactivated from apps, losing their opportunity to work.” Politics Schumer releases long-awaited AI roadmap: Here’s what it includes May 15, 2024 | The Hill “After talking to advocates, critics, academics, labor groups, civil rights leaders, stakeholders, developers, and more, our working group was able to identify key areas of policy that have bipartisan consensus. Now, the work continues with our Committees, Chairmen, and Ranking Members to develop and advance legislation with urgency and humility,” Schumer said in a statement.” New Alabama Law Punishes Union-Friendly Employers May 14, 2024 | HuffPost “After Georgia approved its bill, Liz Shuler, the president of the AFL-CIO labor federation, called the legislation “appalling,” and said it undermines the “fundamental freedoms” of both workers and employers. Labor groups could mount legal challenges to the laws on the grounds that they conflict with the National Labor Relations Act, the federal law covering collective bargaining in the private sector. Benjamin Sachs, a labor law professor at Harvard Law School, recently told HuffPost that he believed state laws like Alabama’s will probably be overridden by the federal law.” Biden tariffs will 'level playing field' for workers: AFL-CIO pres. May 14, 2024 | Yahoo! Finance “It's created an unlevel playing field for workers where you have an auto worker struggling to keep a good job in the auto industry because they're competing against a country that's taking advantage of manipulating their currency or instituting unfair practices," American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) President Liz Shuler tells Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi. The AFL-CIO is America's largest union federation comprised of 60 unions — both domestic and international — and over 12 million employed and retired workers. Shuler provides several examples of the methods China has used to undermine American workers, including steel and aluminum producers, while outlining the trust union leaders have in President Biden.” Graphics to Share

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. Click here to subscribe to the Oregon Labor Dispatch weekly emails. Keep up with the latest from Oregon’s unions: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Take Action Today Send a letter telling City Council to protect Portland’s arts and entertainment jobs! Portland City Council is considering proposals in late May that will determine the future of Portland’s beloved and iconic performing arts venue, the Keller Auditorium.These proposals have the potential to shutter this landmark entirely or for a prolonged period of time, which would deal an enormous blow to workers and the economy. During the pandemic the entertainment industry was hit especially hard with workers, performers, and businesses who rely on live entertainment all suffering disproportionately. We cannot afford to shut down the Keller again, decimate workers’ livelihoods, and strike another blow to Portland’s revitalization. Fill out Community Alliance of Tenants’ Oregon Tenants Survey Community Alliance of Tenants wants to hear from you about the issues you care about right now. As we continue to combat predatory rent hikes, mass evictions, and bad-faith corporate landlords, it’s critical that we hear tenants across the state to inform the future of advocacy. We take your feedback seriously. Past feedback from Oregon tenants has helped us secure major victories like the Right to Cooling law, extend pandemic-era protections, and led to historic levels of investment into rent assistance while we continue to fight to make housing safe and affordable for all. Upcoming Events Blues Carnaval: Rhythm and Rio Benefit for Health Care for All Oregon Friday May 10 at 8:00PM to 11:00PM | Aladdin Theater in Portland Health Care for All Oregon (HCAO) is pleased to announce their annual fundraising Blues event where Rhythm and Blues meet the Brazilian beat! Award Winning Blues icon, Norman “Boogie Cat” Sylvester brings his Louisiana influenced showcase, featuring; Tevis Hodge Jr., Lenanne Miller, Chuk Barber, Ms. Vee, Renato Caranto and Peter Moss then the high energy troupe of Bloco Alegria take over the theater with a full energy Music & Dance Carnaval party! General Admission $30.00 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) Labor 2024 Events Canvass for Lisa Fragala for HD 8 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General Saturday May 11, 2024 at 10:00AM to 1:00PM | Meet at Oregon AFSCME Council 75 in Eugene Join Oregon Labor at a canvass for Lisa Fragala for State Representative in HD 8 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General. Coffee, lunch and training provided. Sign up to volunteer. Phonebank for Willy Chotzen for HD 46 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General Monday May 13, 2024 at 5:30PM to 7:30PM | Zoom Join Oregon Labor at a phonebank for Willy Chotzen for State Representative in HD 46 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General. Sign up to volunteer. Phonebank for Phil Chang for Deschutes County Commissioner and Anthony Broadman for State Senate Wednesday May 15, 2024 at 5:30PM to 7:30PM | Zoom Join Oregon Labor at a phonebank for Phil Chang for Deschutes County Commissioner and Anthony Broadman for State Senate. Sign up to volunteer. 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. Phonebank to Get Out the Vote! Monday May 19, 2024 at 5:30PM to 7:30PM | Zoom Monday May 20, 2024 at 5:30PM to 7:30PM | Zoom Join Oregon Labor at our last phonebanks to Get Out the Vote before the May 21st primary deadline!  Sign up to volunteer. Must Read More than 400 Lab Professionals at LabCorp Win a Union May 4, 2024 | OFNHP AFT Local 5017 “With an overwhelming 86% majority, the lab professionals employed by the medical lab services company, LabCorp of America, won 7 union elections conducted from May 1st to 3rd. These healthcare professionals chose to join the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP), a local affiliate of the 1.7 million member AFT. They work at labs within seven Legacy Health facilities in Oregon and Washington, including Emanuel, Salmon Creek, and Good Samaritan." Lack of staff, unsafe conditions threaten Oregon’s behavioral health workforce May 7, 2024 | Oregon Capital Chronicle “Every year about this time, Oregon labor unions honor colleagues who have lost their lives on the job. This year is especially poignant for members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or Oregon AFSCME, with the death late last year of Haley Rogers, a 26-year-old mental health worker. She was stabbed to death on the job by a resident while working an overnight shift alone at a 10-bed behavioral health treatment facility in Gresham. Her death was preventable, and we must ensure that nothing like it happens again." Pacific Northwest Labor Policy for the People Podcast: Immigrants play a big role in Oregon’s economy + labor activity surges May 9, 2024 | Oregon Center for Public Policy “In that spirit, this episode of Policy for the People focuses on both the labor movement and immigrants. Anthony Capote of the Immigration Research Initiative discusses the findings of a report he co-wrote titled Immigrants in the Oregon Economy: Overcoming Hurdles, Yet Still Facing Barriers. Also, Kathy Lara of the Oregon Center for Public Policy talks about the latest figures on labor activity in Oregon, as well as the challenges that workers seeking to form a union continue to encounter.” Spokane Kroger, Albertsons workers ratify contract May 7, 2024 | Supermarket News “Grocery workers in Eastern Washington state have ratified a new, three-year contract that includes wage increases and other benefit improvements, and no increases to health care premiums or deductibles. The contract, which covers workers at Kroger- and Albertsons-owned stores in the Spokane area, was the first to be negotiated by United Food and Commercial Workers 3000, which was formed in 2022 by the merger of UFCW Local 1439 and UFCW Local 21. UFCW Local 3000 now represents 50,000 workers across much of Washington, northeast Oregon, and northern Idaho.” Boeing locks out firefighters after failed contract negotiations May 4, 2024 | The Seattle Times “Boeing locked out its on-site firefighters at its Washington facilities early Saturday morning after contract negotiations with their union reached a standstill. The lockout came after members of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local I-66 twice rejected Boeing contract offers in recent months and talks toward another offer broke down almost immediately Monday, the union said.” Port of Portland to close its container terminal May 2, 2024 | Northwest Labor Press “The Port of Portland is planning to shut down Oregon’s only international shipping container service in October, a decision that could affect nearly 1,500 jobs across the state. International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 8 and state lawmakers have asked the port to reverse course.” Tensions rising between NW Natural and union May 2, 2024 | Northwest Labor Press “NW Natural seems to be pressuring its union to settle a new contract before the existing agreement expires on May 31. Last month, the utility company informed union workers that it plans to train non-union staff to do their jobs in case there is a strike — even though Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 11 has not called for a walkout or taken a strike vote.” A Union Guide to Oregon’s May 2024 primary May 2, 2024 | Northwest Labor Press “This union-focused ballot guide tries to keep it simple: It lists only candidates who have at least one union endorsing them — AND who have opponents on the primary ballot.” Policy and Legislation Bill Introduced to Protect U.S. Call Center Jobs May 8, 2024 |Franklin County Free Press “Senators Bob Casey, Sherrod Brown, and Catherine Cortez Masto have introduced the United States Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act aimed at preventing the outsourcing of American call center jobs overseas. The bill seeks to protect American workers and consumer data by imposing restrictions and penalties on businesses that relocate call center operations abroad.” Union makes Letter Carriers Protection Act a top legislative priority May 7, 2024 |People’s World “Slowing down the U.S. mail, especially first-class letters, Social Security checks, holiday and birthday cards, pension payments—and probably mail-in ballots this fall—is one offense laid at the feet of Trumpite Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, because it’s actually occurred. But pulling U.S. Postal Service police away from pursuing thieves and protecting Letter Carriers from theft, injury and even murder, and sending the cops to protect buildings instead, is quite another. And that action’s compounded because U.S. attorneys don’t treat thefts and injuries as a top priority. The Letter Carriers (NALC) want to change that scenario. So they’ve put the bipartisan Protect Our Letter Carriers Act, HR7629, atop their legislative priority list for the rest of this Congress.” Biden vetoes bill against joint employer rule May 3, 2024 | Restaurant Dive “President Joe Biden vetoed a Congressional Review Act measure to overturn the National Labor Relations Board rule broadening joint employer liability, fulfilling a promise made in January, the White House announced Friday. The CRA measure passed the Senate in a nearly party-line vote in April, and passed the House of Representatives in a largely, but somewhat less, polarized vote in January. The veto saves the NLRB’s rule legislatively, but the regulation was vacated by a federal judge in Texas in March, though it may yet be appealed. The NLRB’s rule expands the bargaining obligations and liabilities of employers that reserve control of essential conditions of employment or exercises such control indirectly." How changes to 'non-compete' agreements and overtime pay could affect workers May 5, 2024 | My Journal Courier “For millions of American workers, the federal government has taken two actions that could bestow potentially far-reaching benefits. In one move, the Federal Trade Commission voted to ban non-compete agreements, which bar millions of workers from leaving their employers to join a competitor or start a rival business for a specific period of time. The FTC's move, which is already being challenged in court, would mean that such employees could apply for jobs they weren't previously eligible to seek. In a second move, the Biden administration finalized a rule that will make millions more salaried workers eligible for overtime pay. The rule significantly raises the salary level that workers could earn and still qualify for overtime. On the social media site X, the AFL-CIO labor organization said the rules will "restore and extend overtime protections for hard-working Americans.” FAA Reauthorization Bill Backed by Aviation Community, Labor May 2, 2024 | Everett Post “The bipartisan agreement reached to reauthorize the FAA is a victory for workers across the aviation industry, and the AFL-CIO urges its prompt passage. From production to operation and maintenance, our aviation affiliates, owning their power as essential contributors to the American economy and way of life, made their voices heard. This agreement shows that lawmakers listened. The agreement’s array of provisions advances the rights of workers, from growing the workforce to improving safety and health on the job. And, to boot, these improvements will help keep the flying public safe. On behalf of our 12.5 million members, we are grateful to our allies in Congress who pushed for the reauthorization of this critical agency, and we look forward to Congress sending it to President Biden’s desk,” said Liz Schuler, President, AFL-CIO.” Congress Has the Opportunity To Keep Millions of Americans Connected May 2, 2024 |NextTV “The internet is one of America’s greatest success stories and is now an essential part of daily life for millions of people around the world. Through significant investment, innovation and the hard work of thousands of people building modern and innovative broadband networks, we’re close to making the internet accessible to all Americans — regardless of where they live. The digital divide is a persistent challenge, but it’s one Verizon Communications and the Communications Workers of America are committed to solving” Union Busting US Presses Germany on Alleged Union-Busting by Mercedes-Benz May 6, 2024 |  Bloomberg “The US government raised concerns with Germany about alleged union-busting in Alabama by Mercedes-Benz Group AG, an unusual move that escalates scrutiny on the automaker’s handling of a high-stakes unionization campaign that heads to a vote next week. Officials recently spoke about allegations by the United Auto Workers against Mercedes that include firing union activists and holding a mandatory meeting at which an executive discouraged unionization, according to a US government official familiar with the discussion. The conversation included commitments that the governments will work together to promote unions and employee rights, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe sensitive communications.” Apple Illegally Interrogated NYC Retail Staff, US Labor Board Rules May 6, 2024 |  Bloomberg “Apple Inc. illegally interrogated staff at its World Trade Center store in New York City, the US labor board ruled Monday, marking the latest rebuke of the iPhone maker’s labor practices. A trio of Democratic-appointed labor board members ruled against the company, affirming the findings last year of an administrative law judge. In that decision, the judge concluded that the company violated federal law in 2022 by confiscating union flyers, prohibiting workers from placing them on a table in the break room and “coercively interrogating” employees.” Collective Bargaining UAW deal with Daimler Truck ratified as union readies for Mercedes-Benz vote MAy 6, 2024 | Detroit Free Press UAW members at Daimler Truck have OK'd a new four-year contract with the company. The union said in a news release Saturday that the vote in favor was 94.5% and will cover more than 7,000 workers who build Freightliner and Western Star trucks and Thomas Built Buses in North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. The union did not provide a breakdown of the total yes and no votes. The agreement, reached late on April 26, averted a strike. The union said the agreement includes raises of more than 25% and the introduction of profit-sharing and cost-of-living adjustments as it ends a tiered wage system at the truck maker.” Southwest flight attendants are now the highest-paid in the industry thanks to a historic pay raise—’This is the least they deserve’ May 1, 2024 | Fortune “The stewards of the skies have long petitioned for a bit of cushioning under their wings. And that’s what Southwest Airlines flight attendants just received, thanks to their efforts with the Transport Workers Union (TWU). Last week, Southwest flight attendants ratified a new four-year contract that stipulated a greater than 33% pay raise—and starting Wednesday, Southwest flight attendants will get a 22.3% raise, followed by 3% raises in the next three years.” Organizing Penn grad workers say ‘we’re part of a national movement’ after union win May 8, 2024 | WHYY “Thousands of graduate student workers at the University of Pennsylvania — about 97% — voted to unionize in early May. The Graduate Employees Together University of Pennsylvania, or GET-UP, is behind the drive to affiliate with the United Auto Workers, which often represents student  worker unions. The union election was scheduled for mid-April but was delayed after the University of Pennsylvania tried to exclude several hundred student workers through the National Labor Relations Board appeal process, but the university failed.” Retail workers vote to form Florida’s first H&M union May 6, 2024 | Orlando Weekly “Retail workers at an H&M clothing store in Melbourne overwhelmingly voted to unionize Friday, forming a historic first H&M union in the state of Florida. According to Will Cox, an organizer with the United Food and Commercial Workers, the election was secured by a supermajority of workers at the Melbourne Square Mall store, who voted in favor of unionization on Friday.” Want to understand America's labor movement? Head south May 2, 2024 | NPR “If you measure success in headlines, the last 12 months have been a major win for organized labor. There were strikes by Hollywood writers and actors where they wrested concessions from major studios. There was a deal for UPS workers that Teamsters general president Sean O'Brien called their most lucrative ever negotiated. And last fall, the United Auto Workers waged a strike against the Big 3 automakers and won big.” Graphics to Share

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. Click here to subscribe to the Oregon Labor Dispatch weekly emails. Keep up with the latest from Oregon’s unions: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Upcoming Actions & Events CPWU Postal Protest - We Won’t Be Silenced! Stop the Cuts and Mail Delay! Thursday May 9, 2024 at 12:00PM to 1:00PM | East Portland Post Office, 1020 SE 7th Ave in Portland The Postal Board of Governors has cut out public comment (at their May 9th meeting in DC) and the Postmaster General is refusing requests for information from the Postal Regulatory Commission. Blues Carnaval: Rhythm and Rio Benefit for Health Care for All Oregon Friday May 10 at 8:00PM to 11:00PM | Aladdin Theater in Portland Health Care for All Oregon (HCAO) is pleased to announce their annual fundraising Blues event where Rhythm and Blues meet the Brazilian beat! Award Winning Blues icon, Norman “Boogie Cat” Sylvester brings his Louisiana influenced showcase, featuring; Tevis Hodge Jr., Lenanne Miller, Chuk Barber, Ms. Vee, Renato Caranto and Peter Moss then the high energy troupe of Bloco Alegria take over the theater with a full energy Music & Dance Carnaval party! General Admission $30.00 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) Labor 2024 Events Find more Labor 2024 events and volunteer opportunities on our solidarity calendar. Canvass for Willy Chotzen for HD 46 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General Saturday May 4, 2024 at 10:00AM to 1:00PM | Meet at the Oregon Labor Center in Portland 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. Sign up to volunteer. Canvass for Farrah Chaichi for HD 35 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General Saturday May 4, 2024 at 11:00AM to 2:00PM | Meet at the Oregon Labor Center in Portland Join Oregon Labor at a canvass for Farrah Chaichi for State Representative in HD 35 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General. Coffee, lunch and training provided. Sign up to volunteer. Phonebank for Lisa Fragala for HD 8 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General Monday May 6, 2024 at 5:30PM to 7:30PM | Zoom Join Oregon Labor at a phonebank for Lisa Fragala for State Representative in HD 8 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General. Sign up to volunteer. Phonebank for Willy Chotzen for HD 46 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General Tuesday May 7, 2024 at 5:30PM to 7:30PM | Zoom Monday May 13, 2024 at 5:30PM to 7:30PM | Zoom Join Oregon Labor at a phonebank for Willy Chotzen for State Representative in HD 46 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General. Sign up to volunteer. Canvass for Lisa Fragala for HD 8 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General Saturday May 11, 2024 at 10:00AM to 1:00PM | Meet at Oregon AFSCME Council 75 in Eugene Join Oregon Labor at a canvass for Lisa Fragala for State Representative in HD 8 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General. Coffee, lunch and training provided. Sign up to volunteer. Phonebank for Phil Chang for Deschutes County Commissioner and Anthony Broadman for State Senate Wednesday May 15, 2024 at 5:30PM to 7:30PM | Zoom Join Oregon Labor at a phonebank for Phil Chang for Deschutes County Commissioner and Anthony Broadman for State Senate. Sign up to volunteer. 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. Phonebank to Get Out the Vote! Monday May 19, 2024 at 5:30PM to 7:30PM | Zoom Monday May 20, 2024 at 5:30PM to 7:30PM | Zoom Join Oregon Labor at our last phonebanks to Get Out the Vote before the May 21st primary deadline!  Sign up to volunteer. Must Read US union members see record pay raises, outpacing nonunion workers May 1, 2024 | Bloomberg News “Unionized workers in the U.S. saw record raises, while nonunion workers’ pay barely beat inflation over the past 12 months, the latest government data show. Wages of private sector union workers rose 6.3% in the year ended in March, the largest increase in data back to 2001, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics employment cost figures released Tuesday. Meanwhile, nonunion workers in the private sector saw a 4.1% bump in their salaries over the past 12 months, not much higher than inflation. Union leaders have led strikes against firms to push for more cost-of-living increases. Last week, a last-minute wage agreement was reached with Daimler Truck Holding AG in three southern U.S. states to avert a strike. The accord includes pay increases of more than 25% over the next four years." Pacific Northwest Labor Amazon CEO’s comments violated labor law, NLRB judge rules May 2, 2024 | Seattle Times “Amazon.com Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy made comments to the media in 2022 that violated federal labor law, a U.S. National Labor Relations Board judge ruled Wednesday. Remarks that Jassy made to reporters about the downsides of unionization told “employees that, if they selected a union, they would become less empowered and would find it harder to get things done quickly,” NLRB administrative law judge Brian Gee wrote. Gee cited various comments Jassy made, including telling CNBC that making workplace improvements is “much slower” with a union and saying at a New York Times conference that employees without a union are “better off” because “it’s not bureaucratic.” ‘One Day Longer, One Day Stronger’ May 1, 2024 | The Stand “More than 100 striking IBEW 46 Limited Energy (LE) Electricians and their supporters gathered Tuesday at Gas Works Park for a Solidarity Rally to send a message to the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) that they will stay out “One Day Longer, One Day Stronger” until they get a contract that improves their quality of life. Contract negotiations are scheduled to resume today.” Boeing fire fighters, supporters picket at company gates April 30, 2024 | The Stand “Nearly 200 Boeing fire fighters and their supporters conducted informational pickets outside company gates Monday in Renton and Everett. The more than 120 fire fighters who protect Boeing employees and facilities in Washington state — members of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local I-66 — are struggling to get a fair contract from the Arlington, Virginia-based company.” Labor activity has increased, but barriers to unionizing remain April 30, 2024 | Oregon Center for Public Policy “Mirroring national trends, labor activity in Oregon has intensified in recent years. This includes a range of collective efforts such as bargaining for workplace contracts, refusing unsafe work conditions, striking, and taking steps toward forming a union, like filing for union recognition. Despite the surging activism by workers and interest in forming unions, the share of workers belonging to unions has not increased — a reflection of both the rapid growth in non-union jobs and the continuing obstacles that workers face when seeking to form a union.” Over 2,000 OHSU researchers file to unionize April 29, 2024 | Fox12 News “Over 2000 biomedical research workers at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) submitted union authorization cards with the Oregon Employment Relations Board (ERB) on Friday. Workers cited job security and OHSU’s long-term plans for supporting research as reasons for the filing. Eligible workers who signed cards ranged from scientists to clerical staff and software/analytical tool makers.” County Nurses Lay Out the Case for Firing Their Boss April 25, 2024 | Willamette Week “This morning, eight Multnomah County corrections nurses hand-delivered a letter to county commissioners demanding the firing of their boss, Corrections Health director Myque Obiero. It follows an overwhelming vote of “no confidence” by their union, which passed overwhelmingly in February with 97% of corrections nurses in support.” International Workers Day Urge DHS to protect, empower immigrant workers May 1, 2024 |The Stand “Around the world, workers’ lives, livelihoods and rights are under attack. Climate disasters and conflicts are displacing people from their homes, and are increasing risks for working people and all our families. In the face of those challenges, we stand united in our fight for justice for all workers at home and abroad. Immigrants and refugees have always helped to build, feed and care for our nation, and we will not allow them to be treated as a second class of exploitable workers. The AFL-CIO is calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to take action today to help tear down barriers to worker organizing and empowerment, so that all working people in our country can live and work safely and with dignity.” Workers and activists across Europe and Asia hold May Day rallies to call for greater labor rights May 1, 2024 |AP “Workers, activists and others across Europe and Asia took to the streets on Wednesday to mark May Day with protests over rising prices and government labor policies and calls for greater labor rights. May Day, which falls on May 1, is observed in many countries to celebrate workers’ rights. May Day events have also given many an opportunity to air general economic grievances or political demands.” Thousands of hotel workers to rally in 18 cities ahead of contract negotiations April 29, 2024 | Reuters “Unionized hotel workers demanding significant pay raises will rally on May Day in 18 U.S. and Canadian cities, as talks are beginning with operators Marriott International (MAR.O), opens new tab, Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT.N), opens new tab and Hyatt Hotels Corp (H.N), opens new tab. Talks will cover about 40,000 workers who look to secure new contracts for the first time since the pandemic. Workers want to reverse pandemic-era staffing and service cuts, as well as duplicate the big pay hikes that organized workers across the nation have been winning in the recent years." Workplace Safety EPA to ban most uses of methylene chloride May 1, 2024 |Safety + Health Magazine “The Environmental Protection Agency will ban most industrial and commercial uses of the carcinogenic chemical methylene chloride, under a final rule announced April 30. A solvent widely used in bathtub refinishing, as well as in paint strippers, cleaners, adhesives and sealants, methylene chloride has contributed to the deaths of 88 workers since 1980, EPA says. Most of the cases stemmed from exposure during home renovation contracting. In some instances, the workers were fully equipped with personal protective equipment.” These are the most dangerous jobs in America April 30, 2024 | CBS News “Unionized hotel workers demanding significant pay raises will rally on May Day in 18 U.S. and Canadian cities, as talks are beginning with operators Marriott International (MAR.O), opens new tab, Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT.N), opens new tab and Hyatt Hotels Corp (H.N), opens new tab. Talks will cover about 40,000 workers who look to secure new contracts for the first time since the pandemic. Workers want to reverse pandemic-era staffing and service cuts, as well as duplicate the big pay hikes that organized workers across the nation have been winning in the recent years." Labor leaders honor Key Bridge victims on Workers Memorial Day: ‘We have more work to do’ April 28, 2024 | Baltimore Sun “Sunday was Workers Memorial Day, an annual day of remembrance for laborers killed or hurt on the job, started in 1989 by the AFL-CIO. Thousands of workers nationwide are estimated by the organization of labor unions to be injured or killed on the job each day, and the issue became front and center in Baltimore on March 26 after the six men, all employees of Brawner Builders, died while working an overnight shift filling potholes on the bridge that was struck by a cargo ship early that morning." Black and Latino workers die on the job at disproportionate rates, new report shows April 25, 2024 | NBC News “The alarming disparities in workplace fatalities among workers of color are unacceptable, symptomatic of deeply ingrained racial inequity and the need to pay increased attention to the dangerous industries that treat workers as disposable,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said in a statement." Labor Law and Policy How President Biden’s NLRB appointees are restoring and supporting workers’ rights May 1, 2024 |  Economic Policy Institute “The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) during the Biden administration has supported workers’ rights to form unions and engage in collective bargaining, standing in stark contrast to the Trump administration’s anti-worker record.” The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Failed To Deliver Promised Benefits April 30, 2024 | Reuters “Now, more than six years later, there is little evidence that the law’s costly corporate tax cuts delivered promised growth or improved well-being for the vast majority of the nation’s workforce. Instead, the law provided the largest tax cuts to the wealthy and profitable corporations, exacerbated inequality, and eroded revenues that could otherwise have been used to address national priorities.” Pro-worker rules to help millions; Republicans blast them April 29, 2024 | People’s World “Union leaders cheered—and corporate-backed congressional Republicans slammed—three new Biden administration decisions to help workers and consumers. With deadlines for announcing new federal rules looming, the Labor Department issued two. One orders investment managers for pension plans to put recipients, not themselves, as the top priority. The other raises to $58,656 annually on January 1 the amount of money a worker can earn before becoming ineligible for overtime pay. “Expansion of the federal overtime rule will help millions more workers earn the pay they deserve,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “Some public service workers–including those in child welfare, mental health and substance abuse counseling–have been ineligible for overtime pay despite modest wages and the long hours they put in at essential jobs,” he explained.” Recapping a great week for workers April 26, 2024 | Economic Policy Institute “Last Friday, the United Auto Workers (UAW) scored a historic win in the South after a decade-long campaign to organize a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee. The UAW is hoping momentum from the Volkswagen vote as well as last year’s successful strike at the “Big Three” automakers will help them win representation at a Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama next month. Meanwhile, this week the Biden administration announced four long-awaited protections for workers that have been EPI policy priorities.” Organizing Volkswagen Accepts Union's Landslide Victory At Tennessee Plant April 30, 2024 | HuffPost “Federal officials have officially certified the United Auto Workers’ recent election victory at Volkswagen of America’s Tennessee plant, making the facility the first unionized, foreign-owned auto plant in the South. The UAW and the German-owned company said Tuesday that they were “jointly committed to a strong and successful future” at the SUV plant in Chattanooga. “Both sides are now focused on collective bargaining and entering negotiations in the spirit of working together to reach a fair agreement and build world-class automobiles together,” they said in a joint statement.” U.S. labor secretary visits Atlanta, says unions in the South are fired up April 26, 2024 | WABE “Pro-business state leadership and federal tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act have allowed Georgia to lure automakers, including EV manufacturers, to the state. The move has highlighted a lack of union representation in the state in an industry with a long history of labor ties. After a win in Tennessee, United Auto Workers will move on to Alabama next month, where they will continue pushing to organize thousands of nonunion employees in the South, including Georgia. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s battery plants, Hyundai, or whatever. The workers are fired up, fed up, and tired of low wages and lack of health care benefits,” said Tim Smith, the UAW Region 8 Director, which includes Georgia.” Collective Bargaining IATSE Lays Out Top Bargaining Priorities as General West Coast Negotiations Resume April 29, 2024 | The Hollywood Reporter “On Monday, Hollywood’s top crew union re-enters what may prove to be the most onerous stage of its 2024 contract negotiations with studios and streamers. Thirteen of IATSE‘s West Coast Locals, representing an array of crafts workers from costumer designers to prop masters to editors, are resuming their general negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (which bargains on behalf of major Hollywood companies). And as this tricky period of talks begins, touching on hot-button topics like compensation and AI, the West Coast Locals on Monday released their major proposals for management to members.” One Week Ahead of The Met Gala, Condé Nast Employees Threaten to Strike April 29, 2024 | Fashionista “Just days after handing out flyers that read "Anna wears Prada/Workers get nada" during a demonstration in Anna Wintour's New York City neighborhood, unionized Condé Nast employees have declared they are "ready to walk off the job." Condé Union and NewsGuild of New York delivered a video announcement to management members Monday threatening to strike if the publisher doesn't move forward with negotiating a fair contract. The Guild describes the move as "a kick off to what promises to be a week of union actions," per a press release.” Biden praises UAW-Daimler Truck agreement as a ‘testament to the power of collective bargaining’ April 29, 2024 | WHDH “President Joe Biden praised the United Auto Workers and Daimler Truck for reaching a tentative in the eleventh hour Friday night, preventing a potential strike affecting 7,300 workers. “This agreement is a testament to the power of collective bargaining and shows that we can build a clean energy economy with strong, middle-class union jobs,” Biden said in a statement Sunday.The “record contract” includes raises of more than 25% over the next four years, inflation protections like cost-of-living considerations, and the first profit-sharing deal in Daimler history, UAW President Shawn Fain said Friday night on Facebook Live. Daimler is a major manufacturer of trucks and buses, responsible for producing Thomas Built buses, one of the most popular brands of school buses in the United States.” Commentary AFL-CIO: The fights for climate justice and racial justice are intertwined April 30, 2024 | People’s World “Thinking about movements coming together in the same room today made me think of Dr. King and what he said,” remarked AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond, the highest-ranking African-American leader in the labor movement. “During his days, a term like environmental justice didn’t really exist, but he understood how interconnected these challenges were. Structural racism, economic injustice, and underinvestment in Black and brown communities. He told us in 1967 that the cities were gasping in polluted air and enduring contaminated water. What’s equally important is that he knew the solution, how important it was to stand together in solidarity. Organized labor can be one of the most powerful interests to do away with this evil that confronts our nation that we refer to as discrimination. “That’s the unique thing about this,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler agreed. “It’s the urgency of the crisis. Many of you know I grew up in Portland, Oregon. When I was a kid in the summer the temperatures were around the 70s and 80s, nobody had air conditioning. Maybe we’d get into the 90s once in a while, but that was a rare day. Fast forward to today, and things have changed. Now it’s not unusual to have temperatures in the 100s for weeks at a time.” Graphics to Share

PORTLAND & SALEM, ORE. - Local workers, officials and community members gathered at Portland Fire and Rescue Station 21 on the Eastbank Esplanade in Portland and at the Fallen Worker Memorial in Salem today, Friday, April 26 for Workers Memorial Day ceremonies remembering workers who have died or suffered fatal illnesses or injuries while on the job in 2023. VIDEO: Click here to view a recording of the event in Portland, and click here to view a recording of the event in Salem. “Everyone has the right to a safe workplace. Working people and our families deserve to know we will make it home at the end of the day unharmed,” said Graham Trainor, Oregon AFL-CIO President. “Yet, too many Oregonian families are mourning their loved ones. We’re here to fight together and protect our job safety rights from rollbacks and attacks. Our leaders in government and business should be protecting working people’s lives above all else.” “It’s time for action to protect workers from life-threatening job hazards that have plagued our workplaces: From workplace violence that is not just ‘part of the job,’ to  heat illness as we enter warmer weather and so many more,” Trainor said. “All working people deserve safe and family-sustaining jobs, and we’re not going to stop fighting until that promise becomes a reality.” In 2023, 56 workers were killed on the job in Oregon while many more suffered from occupational illnesses or were injured on the job. Corporations put profits over safety. Too many employers and workers never see OSHA in their workplace. A lack of investment means that workers are not adequately protected from retaliation when speaking out against unsafe working conditions. Congressional Republicans are trying to cut job safety agency budgets so they cannot enforce the law in dangerous workplaces. Governor Tina Kotek, the Multnomah County Commission, the Salem City Council and the Bend City Council all issued proclamations declaring April 28 to be Workers Memorial Day.  Given the event falls on a Sunday, organizers opted to hold ceremonies today, Friday, April 26. The events featured multiple speakers who emphasized the need to hold on to our job safety rights, and the need for workers to have the right to organize in their workplaces to win safer working conditions and a better life. Portland Speakers Christina Stephenson, Oregon Labor Commissioner State Representative Dacia Grayber Graham Trainor, Oregon AFL-CIO President Karl Koening, Oregon State Firefighters Council President Laurie Wimmer, Northwest Oregon Labor Council Executive Secretary Issac McLennon, IAFF Local 43 President Reverend Mark Knutsen, Augustana Lutheran Church Salem Speakers House Majority Leader Ben Bowman Vince Porter, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of Governor Tina Kotek Renée Stapleton, Administrator, Oregon OSHA Graham Trainor, Oregon AFL-CIO President Liz Marquez Gutierrez, Political Organizer, PCUN Reverend Rick Davis, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem

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. Click here to subscribe to the Oregon Labor Dispatch weekly emails. Keep up with the latest from Oregon’s unions: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Upcoming Actions & Events TOMORROW: Workers Memorial Day Friday April 26, 2024 at 9:30AM | Portland Fire and Rescue Station 21 in Portland Friday April 26, 2024 at 12:00PM | Fallen Worker Memorial in Salem The Oregon AFL-CIO will honor the 56 workers from across the state who lost their lives while doing their jobs in 2023 with ceremonies in Portland and Salem. For more information and to RSVP click here. ONA Informational Pickets at Providence Hospitals in Medford and Oregon City Wednesday May 1 at 4:00-5:00PM | Providence Willamette Falls Community Center in Oregon City Wednesday May 1 at 5:00-6:00PM | community space outside Clackamas County Circuit Court Building in Oregon City Wednesday May 1 at 4:00-7:00PM | Providence Medford in Medford. Nurses at Providence, the Northwest's largest health system, are preparing for more informational picketing to demonstrate their unity in the fight for fair contracts. For months, ONA-represented nurses have been at the bargaining table demanding safe staffing, affordable healthcare and market-competitive wages. For more information about Oregon City go here. For more information about Medford go here. May Day Rally Wednesday May 1, 2024 at 12:00PM | Oregon State Capitol, 900 Court St NE in Salem Nobody is illegal on stolen land! This is the mission for PCUN’s 2024 May Day Rally. Our demands are for the International Workers Bill of Rights! Register here. Take Action Today Send a Letter of Support for Serenity Hospice Workers Send a letter to get Addus corporate management to bargain in good faith and get Serenity Hospice Workers the contract they deserve. Labor 2024 Events Find more Labor 2024 events and volunteer opportunities on our solidarity calendar. Canvass for Lisa Fragala for HD 8 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General Sunday April 28, 2024 at 10:00AM | Meet at Oregon AFSCME Council 75 in Eugene Join Oregon Labor at a canvass for Lisa Fragala for State Representative in HD 8 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General. Coffee, lunch and training provided. Sign up to volunteer. Phonebank for Farrah Chaichi for HD 35 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General Monday April 29, 2024 at 5:30 to 7:30 | Zoom Join Oregon Labor at a canvass for Farrah Chaichi for State Representative in HD 35 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General. Coffee, lunch and training provided. Sign up to volunteer. Phonebank for Phil Chang for Deschutes County Commissioner and Anthony Broadman State Senator Wednesday May 1, 2024 at 5:30 to 7:30 | Zoom Join Oregon Labor at a canvass for Phil Chang for Deschutes County Commissioner and Anthony Broadman State Senator. Coffee, lunch and training provided. Sign up to volunteer. Canvass for Willy Chotzen for HD 46 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General Saturday May 4, 2024 at 10:00AM to 1:00PM | Meet at the Oregon Labor Center in Portland Sunday May 5, 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. Sign up to volunteer. Canvass for Farrah Chaichi for HD 35 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General Saturday May 4, 2024 at 10:00AM to 1:00PM | Meet at the Oregon Labor Center in Portland Join Oregon Labor at a canvass for Farrah Chaichi for State Representative in HD 35 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General. Coffee, lunch and training provided. Sign up to volunteer. Must Read Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect, 2024 April 23, 2024 | AFL-CIO Report "But our job safety agencies have been flat-funded for years, not even keeping up with inflation. Meanwhile, these agencies’ responsibilities have grown with increasing employment and emerging hazards. There needs to be a renewed focus and commitment to these agencies from both lawmakers and the public." Critical mission: workplace safety April 16, 2024 | Northwest Labor Press "Workers Memorial Day falls on a Sunday this year. The unions of the Oregon AFL-CIO, along with faith leaders and elected officials, will hold ceremonies on Friday, April 26 — in Portland and in Salem — to mourn the fallen workers from 2023 while we wholeheartedly recommit ourselves to making sure that every worker returns home after their shift safely." Oregon and Washington Labor Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center workers to begin strike Monday afternoon April 22, 2024 | KREM2 “On Monday afternoon, around 500 healthcare workers are expected to go on strike for over a week. The strike involves hundreds of technicians at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center who work side by side with surgeons and provide imaging, respiratory and psychiatric care. The strike means that they will not be treating patients through the end of the month. The technicians are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) 3000 union representing the technicians. They say this strike is based on unfair labor practice what they are calling unlawful labor practices during negotiations.” Oregon Health and Science University’s wage offer: 0% April 19, 2024 | Northwest Labor Press “Bargaining with a newly unionized unit of about 250 postdoctoral researchers, Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) has been stuck on a remarkable wage offer: a three-year contract with raises of 0% each year. No, that’s not a typo.” Biden rallies IBEW members as he looks to highlight union support ahead of November April 19, 2024 | Spectrum News 1 “President Joe Biden rallied union members at the IBEW Construction and Maintenance conference in Washington on Friday in his latest bid to put his self-declared pro-union bona fides front-and-center ahead of the 2024 election. “It’s good to be home,” Biden declared as walked to the podium in front of cheering members of the labor union, adding his grandfather would be “proud as hell I’m listed as the most pro-union president in history.” “Brothers and sisters, please join me in welcoming the biggest supporter of the IBEW, the most union-friendly, pro-labor president in the history of this great nation, our current and next president of the united states, Joe Biden,” IBEW International President Kenneth Cooper said to introduce the president on Friday.” Chattanooga Volkswagen Workers UAW Vote Volkswagen workers in Tennessee pass historic vote to unionize April 19, 2024 | The Washington Post “Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tenn., passed a historic vote to join the United Auto Workers, the union said Friday, becoming the first Southern auto factory to approve a union with an election since the 1940s. The union’s unofficial vote count, which still must be confirmed by federal labor officials conducting the ballot, showed 73 percent of workers had voted yes by 10 p.m. E.T. on Friday night. It will take a simple majority for the vote to pass. The vote marks a victory for the UAW and for organized labor, which has faced years of difficulty organizing factories in Southern states. The UAW has twice previously failed to unionize the VW plant, in 2014 and 2019. The plant will join a handful of other unionized auto factories in the South, where local laws and customs have made it hard for unions to make inroads. Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, the country’s largest federation of labor unions, called the victory “a historic milestone for workers across the state and the broader South.” Volkswagen ‘the first domino to fall’ after union vote, says UAW president April 22, 2024 | The Guardian “After celebrating his union’s historic victory at a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee, Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers, told the Guardian that he was confident of more unionization wins at auto plants across the US, saying: “The workers at VW are the first domino to fall. “They have shown it is possible,” Fain added in an interview on Sunday evening. “I expect more of the same to come. Workers are fed up.” The three-day unionization vote at Volkswagen ended last Friday, with the union winning overwhelmingly, 2,628 to 985 – the first time workers at a foreign-owned auto plant in the south have unionized. It was the world’s only non-union VW plant. The vote in Chattanooga was the first union vote in the UAW’s ambitious $40m campaign targeting 13 automakers, including VW, Mercedes, Tesla, BMW, Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai, with a total of 35 non-union plants across the US." The stunning rebirth of the American labor movement (Opinion) April 22, 2024 | Alter Net “On Friday, Volkswagen employees in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted overwhelmingly to join the United Auto Workers union. This is a truly big deal. The mainstream media — most of whom no longer have labor reporters — have barely mentioned it, but I believe it marks a major turning point for organized labor.” Could the Union Victory at VW Set Off a Wave? April 20, 2024 | New York Times “By voting to join the United Automobile Workers, Volkswagen workers in Tennessee have given the union something it has never had: a factory-wide foothold at a major foreign automaker in the South. The result, in an election that ended on Friday, will enable the union to bargain for better wages and benefits. Now the question is what difference it will make beyond the Volkswagen plant. Labor experts said success at VW might position the union to replicate its showing at other auto manufacturers throughout the South, the least unionized region of the country. Some argued that the win could help set off a rise in union membership at other companies that exceeds the uptick of the past few years, when unions won elections at Starbucks and Amazon locations.” Labor Law and Policy White House calls on pension funds to adopt stronger labor standards April 23, 2024 | The Washington Post “White House officials will meet on Tuesday with leaders from five major pension funds who have committed more than $1 trillion in capital requiring robust labor standards in private-equity investments, in an effort to push more funds to follow suit. The Biden administration is touting these commitments as public pension funds amass growing holdings in private equity firms, which have been blamed for driving down wages, fighting unionization, and cutting jobs. Administration officials, including National Economic Adviser Lael Brainard and acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, have been in talks to encourage pension fund managers to adopt higher labor standards in their private equity investments.” Biden rule grants overtime pay to 4 million US workers April 23, 2024 | Reuters “The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday unveiled a rule extending mandatory overtime pay to an estimated 4 million salaried workers, going even further than an Obama-era rule that was struck down in court. The U.S. Department of Labor rule will require employers to pay overtime premiums to workers who earn a salary of less than $1,128 per week, or about $58,600 per year, when they work more than 40 hours in a week.” Federal Trade Commission Approves Ban Of Noncompete Agreements April 23, 2024 | HuffPost “The Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday voted 3-2 in favor of adopting a historic and far-reaching ban on noncompete agreements, potentially giving more leverage in the job market to millions of U.S. workers. The agency has said that the agreements, in which workers are forbidden from seeking a job with a competing business for a certain period of time, lead to an “unfair method of competition” and violate federal law. The vote by the agency’s five commissioners this week means the ban will move forward.” Politics Biden scores major union backing as its leaders attack Trump April 23, 2024 | CNN “Joe Biden will land a major union endorsement Wednesday from North America’s Building Trades Unions, whose leaders say the president has his infrastructure bill largely to thank for it. In making one of their earliest ever presidential endorsements, NABTU leaders are kickstarting an eight-figure organizing program to try to deliver their 250,000 members in the battlegrounds of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin for Biden.” Vice President Harris announces final rules mandating minimum standards for nursing home staffing April 22, 2024 | The Seattle Times “The federal government is for the first time requiring nursing homes to have minimum staffing levels after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed grim realities in poorly staffed facilities for older and disabled Americans. Vice President Kamala Harris announced the final rules on Monday before a trip to La Crosse, Wisconsin, where she will talk to nursing home care employees about their work. In the battleground state, Harris also will hold a campaign event focused on abortion rights.” First lady Jill Biden to kick off Educators for Biden to mobilize teachers April 19, 2024 | ABC News “First lady Jill Biden, in Minnesota on Friday, will launch Educators for Biden-Harris -- a national organizing program intended to engage and mobilize teachers, school staff and parents to vote for President Joe Biden, the Biden-Harris campaign shared exclusively with ABC News. Kicking off the coalition in an evening speech to educators at the Education Minnesota Convention in Bloomington, the first lady, a classroom teacher for over 30 years, will brand her husband as "the education president.” NLRB FAA probes union claims Boeing retaliated against two engineers in 2022 April 23, 2024 | Salt Wire “The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday it is investigating a union's claims that Boeing retaliated against two employees who in 2022 insisted the planemaker re-evaluate prior engineering work on 777 and 787 jets. The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) said the two unidentified engineers were representatives of the FAA, which delegates some of its oversight authority and certification process to Boeing workers.” US Supreme Court leans toward Starbucks in the case of pro-union workers April 23, 2024 | Reuters “U.S. Supreme Court justices on Tuesday signaled support for Starbucks (SBUX.O), opens new tab in the coffee chain's challenge to a judicial order requiring it to rehire seven employees at a Memphis cafe who were fired as they pursued unionization. The justices heard arguments in the Seattle-based company's appeal of a lower court's approval of an injunction sought by the U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ordering reinstatement of the workers. The case could make it harder to quickly halt labor practices challenged as unfair under federal law while the NLRB resolves complaints.” Labor Officials To Seek Injunction Against Pittsburgh Post-Gazette April 19, 2024 | HuffPost “Labor officials have received a green light to pursue an injunction in federal court against the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette newspaper for allegedly violating its employees’ rights. A spokesperson for the National Labor Relations Board confirmed to HuffPost that the agency approved a request by a regional director in Pennsylvania to seek the temporary injunction. The petition is likely to be filed in federal court in the coming days.” Commentary AFL-CIO: Global warming a union issue because it’s a workers’ issue April 23, 2024 | People’s World “The ongoing story of global warming is littered with ravaged livelihoods, devastated towns, and lost lives. It chronicles a tragic plight for everyone in its path, and it’s a narrative that fossil fuel interests would prefer to sweep under the rug. Many look to Earth Day as a clarion call to take action in the wake of this crisis, and the AFL-CIO held an event on April 22 to do just that. It was the first national convening of a united coalition of labor, racial justice, and environmental justice organizations to hold a discussion on how climate change is impacting workers and their communities.” The Paradox of the American Labor Movement April 18, 2024 | The Atlantic “Last year was widely hailed as a breakthrough for the American worker. Amid a historically hot labor market, the United Auto Workers and Hollywood writers’ and actors’ guilds launched high-profile strikes that made front-page news and resulted in significant victories. Strikes, organizing efforts, and public support for unions reached heights not seen since the 1960s. Two in three Americans support unions, and 59 percent say they would be in favor of unionizing their own workplace. And Joe Biden supports organized labor more vocally than any other president in recent memory. You could look at all this and say that the U.S. labor movement is stronger than it has been in decades.” Graphics to Share

On Tuesday, April 23 the United Autoworkers are holding a Global Day of Solidarity where workers at Daimler Trucks will rally across the country to demand a fair share of the record profits being made by the company. Since 2018, Daimler Truck has seen a 90% increase in profits while its workers have fallen further and further behind.  UAW members are ready to stand up for a record contract at Daimler factories across the country and we need you to stand with them, in front of Daimler’s North American Headquarters building in Portland, to show solidarity, and help workers win a record contract.  Here are the details: UAW Global Day of Solidarity Tuesday, April 23 at 3:00pm Outside of Daimler’s Corporate Offices at 3835 N Channel Ave (sidewalk only) Wear your union colors and bring a friend!

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. Click here to subscribe to the Oregon Labor Dispatch weekly emails. Keep up with the latest from Oregon’s unions: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Labor 2024 Events Find more Labor 2024 events and volunteer opportunities on our solidarity calendar. Labor 2024 Primary Election Kickoff Canvass Saturday April 13, 2024 at 10:00AM | Meet at the Oregon Labor Center in Portland Join Oregon Labor to kick off election season at a canvass for Willy Chotzen and Dan Rayfield. Chotzen is a former AFSCME member who is running for State Representative in House District 46 and Dan Rayfield has been a labor champion in the State House now running for Attorney General. Coffee, lunch and training provided. Sign up to volunteer. Phonebank for Lisa Fragala for House District 8 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General Tuesday April 16, 2024 at 5:30PM | Zoom Talk to union members and likely voters about Lisa Fragala for HD 8 and Day Rayfield for Attorney General. Fragala is an educator and a strong advocate for workers and their families who is running for State Representative in House District 8. Sign up to volunteer. Phonebank for Willy Chotzen for House District 46 and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General Tuesday April 16, 2024 at 5:30PM | Zoom Talk to union members and likely voters about Willy Chotzen, a former AFSCME member who is running for State Representative in House District 46, and Dan Rayfield for Attorney General. Sign up to volunteer. Canvass for Phil Chang and Anthony Broadman Saturday April 20, 2024 at 10:00AM | Meet at the SEIU 503 Center in Bend Join Oregon Labor at a canvass for Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang and Bend City Council Member Anthony Broadman who is running for State Senate in District 27. Coffee, lunch and training provided. Sign up to volunteer. Take Action Today Letter of Support for Ethos Music Center Teachers and Staff Ethos Music Center workers will vote on joining AFM Local 99 on April 24th, 2024. Sign the letter of support here. Upcoming Actions & Events OHSU Postdoc Picket Tuesday April 16, 2024 from 12:00-2:00 PM | Elizabeth Caruthers Park in Portland Join Oregon AFSCME and OHSU Postdoc Workers United to let OHSU know it's time to pay their fair share! Workers Memorial Day Friday April 26, 2024 at 9:30AM | Portland Fire and Rescue Station 21 in Portland Friday April 26, 2024 at 12:00PM | Fallen Worker Memorial in Salem The Oregon AFL-CIO will honor the 56 workers from across the state who lost their lives while doing their jobs in 2023 with ceremonies in Portland and Salem. For more information and to RSVP click here. Must Read 8 Ways the Biden Administration Is Improving the Lives of Service Workers April 9, 2024 | Center for American Progress “The Biden administration has received ongoing attention for its actions to improve the lives of blue collar workers—from walking the picket line with striking autoworkers to ensuring that its signature investments in American industry create good jobs. Pundits and the press often point to actions to expand and raise standards in the construction and manufacturing sectors as central to the Biden administration’s economic agenda. Yet the administration has also taken numerous steps to boost the earnings and wealth of service sector workers, empower them to come together in unions, and hold accountable corporations that violate their rights.” Oregon and Washington Labor Oregon passes new protections for workers at larger warehouses April 11, 2024 | OPB “Starting next year, large warehouses will not be allowed to punish employees for failing to meet their quotas, unless those criteria are clearly written out in advance. “The workers will know what to expect. They will also have time to properly adjust to those expectations,” said Steve Konopa, the legislative director with the Teamsters of Oregon. “Without it, there could be serious accidents, or people may be pressing themselves too hard.” Unionized Doctors at Legacy Health File NLRB Complaint Over Reduced Shifts April 10, 2024 | Willamette Week Union leaders say Legacy cut hours worked by hospitalists without sufficient bargaining. In response, the union filed a charge with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board on April 3. “These changes were made over our objections,” says Dr. Mikeanne Minter, a Legacy hospitalist and member of the PNWHMA. “We didn’t agree to them.” Patients vs. Profits April 9, 2024 | Portland Business Journal “Oregon came close to tightening restrictions around the corporate ownership of medical practices during the short legislative session last month. Dozens of doctors, physician groups and associations across a variety of specialties came out in support of House Bill 4130, as did consumer advocates and unions. “Nobody knows much about this, and it’s impacting the health care landscape in a tremendously significant way,” said Rep. Ben Bowman, a Tigard Democrat who sponsored the bill, which died in the Senate. He plans to bring it back next year.” Puget Sound-area electricians vote to authorize strike April 9, 2024 | The Stand “The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 46 announced late Monday that more than 1,000 Limited Energy Electricians in the Puget Sound area have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. The electricians’ contract expired on March 31, but the union agreed to a 10-day extension while continuing to bargain over wages and quality-of-life issues with the Puget Sound Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). That extension expires on Wednesday, April 10.” Vancouver school districts cut staff amid $54M deficit April 4, 2024 | Northwest Labor Press “Union leaders from both districts acknowledge the financial bind the districts are in but disagree with some of the choices administrators made, and wish there had been more union involvement in deciding where to make the cuts.” State employees hold rally over ongoing payroll system problems April 4, 2024 | KGW News “Oregon state workers with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 503 branch staged a rally at the Oregon State Library in Salem Thursday to protest what they said are still-ongoing technical issues with the state's new payroll system and demand that Gov. Tina Kotek intervene.” Union arts employers pinched by rising rents, falling support April 4, 2024 | Northwest Labor Press “Managers at the Oregon Symphony opened the most recent round of union contract negotiations explaining why they could not pay the wages Musicians Local 99 asked for, said Local 99 Executive Secretary Treasurer Mont Chris Hubbard. Portland’5 Centers for the Arts raised rent and fees for the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall from $895,000 in 2016 to $1.56 million last year.” Legislation Should most Denver City and County employees have collective bargaining rights? Voters may get to decide. April 9, 2024 | Denverite “Denver voters may have a say in whether almost 7,000 city employees have the right to collective bargaining. If the charter amendment ends up on the ballot. Councilmembers Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, Sarah Parady, Shontel Lewis and Chris Hinds are sponsoring a proposed change to the city’s charter that would give city employees collective bargaining rights” Rail unions hail Biden’s two-person crew mandate April 4, 2024 | People’s World “The nation’s rail unions and the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department are hailing the Biden administration’s final rule mandating two-person crews on all but a few of the nation’s freight trains. The rule, strenuously opposed by the nation’s freight railroads, orders a minimum two-person crew—the engineer and the conductor—on all freight trains, especially those miles-long trains the nation’s big Class I railroads run. The unions have lobbied for two-person crews, both at the Transportation Department, the parent agency of the FRA, and on Capitol Hill, for years, but the rail lobby has always blocked congressional action. And it convinced the GOP Trump regime’s FRA to allow one-person crews, as a money-saver.” Organizing Apple's Short Hills store workers file petition for unionization April 10, 2024 | Reuters “Workers at Apple's store in Short Hills, New Jersey, have filed for union representation, a staff member who is part of the organizing committee said on Wednesday amid a push for unionization across sectors in corporate America. Companies including coffee-chain Starbucks, ecommerce firm Amazon.com and software giant Microsoft are facing unionization efforts from employees who want better working conditions. Apple retail staff at New Jersey store filed for union representation with Communications Workers of America on April 8, according to John Nagy, who is the operations lead at the Short Hill store and a member of the organizing committee.” Partners Coffee workers holding vote to join UFCW April 10, 2024 | The Chief “Workers at Partners Coffee in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, will vote this week on whether to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1500, nearly two years after workers first started organizing at the shop. If the 22 baristas, roasters, production workers and kitchen employees vote to unionize on Thursday, they’ll join a wave of young workers at other coffee shops like Starbucks and Blank Street Coffee that have unionized since the pandemic.” Autoworkers at Alabama’s Mercedes-Benz Plant File for a Union Election April 5, 2024 | The American Prospect “Mercedes-Benz workers in Vance, Alabama, will vote on whether to join the United Auto Workers (UAW). On Friday, the UAW filed for an election to represent all 5,200 of the plant’s hourly employees, after the union said a supermajority of workers at the company’s mammoth plant signed union cards in three months. Jeremy Kimbrell, a measurement machine operator at the plant, said as part of the UAW’s announcement: “At Mercedes, at Hyundai and at hundreds of other companies, Alabama workers have made billions of dollars for executives and shareholders, but we haven’t gotten our fair share. We’re going to turn things around with this vote. We’re going to end the Alabama discount.” Actions and Strikes Workers at downtown Phoenix hotel strike during Final Four April 6, 2024 | 12 News “Workers at a downtown Phoenix hotel walked out on strike during the men's Final Four. Employees at the Sheraton Downtown Phoenix hotel walked out on strike to protest allegations of unlawful behavior by hotel management, according to a news release from UNITE HERE Local 11, a labor union representing more than 32,000 hospitality workers in Southern California and Arizona.” 'You Are an Inspiration,' Sanders Tells LA Hotel Workers Fighting for Just Contracts April 6, 2024 | Common Dreams “U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders joined hospitality workers in downtown Los Angeles on Friday as they picketed outside one of the dozens of hotels that have yet to reach a contract deal with UNITE HERE Local 11, whose membership is demanding better pay, benefits, and job protections in one of the nation's most expensive cities.” Cafeteria Workers Are Picketing at Meta’s San Francisco Office April 4, 2024 | Eater San Francisco “About 1,000 cafeteria workers throughout Menlo Park, Sunnyvale, San Francisco, Fremont, and the rest of the country are at the negotiating table with their employers for better pay and working conditions. To raise the stakes, those workers who provide food to Meta — which owns Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp amongst other businesses — will picket on Thursday, April 4 from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. at 250 Howard Street, the San Francisco Meta offices. The sandwich makers, line cooks, baristas, and more seek guaranteed raises, family healthcare, protections against layoffs, gender identity protections, and more.” NLRB US Senate backs repeal of NLRB 'joint employer' rule, teeing up Biden veto April 10, 2024 | Reuters “The U.S. Senate on Wednesday narrowly approved a proposal, which President Joe Biden has vowed to veto, to repeal a National Labor Relations Board rule that would treat companies as the employers of many of their contract and franchise workers and require them to bargain with those workers' unions. The Senate, which is controlled by Democrats, passed the resolution in a 50-48 vote. Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a Democrat who often votes with Republicans and has been critical of the NLRB rule, and independent senators Angus King of Maine and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona voted in favor of the proposal.” Elon Musk Wants to Gut the National Labor Relations Act April 9, 2024 | The Nation “Elon Musk hates unions, with a white-hot passion that has rendered him delusional. In late November, at a New York Times DealBook Summit where the aspiring-to-be-rich gather to get pointers from the actually rich, the Tesla CEO explained that “I disagree with the idea of unions…. I just don’t like anything which creates a lords-and-peasants sort of thing.” In the same interview, Musk—a mega­-billionaire who famously threatened, in 2018, to take away the stock options of Tesla workers if they organized to exercise their collective-bargaining rights—griped, “I think the unions naturally try to create negativity in a company.” Biden Labor Appointee Fires Back At 'Lawbreakers' SpaceX, Amazon, Trader Joe’s April 9, 2024 | Huff Post “The general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board took a swipe at SpaceX, Trader Joe’s and Amazon on Friday for challenging her agency’s constitutionality. Jennifer Abruzzo, a progressive appointee of President Joe Biden, described such companies as “deep-pocket, low-road employers” that were trying to throw the agency off its mission of protecting workers’ rights “because they have the money to do so.” Commentary Rebuild the Key Bridge with local union labor (Opinion) April 8, 2024 | The Baltimore Sun “As the city of Baltimore and the wider region grapple with the aftermath of an unthinkable tragedy, we must mourn the six men who lost their lives in the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse last month, and never forget how fragile life can be, especially on a job site — any job site. We also must recognize that we are at a crossroads. How we choose to rebuild will shape the physical landscape of our city and define our commitment to our workers, our communities and our children. We must seize this moment as an opportunity to rebuild responsibly, safely. We must rebuild with a highly trained local workforce that is paid prevailing wages. And we must rebuild around responsible union contractors who partner with minority-owned businesses. ” Absent radical labor law reform the nation could be in trouble April 5, 2024 | People’s World “Unions and labor activists have been warning that unless labor law is updated corporations will take advantage of the current law and its loopholes to set back progress on countless issues important to Americans. Current labor law, for example, allows bosses to drag their feet for years, at times, in negotiations with workers. Bill Samuel says, that when it comes to a top issue such as comprehensive pro-worker labor law reform, you have to take the long view about accomplishing it. Make that the very long view, as in decades. Which is what Samuel has done as the AFL-CIO Government Affairs Director for almost 24 years.” Pop Culture In New ‘Simpsons’ Episode, Marge Becomes the Face of a Ghost Kitchen Union April 8, 2024 | Eater “It kind of shakes my faith in billionaires,” Marge Simpsons admits to Lisa, three-beers deep after a grueling shift at Gimme Chow, a ghost kitchen and delivery app. In the latest episode of The Simpsons, “Night of the Living Wage,” Marge takes the job to pay off an unexpected medical bill (for someone else’s “emotional-support chicken”). There, she is subjected to frantic, dangerous working conditions for minimum wage, and is refused overtime pay, only to hear the app’s founder, billionaire Finn Bon Idee, insist he’s made his fortune because he works harder than anyone else at the company. It’s at that moment she decides to form a union.” Graphics to Share

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. Click here to subscribe to the Oregon Labor Dispatch weekly emails. Keep up with the latest from Oregon’s unions: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Upcoming Actions & Events Labor 2024 Primary Election Kickoff Canvass Saturday April 13, 2024 at 10:00AM | Meet at the Oregon Labor Center in Portland Join Oregon Labor to kick off election season at a canvass for Willy Chotzen. Chotzen is a former AFSCME member who is running for State Representative in House District 46. Coffee, lunch and training provided. Sign up to volunteer. OHSU Postdoc Picket Tuesday April 16, 2024 from 12:00-2:00 PM | Elizabeth Caruthers Park in Portland Join Oregon AFSCME and OHSU Postdoc Workers United to let OHSU know it's time to pay their fair share! Letter of Support for Ethos Music Center Teachers and Staff Ethos Music Center workers will vote on joining AFM Local 99 on April 24th, 2024. Sign the letter of support here. Workers Memorial Day Friday April 26, 2024 at 9:30AM | Portland Fire and Rescue Station 21 in Portland Friday April 26, 2024 at 12:00PM | Fallen Worker Memorial in Salem The Oregon AFL-CIO will honor the 56 workers from across the state who lost their lives while doing their jobs in 2023 with ceremonies in Portland and Salem. For more information and to RSVP click here. Must Read OSHA’s Rule on Worker Representation Will Make Workplaces Safer April 1, 2024 | AFL-CIO Statement “Every worker deserves the right to have a union representative, a workplace safety expert or another qualified advocate present during Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspections. We applaud OSHA for finalizing its new Worker Walkaround Representative Designation Process rule to level the playing field for America’s workers.” Oregon Labor Tillamook bus drivers get 5-year contract April 4, 2024 | Northwest Labor Press “Workers at Tillamook County Transportation District on Feb. 10 unanimously ratified a five-year contract that raises starting wages about 22% over the life of the contract.” Spring-time is power building April 3, 2024 | Northwest Labor Press Because the political season is upon us, now is the time to think about how power impacts our lives. The power we in labor amass provides a counterweight to the power of capital, of the owner class, or of “management.” Power enables us to challenge the supremacy of the few. Teamsters Applaud State Legislature and Gov. Tina Kotek for Protecting Warehouse Workers’ Rights, Improving Safety Standards April 2, 2024 | Teamsters.org “The Teamsters applaud Gov. Tina Kotek for signing into law HB 4127, a bill that will improve worker safety in the e-commerce and warehouse industries by ensuring that workplace quotas do not interfere with workers’ rights and safety standards. “Oregon warehouse workers have long been subjected to unsafe working conditions due to secretive and unrealistic production quotas generated using arbitrary computer algorithms,” said Mark Davison, Teamsters Western Region International Vice President and President of Joint Council 37. “Governor Tina Kotek’s signing of HB 4127 is a significant stride toward ensuring the safety and well-being of workers, and it addresses the exploitative quota systems used by profit-driven companies like Amazon.” Oregon TSA officers improve working conditions with new contract April 1, 2024 | Public News Service “Airport security officers in Oregon are celebrating what they say will be better working conditions, after ratifying a new collective bargaining contract. The American Federation of Government Employees Council 100, representing transportation security officers, has secured a new contract - that includes what it describes as improved language on progressive discipline, new uniform rights, and better leave conditions.” Artificial intelligence Liz Shuler Wants AI to Reinvigorate the Labor Movement March 31, 2024 | Politico “Shuler’s main goal — not easily accomplished, given the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence and the hurdles that unions still face — is for labor to have “a seat at the table,” as she puts, in the roll-out of AI, meaning she wants workers to have a voice in everything from how technology is developed to how it’s regulated to how it’s deployed in individual companies.” IATSE Sees Fears and Promise of Artificial Intelligence: ‘We Want the Spoils’ April 3, 2024 | Variety “For generations, industries with predominantly women and immigrant workforces—like the clothing and textile industry—have flouted the law, exposed workers to dangerous conditions, and failed to pay minimum wage and overtime. To create change, it has taken workers using their voices to fight for their basic rights. I’ve asked my team at the Department of Labor to use every tool we have to support and empower workers in that fight.” WGA and More Unions Pen Letter to Congress Demanding ‘Urgent Action’ on AI Protections for Writers and Journalists March 28, 2024 | Variety “For generations, industries with predominantly women and immigrant workforces—like the clothing and textile industry—have flouted the law, exposed workers to dangerous conditions, and failed to pay minimum wage and overtime. To create change, it has taken workers using their voices to fight for their basic rights. I’ve asked my team at the Department of Labor to use every tool we have to support and empower workers in that fight.” Organizing Philly college adjuncts fight for stability April 3, 2024 | WHYY “To draw attention to the struggles of adjunct or “contingent” faculty, instructors from Temple, University of the Arts, Community College of Philadelphia and several other schools will hold a rally outside City Hall on Friday with state Sen. Nikil Saval, state Rep. Rick Krajewski, and other supporters. “We’re keeping the focus on how the most vulnerable faculty are not only experiencing all of the instability and the political pressures that have been leveled at higher ed, but they’re also the ones bearing the brunt of these unnecessary cuts,” said Bradley Philbert, an adjunct at UArts and an officer with the United Academics of Philadelphia, an affiliate of the American.” Dodgers Stadium Tour Guides, Busier Than Ever in Shohei Ohtani Era, Vote to Unionize April 2, 2024 | The Hollywood Reporter “As the Dodgers’ first year with Shohei Ohtani brings a new wave of fans to Vin Scully Ave., tour guides at the nearly 62-year-old stadium have voted to unionize. During a National Labor Relations Board election on Tuesday afternoon, 18 tour guides voted “yes” to unionize and 12 voted against. As a result, pending NLRB certification of the election results, a group of nearly 40 tour guides, tour leads and one plant data collector (a.k.a. the guide of the stadium’s “garden tour”) will join IATSE B-192, a growing Local that represents fellow tour guides at Universal Studios Hollywood and ushers at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. Since the Dodgers Stadium group went public with their unionization drive, more tour guides have been hired and will ultimately be included in the union, according IATSE B-192.” Unions at Oxford University Press and Barnes & Noble are continuing to organize the book world. April 1, 2024 | Literary Hub “Workers at the Oxford University Press Union are threatening to strike as negotiations with management continue to stall. The union has faced stiff resistance, and filed a successful complaint with the National Labor Relations Board claiming that the Oxford University Press has broken the law by refusing to negotiate and by moving bargaining union work overseas. A strike may be next for the union as they continue to fight for better conditions and protections “to ensure the sustainability of OUP’s legacy and to serve as a model for fairness and stability across the industry.” Elsewhere, Barnes & Noble workers are gearing up to unionize more of the chain’s more than 600 stores. Organizing efforts have already been successful at seven stores, and workers are hoping to keep the momentum up and push for more.” Politics MAGA House Republicans attack workers again April 2, 2024 | People’s World “The Republican House majority on the Education and the Workforce Committee—ideologues for whom “Labor” in its title was a dirty word so they removed it–attacked workers again. This time, they approved House Joint Resolution 116, the equivalent of a law if a president signs it, would abolish the Biden Administration Labor Department’s new rule that makes it much tougher for shady businesses to misclassify their workers as “independent contractors.” How a Union Battle Could Decide Who Wins the U.S. Senate April 1, 2024 | Newsweek Tim Burga, president of the Ohio branch of the AFL-CIO—America's largest federation of unions—told Newsweek that once organized labor mobilizes around a candidate, unions can tap into their extensive networks and existing infrastructure, to spread political messages. Through worksite outreach campaigns, door-to-door volunteers, and manpower to deploy traditional campaign mailers, unions can play a pivotal part in turning out voters. With Brown's robust labor record, Burga expects him to garner support across the board, saying, "I couldn't even quantify. It's really strong." Legislation Laborers union asks legislature to include $40 minimum wage in 421-a replacement April 3, 2024 | City and State New York “As the negotiations over a wage deal for a new developer incentive for affordable housing continue, several community groups and a union representing construction workers are calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins to codify a $40 minimum wage into state law for all construction workers who would work on projects receiving the new tax benefit. In statements shared exclusively with City & State, the Mason Tenders District Council and several employment-focused community groups are asking state officials to ensure that any replacement for the 421-a incentive program for developers includes a $40 minimum wage that would apply to all construction workers, both union and nonunion, who work on projects that benefit from the new program.” Vermont Senate unanimously passes amendment ensuring workers' right to unionize April 2, 2024 | Vermont Public “The Vermont Senate on Tuesday gave its unanimous approval to a proposed constitutional amendment that protects the rights of Vermont workers to organize and collectively bargain. The Senate vote is the first step in the constitutional process for this proposed amendment. Backers of the proposal said it ensures the rights of workers are not in any way scaled back by future legislatures or the federal government.” Washington adds worker protection laws, including ban on mandatory anti-union meetings April 3, 2024 | My Edmonds News “Washington workers will soon gain some new rights, including protections against employers holding mandatory meetings on religious and political issues. “In Washington state, we protect that which we value. We value our workers and we value our working families,” said Gov. Jay Inslee, who signed a slate of workplace protection bills on Thursday. The Employee Free Choice Act makes Washington the sixth state to prohibit employers from disciplining or firing employees who refuse to attend “captive audience” meetings, which employers often use as a union-busting tactic.” New bill would prohibit companies from voluntarily recognizing unions April 2, 2024 | The Cullman Times “Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) is looking to stop the flow of state incentives to any company that voluntarily recognizes the union organization efforts of its employees. President of the North Alabama Labor Council Jacob Morrison said that to understand the effects SB231 could have, you would first need to understand how local unions are formed. Morrison said once 30% of a companies workers have signed a union authorization card they are able to call for a secret-ballot election either for or against unionization. As soon as that number crosses the 50% threshold, the election can be bypassed if the employer chooses to voluntarily recognize the majority decision.” Labor Leadership Former Culinary head and national labor leader D. Taylor steps aside April 1, 2024 | The Nevada Independent “Labor leader D. Taylor, whose four-decade career in union organizing included helping Culinary Workers Union Local 226 become a Nevada political power, stepped down after 12 years as president of UNITE HERE, the local’s 300,000-member parent organization. UNITE HERE said Taylor’s departure took effect Easter Sunday but didn’t make the announcement until Monday morning. “I believe the next generation of leaders should get their shot,” Taylor said. Taylor, 67, whose given name is Donald but has always gone by D., will continue to serve as chairman of the union’s health and welfare fund and support ongoing efforts to organize the gaming industry.” Strikes Strike ongoing at T&W Stamping in Austintown, workers allege unfair labor practices April 3, 2024 | WFMJ “It's been just over one week since 25 workers at T&W Stamping in Austintown went on strike for alleged unfair labor practices. As of Wednesday, we're told no negotiations have been reached yet and the strike is still going on. According to a press release from the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, 25 workers in the Boilermakers Local 1622 union began an unfair labor practice strike on Monday, March 25 to protest illegal actions from T&W.” Cannabis delivery firm Eaze may face worker strike in lead-up to 4/20 April 3, 2024 | Green Market Report “California-based marijuana delivery firm Eaze is facing a possible worker strike in the weeks leading up to April 20 over negotiations with drivers over mileage reimbursement and other outstanding issues, according to the national labor union that represents the workers. Four chapters of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union in California have been negotiating with Eaze on behalf of more than 500 cannabis delivery drivers since last August, according to a statement from the UFCW. Employees recently voted to reject Eaze’s “last, best, and final” contract offer, which it made on March 19. That vote authorizes the UFCW to initiate an employee strike, the union said.”

Workers Memorial Day takes place every year on April 28, marking the anniversary of the day the Occupational Safety and Health Act went into effect. Now commonly known as OSHA, the act codifies every worker’s fundamental right to a safe job. OSHA exists because of the tireless efforts of the labor movement, which organized for safer working conditions and demanded action from the government to protect working people. Workers Memorial Day honors those we’ve lost, and serves as a call to action to keep fighting for workplace safety. Unions across the country will gather to honor each and every worker who lost their lives as the result of workplace injury and illness. On Friday, April 26, the Oregon AFL-CIO will honor the 56 workers from across the state who lost their lives while doing their jobs in 2023. We invite you to join us for two events: At 9:30am, we will gather with the Oregon State Firefighters Council, the Northwest Oregon Labor Council, IAFF Local 43, elected officials and faith leaders in Portland on the Eastbank Esplanade beside Portland Fire and Rescue Station 21. At noon, we will hold a ceremony at the Fallen Worker Memorial on the Oregon State Capitol Mall where we will be joined by workplace safety advocates, elected officials, and faith leaders. RSVP for a Workers Memorial Day Event in Oregon by clicking the button below.

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. Click here to subscribe to the Oregon Labor Dispatch weekly emails. Keep up with the latest from Oregon’s unions: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Must Read Why we’re fighting to make sure labor unions have a voice in how AI is implemented March 25, 2024 | Fast Company AFL-CIO President Liz Schuler and Mike Kubzansky, the CEO of the Omidyar Network on why workers need to have a seat at the table when their companies are using AI. “AI has enormous potential to build prosperity and unleash human creativity, but only if it also works for working people.” Iron Workers Union Statement on Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse March 26, 2024 | Fox 44 News “In times like these, we must come together, ensuring the safety and security of our infrastructure for all. Our leadership team is in close contact with local and state authorities to offer our assistance and support in the recovery process. When the time comes, we are committed to mobilizing our members to restore this crucial piece of Baltimore's infrastructure. Together, we will rebuild and, in doing so, honor the memory of those we have lost.” Oregon & Washington Labor Adult dancers in this state win job protections under “Strippers’ Bill of Rights” March 27, 2024 | CBS News “Legislation in Washington state known as the "Strippers' Bill of Rights," which advocates say includes the most comprehensive statewide protections in the nation for adult dancers, was signed into law on Monday.” My opinion: We’re Investing in Oregon’s Workforce March 25, 2024 | Hillsboro NewsTimes U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici: “In his State of the Union remarks, President Biden recounted a conversation he had with a group of CEOs during his vice presidency. When he asked them what they needed most, they responded “a better-educated workforce.” Oregonians and Americans benefit from expanded opportunities to advance, innovate and earn a good living that will support them and their families, and employers benefit when they share the responsibility to help our workforce adapt and thrive.” OPB voluntarily recognizes SAG-AFTRA union as representing some OPB employees March 22, 2024 | OPB Earlier this month, OPB received a request from a group of OPB staff to voluntarily recognize Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) as their representative. Today, OPB has officially voluntarily recognized the union and will begin work with SAG-AFTRA on next steps in the process. Portland Community College union enters mediation after year of negotiations March 21, 2024 | OPB “The union began contract negotiations in February 2023, four months before its previous contract was set to expire on June 30. Guzman said there have been successes over the past year, with the union and administration reaching tentative agreements on retirement, non-discrimination language, disciplinary concerns and resignation. But the two sides remain far apart on wages.” Salem-Keizer teachers reach tentative agreement on new contract, avoid strike March 26, 2024 | KGW News “When educators began this bargain back April of 2023, we knew our contract needed to be revamped from the bottom up, and that's what tonight's tentative agreement represents — a new start for students and educators in Salem," said Tyler Scialo-Lakeberg, president of the Salem-Keizer Education Association (SKEA).” Women’s History Month White House Honors Women's History Month with Roundtable Celebrating Female Labor Leaders and Gender Equality Strides March 23, 2024 | Hoodline “The White House commemorated Women's History Month by hosting a roundtable with prominent female labor leaders, placing a spotlight on the administration's push for gender equality in the workforce. During the session, in partnership with the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), participants discussed strategies to uplift women in labor and acknowledged the steps taken by the Biden-Harris administration towards this cause.” Secretary of Labor Julie Su on the Worker Movement 113 Years After the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire March 25, 2024 | Teen Vogue “For generations, industries with predominantly women and immigrant workforces—like the clothing and textile industry—have flouted the law, exposed workers to dangerous conditions, and failed to pay minimum wage and overtime. To create change, it has taken workers using their voices to fight for their basic rights. I’ve asked my team at the Department of Labor to use every tool we have to support and empower workers in that fight.” Organizing & Actions Picketers gather outside T&W Stamping in Austintown, allege unfair business practices March 25, 2024 | WMFJ “Picketers with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers have gathered outside T&W Stamping with signs alleging unfair business practices and illegal actions from T&W. 21 News spoke with the union's Director of Research and Collective Bargaining Don Hamric who tells us negotiations between the union and T&W are currently ongoing. Hamric alleged multiple instances of illegal activity from T&W Stamping. "They've regressively bargained. They've put something on the table and pulled it off. They've prematurely implemented some of our proposals that we don't have agreement on. They've threatened some of our committee with some jobs that they have as if, if they didn't comply, their jobs were in jeopardy," Hamric said.” Aramark Workers In Philadelphia Overwhelmingly Vote To Authorize Strike At The Wells Fargo Center March 25, 2024 | CBS Philly “Aramark workers on Sunday overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia, a union spokesperson said in a release. The workers are represented by Unite Here Local 274 -- Philadelphia's food service workers union. The union voted 92% to authorize a strike if necessary.” MCA recognizes worker union March 22, 2024 | News Center Maine “The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago says it will recognize a union representing about 100 employees who organized last month. The new union, MCA Workers United, is part of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, which has led a recent wave of successful unionizing efforts at city museums. In a joint announcement Friday, the museum and new union said they had begun a process for employees to submit signed union cards to a third party for verification. Once verified, the museum will recognize the union, and they will prepare to begin negotiating a contract.” St. Louis-area cannabis workers win the right to review ballots in union election March 22, 2024 | Missouri Independent “Employees at BeLeaf Medical’s Sinse Cannabis site in St. Louis moved a step closer to unionizing last week, when their employer’s efforts to block union election votes from being counted were rebuffed by a federal labor official. Since September, BeLeaf leaders have argued before the National Labor Relations Board that the employees weren’t eligible to unionize because they were agricultural workers – who are not protected under federal labor law.” NLRB Alabama Mercedes-Benz Workers Accuse Company of Union-Busting in NLRB Complaint March 26, 2024 | Common Dreams “A month after the United Auto Workers announced that a majority of workers at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance, Alabama had signed union cards, employees struck a defiant tone Tuesday as they filed official complaints of union-busting by the company with the National Labor Relations Board. Workers detailed the illegal disciplinary measures management has taken against them for taking leave and objecting to anti-union materials that have been shown in captive-audience meetings since most of the plant's 6,000 workers indicated they want to join the UAW.” SPEEA wins reinstatement for 7 Boeing pilots in labor case March 27, 2024 | The Stand “The Boeing Company violated federal labor law by retaliating against seven of its instructor pilots who had engaged in union activity, a federal administrative law judge ruled. “I find that Boeing was motivated by anti-union animus and was punishing its (Flight Training Airplane) pilots for their union activity in April 2020,” Judge Gerald M. Etchingham wrote in his order issued March 22 for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). “No other rational explanation exists.” Politics Georgia Is Trying to Make It Harder for Workers to Unionize March 26, 2024 | Jacobin “Labor has been stirring recently. That’s unacceptable for bosses, who never rest in their attacks on unions. Case in point: a new bill in Georgia that seeks to ensure the unionization process is as difficult for workers and favorable to bosses as possible. The Georgia legislation passed in the state senate last month 31-23 and in the House on Wednesday 96-78, in votes that fell almost entirely along party lines, with Republicans backing the bill. It’s sure to face legal challenges for violating the NLRA’s protection of workers’ right to voluntary recognition. As American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) president Liz Shuler said of the bill, it “violat[es] long-held precedent established by the NLRA.” Voting Rights The Supreme Court and Young Voter Turnout March 22, 2024 | New York Times “Georgia, with its long history of the suppression of Black voters, has been ground zero for fights about voting rights laws for decades. The state has often seen stark differences in turnout between white and nonwhite communities, with the latter typically voting at a much lower rate. But not always: In the 2012 election, when Barack Obama won a second term in the White House, the turnout rate for Black voters under 38 in Lowndes County — a Republican-leaning county in southern Georgia — was actually four percentage points higher than the rate for white voters of a similar age. It proved to be temporary. According to new research by Michael Podhorzer, the former political director of the A.F.L.-C.I.O., by 2020, turnout for younger white voters in Lowndes was 14 percentage points higher than for Black voters of the same age” Energy & Climate Organized labor is committed to building sustainable offshore wind energy March 27, 2024 | People’s World “Labor leaders presented a pro-worker vision for generating sustainable offshore wind energy along the Southern New England coast at a virtual press conference, on Friday, March 15. This effort unites organized labor, the environmental movement, coastal communities, and elected officials. The press conference was moderated by Patrick Crowley, Secretary-Treasurer of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO. The national significance of this commitment was highlighted by introductory remarks from Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO. Shuler said that good union jobs, environmental issues, offshore wind energy, and building a renewable energy industry are tied together.” Apprenticeships National labor leader pushes apprenticeship programs, unionism in Pittsburgh visit March 22, 2024 | Pittsburgh Union Press “Pireaux and others led tours of the union training facility Thursday as part of a national effort by Sean McGarvey, president of North America’s Building Trades Unions, to spread the word about the value of union labor. McGarvey joined a group of elected officials and labor leaders who spoke at a program after the tour to encourage more workers to apply for apprenticeships in the building trades.” Graphics to Share

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. Click here to subscribe to the Oregon Labor Dispatch weekly emails. Keep up with the latest from Oregon’s unions: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Upcoming Actions & Events A Discussion with Anne Broyles, Author of I’m Gonna Paint: Ralph Fasanella, Artist of the People NEXT THURSDAY: March 28 starting at 5:00pm | Oregon Labor Center in Portland Please join the Oregon AFL-CIO and the Oregon Labor Movement for an engaging discussion with Anne Broyles, the author of I’m Gonna Paint: Ralph Fasanella, Artist of the People.  Anne’s book is about the visionary folk artist and labor organizer Ralph Fasanella and is perfect for picture book readers because of its stunning illustrations.  Click here to learn more & RSVP. Must Read Boeing labor contract is opportunity for overdue culture change March 15, 2024 | The Seattle Times “You know a company is in deep trouble when comedians and stock analysts take similar jabs. With almost every day bringing more negative headlines about the quality and airworthiness of its products, Boeing is both a punchline and a cautionary tale. In response, the company has made a series of moves to reassure nervous airline customers, investors and the flying public. Much of it has been deemed too little, too late.” Oregon Labor Video: SHHCS Nurses on Strike March 21, 2024 | Oregon Nurses Association “February 10-24 Sacred Heart Home Care Services nurses took to the curb to show their employer that they mean business. Today workers are back at the mediation table once again to fight for the contract they deserve! They need a deal that is fair to their patients, coworkers and community!” OHSU postdocs organize to bargain for better wages March 19, 2024 | Portland Business Journal “Several postdocs said they struggle to make ends meet on what they're paid by OHSU.” Winning for Workers: 2024 Legislative Session Report March 18, 2024 | Oregon AFL-CIO “The Oregon Legislature gaveled out of the 2024 Legislative Session on Thursday, March 7 after five weeks of fast-paced action where many of Oregon Labor’s priority bills advanced and are on their way to become law. These victories are a result of the incredible advocacy done by Oregon’s unions and their members to ensure our shared priorities were successful.“ Healthcare State wants Oregon hospitals to think twice before cuts March 21, 2024 | The Lund Report “Legacy Health’s attempt to close a maternity unit last year has sparked a requirement that hospitals consider the impact to communities before reducing services.” Politics & Legislation Lawmakers propose a new federal office to regulate workplace surveillance tech March 20, 2024 | Government Executive “A pair of House Democrats have introduced legislation that would require employers to be more transparent about their use of surveillance technologies to monitor their workers. The bill, known as the Stop Spying Bosses Act, was introduced on March 15 by Reps. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., and Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., and would “prohibit, or require disclosure of, the surveillance, monitoring and collection of certain worker data by employers.” Georgia Republicans Pass Bill Punishing Union-Friendly Employers March 21, 2024 | HuffPost“Liz Shuler, the president of the AFL-CIO labor federation, took to X on Wednesday to call the bill “appalling,” saying that it “attacks the fundamental freedoms” of both workers and employers. She also said that it violates “long-held precedent” under the National Labor Relations Act.” OPM’s labor-management forum guidance charts new ground for union policies March 18, 2024 | Government Executive “The Office of Personnel Management last week issued new guidance aimed at helping federal agencies reinstitute forums for management and federal employee unions to work collaboratively to solve problems and, for the first time, measure how the initiative affects employee engagement and agency mission fulfillment.” Man of Steel March 18, 2024 | The American Prospect “You'd think it would be hard for Biden to top his full-on embrace of the UAW and their stunningly successful strike against the Big Three automakers. But Biden has just done it by declaring that he opposes the takeover by Japan’s Nippon Steel of U.S. Steel. The U.S. needs to “maintain strong American steel companies powered by American steel workers,” Biden declared, adding: “U.S. Steel has been an iconic American steel company for more than a century, and it is vital for it to remain an American steel company that is domestically owned and operated.” Workplace Safety NABTU Statement Applauding Biden’s Historic EPA Asbestos Ban March 18, 2024 | North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) “NABTU applauds the Biden Administration’s issuance of the monumentally important rule banning the use of chrysotile asbestos. Construction unions have historically been the hardest hit by diseases caused by asbestos, and it is estimated hundreds of thousands of Americans have lost their lives due to this toxin.” AFL-CIO Applauds Biden Administration’s Rule to Protect Workers by Banning Use of Chrysotile Asbestos March 18, 2024 | AFL-CIO “This rule is a landmark protection for workers, banning and phasing out all current uses and imports of chrysotile asbestos, and eliminating these exposures in workplaces and throughout the supply chain. While a critical step forward, this does not eliminate all types of asbestos fibers and is only the first half of the EPA’s plans to address worker asbestos exposures, including the tens of thousands of workers—many firefighters, construction and manufacturing workers—exposed to “legacy” asbestos throughout our old buildings and infrastructure. We urge the EPA to move swiftly to address those risks as well.” EPA bans last form of asbestos used in United States March 18, 2024 | WSVN “The AFL-CIO, the country’s largest labor federation that includes unions, applauded the EPA’s ban for providing “landmark protection” for workers. “This action once more shows the deep commitment of the Biden administration to ensure working people remain safe and healthy on the job,” the federation said in a statement.” Retirement Security Trump Wants to Destroy Social Security, But Biden Plan Would Improve and Expand It March 18, 2024 | Common Dreams “Biden wants to save Social Security by having the super-rich — who have become far richer over the past several decades — pay more Social Security taxes. Let's be clear about what's at stake in this election. During a typically rambling and incoherent interview last week, Trump admitted he would cut Social Security and Medicare if reelected.” Organizing VW Workers Seek Union Vote at Tennessee Plant for Third Time March 18, 2024 | The New York Times “Volkswagen employees in Tennessee who are hoping to join the United Automobile Workers asked a federal agency on Monday to hold an election, a key step toward the union’s longtime goal of organizing nonunion factories across the South. With the union’s backing, Volkswagen workers filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board asking for a vote on U.A.W. representation, saying that more than 70 percent of the 4,000 eligible workers at the plant had signed cards supporting the union.” Auto Workers are unionizing at Harvard University March 18, 2024 | People’s World “The United Auto Workers are unionizing at Harvard, or, to be precise, among the prestigious and influential university’s non-tenure-track research and teaching employees.” Collective Bargaining & Strikes Iron Workers Union Boast Preliminary Agreement Between Biden Administration and Intel March 21, 2024 | Yahoo! Finance “The International Association Of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Iron Workers is thrilled to celebrate a monumental stride towards revitalizing the American semiconductor industry and bolstering the nation's workforce.” SAG-AFTRA Leaders on How Hollywood Studios Could Avert a Video Game Strike — and Why the Guild Supports Game Developers Unionizing March 21, 2024 | Variety “SAG-AFTRA is trying to avoid another strike, but the actors union nonetheless has many bones to pick with video game companies in its latest contract negotiations. Among SAG-AFTRA’s key sticking points is trying to get the gaming companies to agree to protections against use of generative AI, which was one of the biggest issues the union fought hard for in its talks with TV and film studios last year.” Striking Pittsburgh news workers take their cause to billboards around city March 18, 2024 | Pittsburgh Union Progress “Workers from five unions that have been on strike at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for 17 months put their cause on billboards around the city. “Post-Gazette: Restore our healthcare,” the billboards read. “End the strike now.” The photo was made by Steve Mellon, one of the journalists in the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, who went on its own unfair labor practice strike on Oct. 18, 2022.” A Fair & Just Economy New Wage Data Shows When Workers Organize and Fight 'It Pays Off—Literally' March 21, 2024 | Common Dreams A new analysis shows that unionized workers across the United States secured historic wage increases under contracts negotiated last year, further demonstrating the power of collective bargaining. According to Bloomberg Law, 2023 union contracts "gave workers an average first-year wage increase of 6.6%"—the highest raise since at least 1988. Graphics to Share

The Oregon AFL-CIO is proud to announce that our federation has endorsed a slate of candidates for consideration in the 2024 Primary Election! Our Committee on Political Education met earlier this month where representatives from unions in every sector of our economy and across the state discussed and voted to endorse candidates who will be champions for working people once elected to office. In order to elect these candidates to office and to reelect the incumbents who have proven track records of advocacy for working people, it is critical that union members and workers volunteer to canvass and phone bank in support of Oregon Labor’s endorsements candidates. Click here to sign up for Labor 2024 and we will be in touch shortly with a calendar of events throughout Oregon starting in a few short weeks. To date, the Oregon AFL-CIO has endorsed the following candidates for the 2024 Primary Election: FEDERAL Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici for CD-1 Congresswoman Val Hoyle for CD-4 Congresswoman Andrea Salinas for CD-6 STATEWIDE House Speaker Dan Rayfield for Attorney General STATE SENATE State Senator Kate Lieber for SD 14 State Senator Wlnsvey Campos for SD 18 State Senator Kathleen Taylor for SD 21 State Senator Khanh Pham for SD 23 State Senator Chris Gorsek for SD 25 Anthony Broadman for SD 27 STATE HOUSE State Rep.  Pam Marsh for HD 5 Lisa Fragala for HD 8 State Rep. David Gomberg for HD 10 State Rep. Nancy Nathanson for HD 13 Lesley Munoz for HD 22 State Rep. Ben Bowman for HD 25 State Rep. Courtney Neron for HD 26 State Rep. Ken Helm for HD 27 State Rep. Dacia Grayber for HD 28 State Rep. Susan McLain for HD 29 State Rep. Nathan Sosa for HD 30 State Rep. Lisa Reynolds for HD 34 State Rep. Farrah Chaichi for HD 35 April Dobson for HD 39 State Rep. Tawna Sanchez for HD 43 State Rep. Travis Nelson for HD 44 State Rep. Thuy Tran for HD 45 Willy Chotzen for HD 46 Hoa Nguyen for HD 48 State Rep. Zach Hudson for HD 49 State Rep. Ricki Ruiz for HD 50 State Rep. Emerson Levy for HD 53 State Rep. Jason Kropf for HD 54 State Rep. Greg Smith for HD 57