It’s official. Temporary food workers at the Oregon Zoo now belong to a union. Yesterday, the Oregon Employment Relations Board (ERB) approved membership in Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 483 for the zoo’s temporary kitchen, service workers, and caterers. The ERB decision was the final piece of paperwork certifying a union election that […]
Nathan Gilles
Posted inPolitics
Zoo Food Temps Vote Yes to Union Representation
Following a months-long organizing effort, temporary food workers at the Oregon Zoo have voted to join a union. Earlier today, the Oregon Employment Relations Board released the results of the zoo workers’ union election. The vote in the mail-in election went like this: 61 in favor of representation, with 4 against. This means the zoo’s […]
Posted inNews
Zoo Food Temps File for Union Representation. Will Metro Play Along?
Temporary food workers at the Oregon Zoo—players in a story in this week’s paper about a hole in the city’s new policy on paid sick leave—just took a big step that could make their jobs a little easier to handle. Representatives at Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 483 confirm they’ve recently filed a […]
Posted inNews
Oregon Lawmakers Pass Anti-Wage-Theft Bill
The Oregon Legislature has struck a blow against bad employers in the construction industry. Earlier today, lawmakers passed HB 2977—a bill meant to make it harder for unscrupulous “labor brokers” to stiff day laborers of their hard-earned dollars. Currently, labor brokers from established companies—of the Labor Ready variety—to informal brokers—those guys whose entire business model […]
Posted inBooks
Disaster Prone
Full Rip 9.0 Tells Us What We Already Know
Full Rip 9.0 tells us what we already know.
Posted inNews
Some Last Thoughts on the Big Quake Before We’re Lulled Back into a False Sense of Security
In the wake of writing yet another earthquake story, I find myself once again more than a little annoyed by the surrender-to-the-fates, let-go-and-go-with-god attitude some readers seem to take toward preparing for the big earthquake expected to wreck the Northwest sometime in the next 50 to 100 years. Here’s my short answer to all this […]
Posted inNews
In the Crosshairs
Bankers Target Credit Unions over Public Funds
Oregon banks launch a broadside against credit unions over public funds.
Posted inNews
It’s Been Slow Going in Ironing Out New Taxi Reforms
Nathan Gilles Remember that damning study last year that spawned a whole bunch of taxicab reforms in Portland and also gave rise to a new company, the first in several years? Nothing’s really in place yet. But they’re getting there. In a status report heading to the Portland City Council on Wednesday, the city’s Private […]
Posted inNews
Good Morning, News!
Asking Iraq for Help. Secretary of State John Kerry is hoping Iraq will help stop the movement of Iranian weapons to the Syrian government. Meanwhile, Syrian Rebel Leader Quits. Citing a lack of support from the rest of the world, the head of the Syrian rebel coalition resigned earlier today. No Whiff of Putin. British […]
Posted inNews
Labor Group Restarts Fight for Wage Theft Bills
Labor advocates are once again hoping to push a series of bills through the Oregon House that will make it harder for employers to stiff their employees out of their hard-earned dough. The bills hope to tackle the problem of “wage theft,” which is pretty much what it sounds like: an employer not paying an […]
Posted inNews
Good Morning, News!
Settlements Aren’t Helping. Today in the West Bank city of Ramallah, President Obama said Israel’s continued settling of the West Bank did not “advance the cause of peace.” But he didn’t ask Israel to stop its busy building. Obama did say he thought a two-state solution was still possible. Assad Wants Probing. Earlier today, UN […]