To the Editor -

A former manager at Laurelhurst Village ["Nursing a Grudge," News, May 7] wrote in a letter to the Mercury that "insubordination is grounds for termination on any job." Not true. The National Labor Relations Act (1935) protects workers who "engage in ... concerted activities for the purpose of ...mutual aid and protection." (NLRA, section 7)

"Concerted activities" include three or more workers. Elizabeth Lehr was engaged in lawful, concerted activity with her co-workers for the purpose of "self-organzation, to form, join or assist a labor organization..." (NLRA, section 7) By firing her, the employer committed an "unfair labor practice", ie. "interference, restraint, or coercion directed against union or other collective activity" (section 8(a)(1)) and "discrimination against employees to discourage support for a union" (section 8(a)(3). Laurelhurst Village broke the law by firing Elizabeth Lehr.

The NLRA actually declares collective bargaining (establishing labor unions) as an official policy of the United States. Psst! Pass the word!

Jamie Partridge
4620 NE 7th Ave
Portland, OR 97211
503-752-5112

To Jamie Partridge- Thank you for quotting laws and policy's to try and prove your point. Unfortunately you are wrong. Ms. Lehr was not fired for trying to organize us to a union building (yes I am a CNA at Laurellhurst). She was disruptive to residents and family so she was asked to leave, when she refused to go she was insubordinate. Which then caused her to be terminated. I always liked Elizabeth and I am pro-union. But in this case she was wrong in the way she went about it and her behavior unfortunately is what gives unions a bad rep.