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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 7, 2009)
August 7, 2009:NWLP 8/4/09 10:20 AM Page 10 Pro-union receptionist fired at nursing home accepts cash settlement — then gets a tattoo A Southeast Portland nursing home settled a series of federal unfair labor practice charges July 14, and agreed to back pay for Elizabeth Lehr, a recep- tionist who was fired after she sup- ported a union campaign. Laurelhurst Village, a subsidiary of the Portland-based Farmington Centers chain, did not admit it had broken fed- eral labor law in opposing a campaign by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 503. But the nurs- ing home agreed to post notices in four languages in employee break rooms saying it will not do anything that inter- feres with employees’ right to join a union. In the notices, Laurelhurst Village promises not to interrogate employees about union activity or restrain, coerce, discipline or discharge workers for en- gaging in union activities. And it clari- fies that employees have the right to come in during off hours to promote unionization. The notices, in English, Spanish, Creole, and Tagalog, were posted July 28 and will remain up for two months. The two sides agreed to settle the charges just before a federal adminis- trative law judge had been scheduled to hear the case. The National Labor Rela- tions Board (NLRB) earlier investigated and found Laurelhurst Village had bro- ken labor law in 11 separate instances, including its firing of Lehr. Lehr, a 23- year-old part-timer who at one time was employee of the month, was fired April 2 — 10 days after publicly supporting a ELIZABETH LEHR campaign to join Local 503. Local 503 had been seeking a federal court order reinstating her. In the settlement, the company agreed to $2,646 in back pay for Lehr, plus an undisclosed amount in ex- change for her waiving her right to re- instatement. The dollar amount was confidential under the terms of the set- tlement, but Lehr described it as a meaningful amount, and said she felt vindicated by it. To celebrate, she had the phrase “Union Made” tattooed on her rib cage. Lehr also won her unem- ployment claim, which was earlier op- posed by Laurelhurst Village attorneys. Though Lehr won’t be returning to Laurelhurst Village, she said she re- mains committed to the union cam- paign. Local 503 organizer Guillermo Galarreta said the campaign is reassess- ing its strategy. The union intends to keep a spotlight on abuses at Laurel- hurst Village, but as of late July, the campaign remained at a standstill. The union campaign was making swift progress in March and April, be- fore management's crackdown changed the dynamic in the workplace. But the crackdown made workers fearful of tak- ing action. “A lot of the damage has been done by the employer,” Galarreta said. “We’re trying to rebuild the organizing committee.” The NLRB settlement might be ex- pected to embolden workers, demon- strating that their activities in support of unionizing are protected by the law. But Galarreta suggested Laurelhurst Village was undermining the effect of that by fostering misinformation — including the story that Lehr’s settlement ran to six figures, and that paying for it means Laurelhurst Village won’t have money to pay for other workers’ health insur- ance. Galarreta said both of those things were untrue, and said the union is con- sidering filing a follow-up unfair labor practice charge. E E FR BARGAIN COUNTER Free classified ads to subscribers DEADLINE: Friday prior to publication Published 1st and 3rd Fridays Now accepting e-mails Send to: Michael492@comcast.net Mail to: NWLP, PO Box 13150, Portland OR 97213 (Please include union affiliation) • 15-20 words • No commercial or business ads • 1 ad per issue • All lower case (NO CAPITAL LETTERS, PLEASE) • Ads MUST include area code or they will not be published Automotive Sporting Goods ’62 STUDE GT HAWK, two-tone blue, mostly done, a little left, sharp 4-spd $7,500. 503-686-4325 1988 TO 1992 HOOD for F250 truck, $100, sway bar for 1988 F250 Ford truck $80. 503 761-1190 MANY 6- AND 8-HOLE pickup wheels and tires. Springfield OR. 541 746-4706 ESTATE SALE, ’97 Chev ext cab pickup, 68k miles, $3,500; ’70 Old Cutlass, 4 dr, 79k miles, $2,000. 503 254-8948 PISTOL MAGAZINES for Ruger P85 9mm 15 rnd capacity, 4 USA brand, 1 original Ruger, all new, 20 rnds ammo. $50. 360 213-9540 2006 HARLEY SPORTSTER,1200cc, 550 miles, $9,000 obo. 503 636-4686 RUGER 77, 17hmr, redfield 3x9, cleaning gear,1550 rds of ammo. 503 366-0218 BELGIUM MADE BROWNING bar 30-06 grade 2, original condition with see thru rings, $650. obo. 503 760-8696. 1985 HONDA ELITE scooter, 4,905 actual miles, $1,400. 503 539-0288. ‘97 22-FOOT MONTARA Class C RV, Ford V10, 73K miles, excellent, 4KW generator, sleeps 5, extras. $14,800. 503 524-3147 WINDOWS FROM A 36 FT RV, various sizes, $10-$20 per window, clean, good cond, no cracks, screens 503 777-8970 GLOCK 29 10 mm compact, only 50 rds fired w/holster, excellent, $475. 503 497- 7413 (Mark) HUNTER’S SPECIAL, 1972 Caveman camper, $250. 541 544-2030 1992 17’ 4” FISHER WELDEN alum boat/trailer, 75 hp Mariner OB, 8 hp Mariner kicker, extras, $6,950. 503 861-1269 LEOPOLD SCOPE, 2.5x8x36 MM, VARI- X III,matte finish, $270. 503 593-9242 TOYOTA MOTORHOME,1978, runs good $975. 503 287-7622 ’99 16FT FISHER AVENGER, galvanized bunk trailer, 50 &8hp Merc, walk-thru wind- shield, exc cond, $9,500. 503-632-2283 Housing TIME TO RETIRE? Home for sale in Para- dise Park on the Clackamas River. $229,000, Call Shane 503 679-4945 LINCOLN CITY, nice 2-level beach house, 2bdrm, 2bath, deck. $400/week. Dan 971- 340-9690 or Chris 503-351-1408. 3 BDR RANCH, fenced backyard, 1ba, wood stove, bonus room, $975 + dep, pets ok, Vancouver 360-693-1022 HUNTING & FISHING close by Wamic area, $100,000. 541 544-3499 ROCKAWAY OCEAN FRONT, 5 bdrms, 2 ba, best rental on the coast! 503 777-5076 http://home.comcast.net/~rockaway.beach Wanted MOTORCYCLES, running or not, also mu- sical instruments, cash paid 503 880-8183 OLD WOODWORKING tools, planes, lev- els, chisels, handsaws, slicks, adzes, wrenches, folding rulers, leather tools, tool chests. 503 659-0009 COLLECTOR PAYS cash for older toys, oil paintings, art pottery. 503 653-1506 PARTS FOR 1951 Frazer, automobile, call Gary. 503 663-5839 JUNK CARS, free removal of unwanted cars and pickups. 503 314 8600 For the Home 8500 BTU WINDOW HEAT PUMP unit, heats and cools large area, 220v, 15amp, $450. Bill 503-351-9054 GLASS TOP tables, coffee, end, and sofa, bed spread rack, $140. 503 254-3587 Miscellaneous PATIO DOOR, left sliding, 6'x6'10", epi En- ergystar, white vinyl w/screen, $400. 503 690-3490. DIEMAKERS TOOLS with Kennedy boxes, outside mics, depth mics, etc $950; machinist 9 drawer roll away & tools. $650. 503 491 9803 2 WINDOW MODEL air conditioners, Ken- more 13 cu ft upright freezer, Kenmore re- frigerator/cross-top freezer, all $65 each. 503 222-7419 HEAVY DUTY 5th-wheel hitch, great shape, $100; 1 cargo carrier, 250 lbs weight limit, $50. 503 557-6413 HEMORRHOIDS The Non-Surgical Treatment Keesey Technique Since 1954 THE SANDY BLVD. CLINIC PORTLAND 503-232-7609 or toll free @ 888-750-1432 Visist us @ www.sandyclinic.com • E-mail: sandyclinic@aol.com Steven G. Cranford, DC, ND We also treat anal fissure’s fistula/absess disease and severe itching. 2026 NE SANDY BLVD., PORTLAND, OR 97232 PAGE 10 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS AUGUST 7, 2009
