July 1, 2011_nWLP 6/28/11 10:10 AM Page 4
...Free trade deals move closer to
Busted!
(From Page 1)
A sampler of recent charges of employer labor law violations filed
with the local office of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Blackjack dealer to Chinook casino: “Hit me”
It takes guts to stand up for your rights. While on break in the break
room, away from customers, a blackjack dealer at nonunion Chi-
nook Winds Casino put on a button: “Union supporter.” He was
asked by management to remove it, and told it violated policy. Well
in that case, he told them, the policy violates the National Labor Re-
lations Act. The dealer, who asked that we not publish his name,
filed a charge protesting the policy, as well as restrictions on posting
notices, and management’s reaction to a Facebook post: Eleven
workers were ordered to sign an agreement restricting expression
on online social media like Facebook. The NLRB is investigating.
A U.S. appeals court ruled recently that workers on Indian reserva-
tions have union rights too.
Grange Coop nixes pay cut to settle charges
Just because a union contract expires, that doesn’t mean an em-
ployer can do whatever it wants. The law says if no new contract is
ratified, an employer still has to bargain before it makes changes —
as long as a group of workers remains union-represented. That’s
what the Grange Cooperative learned after it cut its part-time
workers’ wages 59 cents an hour the day after their three-year con-
tract ended Dec. 31. The pay cut went to pay for increases in the
cost of health insurance, even though the part-timers don’t have that
benefit. Grange Coop is a farm and garden store with seven loca-
tions and 113 employees in Jackson and Josephine counties. Team-
sters Local 962 filed charges. After the NLRB agreed they’d bro-
ken the law, the Grange settled May 24 and paid back pay totaling
$8,406 to 52 workers. (Checks averaged $161.) Workers voted
April 18 to approve a new contract after turning down an earlier of-
fer in March. A separate charge is pending investigation for a
worker, Leland Ortis, who says he was fired for engaging in legally
protected union activity.
hands full. Stamoulis is the executive
director of Oregon Fair Trade Cam-
paign, a coalition of unions and human
rights groups that since 2004 has
worked to oppose NAFTA-style trade
agreements, hold elected officials ac-
countable for their votes, and promote a
vision of trade that benefits workers
and protects the environment. The
group is an affiliate of the Citizens
Trade Campaign, a national group.
Two years ago, Stamoulis says, the
situation looked bright. The three
Bush-negotiated agreements were
stalled in Congress, with then-House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi refusing to allow
a vote. And there was some momentum
behind a bill known as the TRADE
Act, which calls for renegotiation of
NAFTA. But “fair trade” activists have
gone back on the defensive in the last
year, Stamoulis said.
It started when Obama announced
June 2010 that he wanted the Korea
treaty ratified. After House Republi-
cans swept into the majority in No-
vember, they upped the ante, pledging
not to allow a vote on the Korea deal
unless the other two also get a vote.
When the White House balked at that,
Republican leaders refused to re-au-
thorize a package of benefits known as
Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA).
In certain cases where the govern-
ment certifies that foreign trade has
caused job loss, the TAA program pays
for workers to get some limited retrain-
ing, relocation, COBRA health insur-
ance coverage, and extended unem-
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley opposed the
ployment benefits. TAA had been ex-
panded in the February 2009 American agreements during his 2008 campaign,
Recovery and Reinvestment Act in that but since then has been quiet about
service workers who lost jobs due to them; his staff have reportedly said he
trade also got benefits, not just manu- is “reviewing” the agreements. His
spokesperson failed to respond to two
facturing workers.
Initially, the White House de- messages from the Labor Press.
U.S. Rep. David Wu opposes all
manded that TAA be re-authorized for
two years in its ex-
panded form. As
‘The White House wants [TAA
this issue went to
press, that demand
reauthorization] as cover for
was dropped, and
the White House
Democrats voting for job-killing
was reportedly pre-
pared to submit all
trade agreements,’ Stamoulis said,
three treaties to
Congress in ex-
‘but the Republicans have been
change for a one-
year reauthoriza- outmaneuvering them at every turn.’
tion of regular
three agreements on human rights and
TAA benefits.
“The White House wants [TAA jobs grounds and issued this statement
reauthorization] as cover for Democ- to the Labor Press: “So long as we neg-
rats voting for job-killing trade agree- lect to incorporate civil liberties and hu-
ments,” Stamoulis said, “but the Re- man rights criteria in our trade agree-
publicans have been outmaneuvering ments, we fail to meet our responsibility
to stand up for the rights of workers
them at every turn.”
If the treaties get a vote in Congress, everywhere to organize, environmental
Stamoulis says, they may be close groups to protect natural diversity, and
votes. Accordingly, Oregon Fair Trade those struggling for self-determination
Campaign has been “bird-dogging” lo- to realize their aspiration.”
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden’s spokes-
cal members of Congress who favor
person
failed to respond to two mes-
the treaties or are undecided.
sages from the Labor Press. Walden
Here’s how Oregon representatives
has voted consistently in favor of the
stand:
NAFTA-style trade agreements.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden hasn’t said
U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer is re-
how he will vote; a spokesperson failed portedly in favor of the Korea agree-
to follow up with the Labor Press about
(Turn to Page 10)
Wyden’s positions.
Providence settles employee free speech charge
On Feb. 1, a manager in the Supply and Distribution Department of
Providence St. Vincent Medical Center reprimanded employee
Mary Boal for sharing her phone number and rate of pay with co-
workers, and deleted the information from a staff message file. Boal
filed charges with the NLRB, and in late April, Providence settled,
promising to rescind the policy. “We will not tell you that your rate
of pay and other terms and conditions of employment are confiden-
tial information that cannot be disclosed to your coworkers,” Provi-
dence says in a posting to employees that is required as part of the
settlement. But now, in a new charge filed June 16, Boal alleges that
Providence retaliated against her for filing the earlier charge. The
NLRB is trying to get the word out that it’s against the law for em-
ployers to ban workers from discussing wages and working condi-
tions, whether they have a union or not.
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PAGE 4
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
JULY 1, 2011