Jan. 1, 2010:NWLP
12/28/09
11:37 AM
Page 6
Chamber, Associated Oregon Industries,
file lawsuit to stop Worker Freedom Act
Associated Oregon Industries (AOI)
and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
filed a lawsuit Dec. 22 to stop the
Worker Freedom Act from becoming
law. Senate Bill 519 — the Worker Free-
dom Act — was labor’s top priority bill
at the Oregon Legislature last session.
The new law prevents employers from
punishing workers who opt-out of
mandatory meetings on topics such as
politics, religion, and union organizing.
Oregon is the first state to pass such a
law. It was to take affect Jan. 1.
The lawsuit specifies Laborers Local
296 and Oregon Labor Commissioner
Brad Avakian as defendants. AOI and
the U.S. Chamber claim SB 519 violates
federal law and the First Amendment.
The lawsuit appears to revolve
around Local 296’s union organizing
campaign at cooked meat producer Bru-
cePac. In June, BrucePac fired at least
17 union supporters, just weeks into the
campaign among 350 workers at the
company’s Woodburn and Silverton
plants. Local 296 protested the firings in
legal charges filed with the National La-
bor Relations Board, and the agency
found merit to some of them. That case
will go before a federal administrative
law judge Jan. 12.
The lawsuit describes the BrucePac
campaign, without specifically naming
the company.
Tom Chamberlain, president of the
Oregon AFL-CIO, says the lawsuit is
without merit. “(SB 519) addresses sep-
arate issues from the laws they refer to,
and specifically protects both an em-
ployer’s right to free speech and a
worker’s right to be free from unwanted
communication.”
Chamberlain said some employers
“seem to be threatened by the idea that
they will no longer be able to fire or pun-
ish workers who don’t want to sit down
and listen to their opinions on non-work-
related topics.”
Seattle to host large MLK event
One of the largest Martin Luther
King Jr. celebrations in the nation will
take place in Seattle Monday, Jan. 18.
Entitled “Justice Now! Health care,
Housing, Jobs & Education,” the day-
long event will feature workshops, en-
tertainment, and a rally and march
through the streets of Seattle.
Workshops start at 9:30 a.m. at
Garfield High School, 400 23rd Ave at
East Jefferson. At 11 a.m., a rally with
speakers, poetry, and music will be
held. Then, at noon, participants will
march to the Jackson Federal Building,
2nd & Marion, downtown for a brief
outdoor rally.
“This year, MLK Day occurs during
a time of hardship with unemployment
rates not seen since the Great Depres-
sion of the 1930s,” said Jean Buskin of
the MLK Jr. Celebration Committee.
“The urgent needs of our communities
inspired this year’s theme.”
The celebration is open to all and is
free. A collection will be taken to help
cover costs.
Buskin said Seattle holds one of the
largest annual Martin Luther King Day
celebrations in the U.S.
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T HE R EV . M ARTIN L UTHER K ING
ON HUMAN RIGHTS
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PAGE 6
you that rare sense of nobility that can
only spring from love and selflessly
helping your fellow man. Make a ca-
reer of humanity. Commit yourself to
the noble struggle for human rights.
You will make a greater person of your-
self, a greater nation of your country,
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A PRIL 18, 1959
T HE R EV . M ARTIN L UTHER K ING
ON ECONOMIC JUSTICE
“I had also learned that the insepa-
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(S TRIDE T OWARD F REEDOM :
T HE M ONTGOMERY S TORY , 1958)
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to work in dangerous work
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CONFIDENTIAL report to
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(800) 922-2689
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NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
JANUARY 1, 2010
