Workers and community members from across the state join Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste at the Oregon State Capitol on International Workers’ Day to rally for workers’ rights. Credit: Photo by Aurora Biggers
Amid nearly daily federal threats to workers across the United States, the Oregon labor movement continues to march on. In May, workers won at least five union elections, formed seven new campaigns and held six labor actions.
"Last month in Oregon labor" is a monthly installment by Aurora Biggers covering all things Oregon labor.
Union elections and union worker protections in the United States are largely overseen by the National Labor Relations Board, or the NLRB. Under President Donald Trump, the board has seen a swath of attacks kneecapping its power. Perhaps the most brash attack is the administration’s removal of NLRB Chair Gwynne Wilcox by executive order.
There have since been a series of court actions between Trump’s administration and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, which ordered that Wilcox be reinstated in March. The U.S. Supreme Court blocked the lower court’s ruling, and in a recent action on May 22, stayed the lower court’s injunctions.
Despite Trump’s attacks on the NLRB and numerous other actions aimed at harming the working class while empowering the ultra-wealthy — Congress is currently set to cut over $800 billion in Medicaid to fund tax cuts for the rich — workers continue to organize and fight.
New campaigns and elections
On May 6, employees at Rogue Disposal and Recycling in White City voted 33-43 against joining the Teamsters Local 962.
Workers at ChildRoots locations throughout Portland voted 38-12 May 8 to join the International Longshore & Warehouse Union Local 5.
On May 14, professional employees at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center in Gresham voted 52-1 to join the Oregon American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 75, or AFSCME.
Workers at Canyon Pipeline Construction in Central Point filed with the NLRB on May 15 to join the Plumbers and Steamfitters United Association Local 290.
The same day, clinical care coordinators at Cascadia Health in Portland filed to join Oregon AFSCME Council 75.
Customer service employees at Distribution International Southwest in Portland voted unanimously May 16to join the Teamsters Local 206.
On May 20, teachers, counselors and guides at City View Charter School in Hillsboro voted by a slim margin, 18-17, to join the Oregon Education Association.
Service and maintenance employees at Providence St. Vincent in Portland filed May 21 to join the Service Employees International Union Local 49.
Also on May 21, resource float pool registered nurses for Legacy Health in Portland filed to join the Oregon Nurses Association.
Baristas and shift supervisors at the Southeast Capitol Highway Starbucks location in Portland voted unanimously to join Starbucks Workers United on May 23.
On May 23 and 28, more Portland-area Starbucks baristas joined the national organizing campaign, filing with Starbucks Workers United.
Drivers for Student Transportation of America in Sandy filed May 30 to join the Teamsters Local 206.
Labor actions
University of Oregon student workers, who went on strike in April, announced a tentative contract agreement May 8 and ratified a contract later the next week.
The student worker union, affiliated with the United Auto Workers, struck over dragging negotiations on the their first contract. The newly ratified contract includes increased wages, with a base pay of $16 per hour, sick leave for work study, harassment protections and emergency pay advances.
On May 1, workers across the world observed International Workers’ Day, or May Day, commemorating the working class’ global fight for freedom, equality, and safety. Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, or PCUN, — Northwest Treeplanters and Farmworkers United — held its annual march and rally at the state capitol in Salem in protest of the United States’ treatment of immigrant workers.
Unions and organizations from across the state joined PCUN in demanding an end to mass deportations in the United States and called for higher standards for immigrant workers.
The David Douglas Education Association in Southeast Portland and the Portland Association of Teachers also held rallies May 1, opposing the federal cuts that are contributing to layoffs and declining wages for educators across the country.
On May 8, the Oregon American Federation of Teachers held a “Hands Off: Higher Education” rally.
“Public education and higher education are under attack, and we’re not staying quiet,” Save Oregon Students, an affiliated organization, said in a social media post. “From rising student hunger and housing insecurity, to threats against federal research funding, DEI, student visas, and free speech — we are demanding action.”
Healthcare workers at Samaritan Health Services in Lebanon and Lincoln City held a rally outside Samaritan’s corporate office in Corvallis on May 27 to protest the corporation’s consideration of closing the local birthing centers.
Negotiations
After announcing a union campaign in January 2023, over two years later, the City of Portland Professional Workers Union reached a tentative agreement with the city.
The independent union includes workers in transportation, environmental services, water, parks, planning & sustainability and budget & finance.
The tentative agreement includes yearly wage increases, layoff and recall protections, a signing bonus and language around use of artificial intelligence, among other benefits.
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