The state of Oregon, as one of the biggest employers within the state, often faces tumultuous negotiations regarding its labor contracts with its employees. Just one example of this is the state’s ongoing negotiation with the service employees’ union, which recently hit a fairly major snag According to a report by the Statesman Journal, on… Read More
Posts Categorized In: Current Affairs
Spokane Wage Gap – Is It a Problem?
The Spokane Journal of Business recently published an article which might cause worry among some in the area. The story noted how newly released information indicates that the average hourly wage in Spokane is about 6% behind the nationwide average–$20.65/hour compared with the $22.01/hour. According to data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor, this… Read More
Oregon House Passes New Protections For Domestic Workers
Many people who are financially well off think nothing of hiring housekeepers and nannies to help make their day-to-day lives run more smoothly. In the best scenarios, these domestic employees become part of the family and are treated with a great deal of love and respect. However, the picture is not always so rosy; we… Read More
Longshore Protesters Demonstrate on Both Land and Water Against Grain Lockout
As the Oregonian recently reported, the Coast Guard has recently become involved in managing safety in a lockout where protests are occurring both on land and on boats in the Columbia and Willamette rivers. This labor dispute is between longshore workers, who load and unload ships at the dock, and the grain companies Columbia Grain… Read More
Portland Blocks City Park Rangers' Plans to Unionize
Though many employers, including government employers, profess to support the rights of their employees, their union-blocking actions do not always match up with their enthusiastic claims. Such is the case with the city of Portland, which is seeking to stop its park rangers from unionizing. In this post, we will explore the arguments made by… Read More
Fast Food Workers Strike in Seattle And Throughout The Nation
A recent strike in Seattle by a group of fast food is going to make it very hard to get your food quickly. The Nation reports that fast food workers throughout Seattle went on a twenty-four hour strike earlier this week, marking the seventh fast food work stoppage in the last two months over issues… Read More
Will Switch to Health Exchanges Affect Insurance for Washington State Workers?
For many employees, their compensation is much more than the final total they see on their paycheck every two weeks. That is because many employers provide a range of other benefits which are critical, including vacation time, sick leave, retirement support, and health care insurance. It is important not to view these additional amenities as… Read More
PERS Reform: Budget Woes Are Hurting Teachers and Students
In our last post, we discussed how Oregon’s Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) has been the subject of ongoing criticism and attempts at reform. Specifically, we explored one of the major liabilities of the system – the Money Match pension formula that has significantly raised pension costs for government employers in the state of Oregon…. Read More
PERS Reform: Money Match Makes Pension Costs Rise to Unaffordable Heights
One of the most important issues facing the state of Oregon these days is the brokenness of its Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). In order to provide you with a holistic understanding of the situation, this post will be the first in a series discussing PERS reform. In this post, we will discuss the major… Read More
More Support Needed for LGBT Employees in Washington?
Both state and federal employment laws are in place to ensure workers are treated fairly. From ensuring proper wages, overtime, sick leave, and more, these laws guarantee workers a level of security in the face of unexpected life circumstances. As you might expect, legal disagreements over application of these rules often hinge not on what… Read More