Busted!
A sampler of recent charges of employer labor law violations at
the local office of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
MetroWest fires another pro-Teamster worker
Every month, MetroWest Ambulance seems more lawless in its
anti-union campaign, judging by charges filed with the National La-
bor Relations Board. On Oct. 27, Travis Schlegel became the third
worker fired for allegedly supporting a campaign to join Teamsters
Local 223. And on Nov. 10, the company — which has the contract
for ambulance service in Washington County — threatened em-
ployee Neil Lundin with consequences for engaging in union activ-
ity. Management also barred employees from engaging in union so-
licitation on employer property. Workers are pressing forward with
their campaign to join Teamsters Local 223, and filed Nov. 21 for a
union election to be held.
Union supporter: The most dangerous occupation
In the last month, three other area employers were accused of firing
a worker in retaliation for union-type activities: the J.T. Marine
ship repair facility in Vancouver; Pathway Enterprises group home
in Ashland; and Providence St. Vincent hospital in Portland.
Going through the motions in bargaining
This will sound familiar to union school bus drivers at the com-
pany’s other locations: In the South Umpqua School District, multi-
national bus contractor First Student is accused by Oregon School
Employees Association of playing games instead of bargaining in
good faith as required by law. Since the union contract expired Aug.
30, the union says, two bargaining sessions have taken place at
which the employer’s negotiator was unprepared to bargain in any
meaningful way, and came without the authority to make a deal.
That’s when they meet. Mostly First Student’s bargainer is unavail-
able, the union says: OSEA has offered more than 50 dates to meet
since May 19.
...Home care workers protest cuts
(From Page 1)
employer-provided health insurance by
increasing the number of hours they
must work to qualify from 80 hours a
month to 130. That would save the state
an estimated $9.6 million a year.
When the first home care worker
group unionized in 2000, none of them
had employer-provided health insur-
ance. Today about 4,500 of them do. So
the state’s proposal could result in 2,000
workers losing health coverage. The
workers make $10.20 an hour, and have
had no raise since 2007.
PAGE 8
Making matters worse, a Jan. 1 pro-
gram cut will reduce the workers’ hours.
Under the state budget approved by the
Legislature in June 2011, clients will
have their hours of service reduced 5
percent on average (meaning workers
will lose 5 percent of their hours on av-
erage.) The cut saves the state general
fund $4.1 million.
It is unlawful for home care workers
to strike. Contracts are decided by bind-
ing arbitration. The last bargaining ses-
sion was Nov. 17, while the first media-
tion session has yet to be scheduled.
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
DECEMBER 2, 2011