Posts tagged Portland
Oregon sees record-high unionization
October 9, 2023 // what’s happening here in Oregon is a little different: it’s driven by independent unions. Rather than join AFL-CIO, SEIU or other big unions, some Oregon workers are taking a “grow your own” approach to unionizing. Local chain Burgerville’s independent union, Burgerville Workers Union, won federal recognition in 2018 and signed its first contract in 2021. Seeing Burgerville’s success in organizing without the resources of a bigger union inspired workers at Voodoo Doughnut.
Thousands of Kaiser Permanente workers plan to stage 3-day strike Wednesday
October 4, 2023 //
Portland strippers vote to unionize, could get official recognition later this week
September 15, 2023 // Across the country, there’s been a wave in recent years of workers in industries like food service and manufacturing demanding better pay and benefits, voting to unionize or going on strike to compel management to address their concerns. But last week when Creature and 15 other Magic Tavern dancers unanimously voted to unionize, they became just the second active group of strippers in the country — and the only one in Oregon — to do so. The Actors’ Equity Association, which represents the strippers, expects the National Labor Relations Board to certify the vote by the end of the week. A spokesperson for the NLRB said in an email that if the results are certified, Magic Tavern must bargain in good faith with the union.
Labor Day weekend draws Portland workers out in droves to the picket lines
September 5, 2023 // Across town, in Northeast Portland, New Seasons Market employees walked off the job and took up signs to express their frustration. "We're out here today protesting against a union-busting tactic that New Seasons has sort of been leveraging," said Wil, a New Seasons Market employee. "They've used their very punitive attendance policy to pit union stores and non-union stores against each other." The New Seasons Labor Union is an independent workers union, and so are many of the groups that marched in downtown Portland on Saturday. “We’ve always had the larger unions representing us, but now working-class people are taking it into their own hands to form their own unions and take the power back in the workplace," said Samantha Medina with the Coalition of Independent Unions.
OREGON: Oaks Park workers launch push to unionize amid heat wave
August 23, 2023 //
Powell’s Union Workers Say They Will Strike Sept. 4
August 15, 2023 // In a statement, Powell’s defended its offer as fair. “Powell’s proposal includes immediate wage increases for every employee in the bargaining unit and annual wage increases every year of the contract, making our wages competitive with the majority of retail wages in Portland,” the company said in an email. “In addition, we proposed reduced health care monthly premiums for the majority of employees, eliminating deductibles for the majority of doctors’ visits, and an enhanced 401(k) retirement plan match.” The company expressed optimism that it would reach a deal at the bargaining table. The union says that in a recent strike vote, 92% of workers voted to walk off the job. They last struck Powell’s in 2003 but now plan to hold a one-day “unfair labor practices strike” Sept. 4 before negotiations resume Sept. 4 and 6.
Hospital doctors at Providence St. Vincent vote overwhelmingly to unionize
August 4, 2023 // The union vote comes amid a wave of organizing by health care workers. Doctors are less likely to unionize, but that could be changing.
Behavioral health workers at Legacy Health’s Unity Center seek to unionize
July 20, 2023 // The move comes even as Legacy Health is facing a “financial crisis,” a top executive recently told The Oregonian/OregonLive, with losses of $10 million a month forcing it to sell off its laboratory services unit. While the number of employees involved is small, the filing is significant because Legacy has been the slowest health system in the state to unionize. For years, only nurses at Legacy’s Silverton hospital belonged to the nurses union. In 2019, nurses at Unity voted to approve the union after the health system fought the organizing campaign. Earlier this year nurses at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center followed suit. Separately, Legacy has accused the state of pressuring it to unionize while slapping the system with hefty fines for violating the state's meal break rules.
PORTLAND: Workers unionize at Friends of the Children
June 21, 2023 // Workers at the nonprofit Friends of the Children Portland voted 40-3 to join AFT-Oregon in mail ballots counted June 1. The newly unionized unit includes 53 workers ranging from youth mentors to accountants.
U.S. Independent Professionals Earned $286 Billion in 2022, a Nearly 10% Increase Compared to 2021, According to Fiverr’s Sixth Annual Freelance Economic Impact Report
May 19, 2023 // Women see a clear advantage to freelancing over traditional employment This year’s report reveals that women are pursuing freelance work for a number of reasons, including that they prefer to work from home (41% versus 31% men), want more flexibility in their schedule (39% versus 22% men), feel burned out (25% versus 17% men), want to avoid an unpleasant or toxic work environment (26% versus 15% men), and experience a lack of enjoyment in their work (22% versus 13% men). The ability to “work from anywhere” remains a priority for freelancers and more plan to work and travel next year The ability to “work from anywhere” while traveling is a major factor or somewhat of a factor in the decision for nearly three-in-four (73%) freelancers who work independently to do so. Working remotely while traveling is becoming more common, with one-third (32%) of independent professionals reporting they did at least some work from remote locations in 2022 compared to only 23% in 2021.