Last year was another significant year for Oregon’s labor movement. According to Street Roots’ prior reporting, in 2023 Oregon workers filed for 99 union elections, winning 60 or approximately 59% of them. Workers also held at least 99 labor actions, helping to secure stronger contracts and increase wages across the state.
On average, Oregon workers filed 8.25 election petitions and labor actions per month and won an average of five elections per month.
The state lagged in filings in 2023 during January, May, and June and saw fewer election wins during February, June, July and September. Labor actions remained fairly steady month to month, waning slightly in January, February and July.
Oregon reached its peak for election filings in November with 19 filings, while April saw a peak of 12 election wins. October saw the most labor actions, with autoworkers, operating engineers, healthcare professionals and teachers going on lengthy strikes.
The National Labor Relations Board says Oregon stands out on a national level as well. The agency reported that Oregon had the fifth most election filings in the U.S. last year, and Daily Union Elections calculated that the state had the second most elections per capita — about 4.8 elections per every 100,000 people
In line with the prior year, Oregon is seeing only a slight slump in activity in the new year. In January, Oregon saw at least five union wins, six new campaigns and five labor actions — two fewer union wins, two fewer campaigns and two less labor actions than in December.
Yet despite a holiday and winter weather slowdown, workers across industries started 2024 with big labor moves.
New campaigns and elections
Medford Starbucks workers filed to join Starbucks Workers United on Jan. 4. The filing is the latest in a three-month roll from the union. Hayden Island workers announced their campaign in November, followed by Hillsboro workers’ announcement last month. If all three win elections, SBWU would rise to 31 unionized shops in Oregon.
A day later, workers at a Springfield Fred Meyer filed to join United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555 on Jan. 5.
Over 600 advanced practice providers at OHSU locations from Portland, Eugene, The Dalles and Klamath Falls announced their campaign to join the Oregon Nurses Association the same day.
After announcing their intent to unionize with ONA in November, Legacy women’s health nurse-midwives voted 24-0 in favor of joining the union on Jan. 7.
Production employees at Gron Confections in Portland filed to join the Amalgamated Transit Union Division 757 in December and sealed the union with an 11-2 vote in favor of the union on Jan. 8.
Avangrid operators in Klamath Falls filed to join the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 659 on Jan. 8.
On Jan. 9, First Student bus drivers in Silverton voted 23-4 to join the Teamsters Local 324.
Rural Metro Fire Department firefighters in Grants Pass filed to join the Teamsters Local 483 on Jan. 12.
On Jan. 17, licensed deck officers for the Alaska Tanker Company based in Beaverton voted 13-4 to join the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots. The Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association District No. 1 also vied to represent the unit but only garnered four votes.
An initial tally released by the NLRB indicates an election loss for Blue Star Donuts workers in Portland hoping to join Doughnut Workers United. Workers voted 8-13 against the union representation.
On Jan. 25, nearly 250 behavioral health staff at ColumbiaCare Services in Medford filed to join the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). Workers cited “major safety and continuity of care concerns,” according to a press release from the union.
On the same day, Northwest Workers’ Justice Project announced the organization had voluntarily recognized the staff’s request for a union represented by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU).
Labor Actions
Kicking off possibly the first labor action in Oregon of 2024, Postal Workers United held a rally on Jan. 8 at the Evergreen Post Office in Beaverton. They were protesting the selection to participate in Postmaster General DeJoy’s “Delivering for America” plan. The program would consolidate letter carriers into massive Sorting and Delivery Center hubs, “forcing long commutes and travel times while eliminating clerk, trucker and supervisor positions and reducing service or closing local post offices,” union said.
On Jan. 11, graduate teaching fellows at the University of Oregon, represented by the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation, held a practice picket after authorizing a strike amid contract bargaining. Teaching fellows said they intended to strike on Jan. 17 but reached a tentative agreement with the university on Jan. 15.
After Reedville Starbucks workers petitioned for a union election in December, community organizers held a “sip-in” on Jan. 18 to show support for the workers.
Portland Community College’s Federation of Faculty and Academic Professionals held a rally on Jan. 28 at Terry Schrunk Plaza to demand a fair contract and that management invest in educators and students.
Amid contract bargaining, the Portland Federation of School Professionals also held a rally on Jan. 28, gathering at Benson High School in Portland with the support of the Portland Association of Teachers, the Service Employees International Union, the District Council of Unions and the Amalgamated Transit Union members to demand Portland Public Schools invest more funding for its lowest paid workers, according to the union.
As New Seasons workers, a part of the ever-growing New Seasons Labor Union, continued bargaining on a first contract, workers held a rally outside the store support office on Southeast Stark Street in Portland on Jan. 30 to demand a fair contract.
Negotiations
SEIU 503 says the 4,500 classified workers it represents at the seven Oregon Public Universities are in a bargaining battle with the universities. Workers held a rally last month to demand a fair contract. Yet, after three months of negotiations, the economic aspects of the contract remain unresolved, SEIU said.
Classified workers include all non-teaching campus staff that run the universities, including academic support, IT, housing, health centers, food services, admissions, facilities and grounds.
To rally support, the union is sharing a petition for workers, community members and other labor allies to sign.
“Despite the importance of their work, far too many classified staff struggle with paychecks that don’t allow them to support themselves and their families,” SEIU 503 said in the petition.
According to the union, over 25% of classified staff at Oregon’s public universities make less than the food stamp eligibility level for a family of three.
Another classification of employees at a major state school is also in the middle of bargaining. Graduate employees at the University of Oregon reached a tentative agreement on Jan. 15, which employees are voting on.
The deal secures minimum salary increases for all graduate employees at 0.49 FTE up to $2,550 a month in the first year and cumulative increases from between 18.98% to 45.32% over the life of the three-year contract, depending on the employee’s level and rate.
The university also purportedly agreed to the union’s demand that the raises be retroactively applied to September 2023.
“Although this TA (tentative agreement) halts our strike plans, it is a testament to the enormous amount of energy, preparation, and passion that our members have devoted to building a credible strike threat,” GTFF said. “Our members put all of their power into this fight, and we won.”
Following the theme, after their rally on Jan. 28, PCCFFAP reached a tentative agreement with Portland Community College that would bring an approximately 20% pay increase for faculty and academic professionals back-paid to September 2023.
The Bend Education Association also reached a tentative agreement this month. The contract includes a 6.2% raise retroactive to July 2023 and a 4.15% increase for the second year.
Community Cycling Center workers represented by ILWU Local 5 ratified their first contract this week. In addition to wage increases, the contract boasts just cause and grievance procedures, new hire training, new paid time off for holidays and a flex fund and work from home stipend.
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