Portland State University faculty and academic professionals held a rally on Nov. 21 amid contract negotiations. Credit: Courtesy photo by PSU-AAUP
In November, Oregon saw a bit of a bump in union wins but a decline in new campaigns and labor actions. This shift is on par with prior years, as labor organizing can see a decline during the winter holiday season.
"Last month in Oregon labor" is a monthly installment by Aurora Biggers covering all things Oregon labor.
Despite a decrease in labor actions, November’s labor action numbers still surpass both the monthly average of 8.25 for 2023 and the monthly average for 2024 thus far of 5.20. The Boeing machinists strike soldiered on into the first week of the month, and the Bigfoot Beverages strike remained active into December. Other actions included bakers, mail carriers, educators, nurses, county workers and grocery store workers.
The state saw the longshoremen’s union add another voluntary recognition under its belt, and workers from musicians and budtenders to baristas and medical facility workers won elections all across the state.
New campaigns and elections
On Nov. 1, orchestra musicians for the Rogue Valley Symphony Association voted 63-20 to join the Musicians’ Association Local 689.
On Nov. 5, workers at Organic Consultants in Eugene filed with the National Labor Relations Board, or NLRB, to join the United Chemists & Manufacturer Workers Union.
Sign installers for B3 Investments in Portland voted 3-0 on Nov. 6 not to join International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 48, or IBEW.
Drivers for Recology Oregon Recovery in Portland filed on Nov. 7 to join the Teamsters Local 305.
Also on Nov. 7, associate resource schedulers for Portland General Electric voted 6-2 to join IBEW Local 125.
In a tight Nov. 12 vote, baristas and shift supervisors at the Southwest Cedar Hills Boulevard Starbucks in Beaverton voted 9-7 to join Starbucks Workers United.
Budtenders and keyholders at the Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Jayne PDX voted 4-0 on Nov. 20 to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555.
Adding to its roster of voluntary recognitions, the International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union Local 5 secured a voluntary recognition on Nov. 22 for workers at SCRAP PDX.
On Nov. 26, nurse practitioners and physician associates filed to join the Oregon Nurses Association, or ONA.
Skilled maintenance employees at Legacy Emanuel Hospital’s Unity Center for Behavioral Health voted 6-0 on Nov. 21 to join the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 701.
On Nov. 22, front-of-house, concessions and access services workers for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland voted 28-2 to join the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 154.
System technicians at Carestream Health in White City voted 7-2 on Nov. 25 to join Local 659.
Also on Nov. 25, registered nurse case managers at Samaritan Pacific Health Services in Newport voted 5-0 to join ONA.
Labor actions
Boeing workers in Oregon and Washington, represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, went on strike on Sept. 13, and remained on strike for 53 days, reaching a contract agreement with the company on Nov. 4. The contract secures a 38% wage increase over four years, among other benefits.
Coos Bay, Eugene, Roseberg and Newport Bigfoot Beverages workers, represented by Teamsters Local 324 and Teamsters Local 206, have surpassed 70 days on strike after hitting the picket lines on Sept. 19.
Workers said they are striking primarily over the company’s alleged attempts to remove pension benefits. The Teamsters have additionally called for a boycott of Bigfoot Beverages products, which include Pepsi brands, Buoy Beer, Pelican Brewing Company, Ninkasi Brewing, King Estate Oregon wines and Willamette Valley Vineyard wines.
After going on strike on Oct. 31, approximately 200 members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union Local 114 working at the Franz Bakery in Springfield, secured a contract agreement on Nov. 20. Workers will receive “historic” wage increases, retroactive pay and improvements to their retirement and health benefits.
On Nov. 3, mail carriers held a rally to protest against a recent tentative contract agreement between their union, the National Association of Letter Carriers, and the United States Postal Service.
Mail carriers said they had been working for over 530 days without a union contract but felt the settlement was insufficient.
“The settlement, which raises wages by 1.3% per year for three years plus a 55% Cost of Living Adjustment, is essentially a pay cut,” PDX Rank and File Carriers, a group of workers representing their interests within the union, said in a press release.
On Nov. 12, Greater Albany Public Schools teachers went on strike amid contract negotiations.
“Management has continued their refusal to meaningfully bargain over our student centered proposals,” the Greater Albany Education Association said in a statement. “Because of these refusals, Albany educators have no other choice but to go on strike.”
The union said teachers are primarily bargaining over caseloads, health and safety and added support for staff with specialized duties. Teachers remained on strike as of Nov. 30.
Oregon State University graduate student workers, represented by the American Federation of Teachers-Oregon Local 6069, went on strike on Nov. 12.
“After a year of openly combative negotiations, OSU has made it abundantly clear that their priority is not the pursuit of knowledge, but rather the pursuit of money, even at the expense of their own dedicated, hard-working, and talented graduate employees,” the union said in a social media post.
Benton County workers, represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2064, held a three-day strike starting on Nov. 13. Workers cited months of bargaining without agreement on wage increases and safety protections as the reason for their strike.
On Nov. 18, nurses at Providence Medford held a rally “to remind the community that they are still working without a contract,” ONA said in a press release.
ONA said nurses are most concerned about issues that affect patient care, including staff turnover due to low pay and benefits.
Portland State University employees with the American Association of University Professors held a rally on campus on Nov. 21. Workers remain in contentious contract negotiations with the university and its president, who the union said refuses to bargain over economic issues. Workers have since requested bargaining mediation through the Employment Relations Board.
“The Cudd administration’s refusal to bargain economics comes after over 100 hours of bargaining, and after notice of layoffs went out to over 7.5% of PSU-AAUP 1,200 represented faculty and staff,” the union said in a press release.
On Nov. 27, the day before Thanksgiving, over 1,000 New Seasons workers at 11 Portland area stores held a single-day strike ahead of holiday shopping. Though the strike was over unfair labor practices, workers have been bargaining for a first contract for nearly two years and say the company’s proposals are “frankly, insulting to all of the workers at New Seasons whose labor creates the friendly neighborhood grocery stores you know.”
The New Seasons Labor Union is also calling for a boycott of New Seasons for the entire holiday season or until workers reach a contract agreement.
Negotiations
Seven unions representing approximately 2,000 workers for the City of Portland have reached impasses in bargaining with the city. Five trades unions — IUOE, IAM, IBEW, The United Association of Plumbers and Steamfitters, and International Union of Painters and Allied Trades — bargain together, while AFSCME and the City of Portland Professional Workers Union, or CPPW, have separate contracts.
All seven unions and the city reached tentative agreements on several aspects of their contracts but remain far apart on wages. Both AFSCME and the trade unions have requested mediation, while CPPW has not at this time.
Street Roots is an award-winning weekly investigative publication covering economic, environmental and social inequity. The newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Street Roots newspaper operates independently of Street Roots advocacy and is a part of the Street Roots organization. Learn more about Street Roots. Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today.
