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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 7, 2015)
PAGE 12 | August 7, 2015 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS U.S. wage, benefit growth at slowest pace in 33 years Wages and benefits for Ameri- can workers grew in the spring at the slowest pace in 33 years. The employment cost index rose just 0.2 percent in the April- June quarter after a 0.7 increase MEDICARE TURNS 50. Scott Blau, president of the Oregon chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA), hands out buttons at a gathering July 30 in Portland celebrating the 50th anniversary of Medicare and Med- icaid. Similar events were held in more than 100 cities nationwide, including Medford. In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed legislation to establish Medicare for the elderly and Medicaid for low-income adults, children, pregnant women, and people with disabilities. Today it is the single largest source of health insur- ance in the United States, with 55 million people (660,000 in Oregon) covered. Despite its success, this year’s U.S. House and U.S. Senate budgets seek to cut billions of dollars from the program and to transform it from a guarantee to a voucher program. The ARA opposes the cuts. It wants Congress to strengthen the program. ... Union contract for cannabis workers From Page 1 Reed owns a similar vertically integrated cannabis company in New Mexico—Natural Rx— which is also UFCW-repre- sented. Natural Rx has medical marijuana dispensaries in Albu- querque and Las Cruces, plus a grow and processing operation. In Oregon, Reed says he’s one of 10 partners in Stoney Brothers LLC, along with New Mexico’s former Republican governor Gary Johnson, CEO of Nevada- based Cannabis Sativa Inc. Reed, once a member of Iron Workers Local 495 in Albu- querque, said he views the rela- tionship with UFCW as a part- nership. It was Reed who contacted the union, at the sug- gestion of a friend. UFCW has been part of efforts to legalize marijuana in Oregon and else- where, and the union has a new division devoted to marijuana and hemp workers known as Low Prices! Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat 9:30-5:30, Sun 12-6 Cannabis Workers Rising. Stoney Brothers displays union signage, and offers a 10 percent discount to union mem- bers. Currently, customers must have a medical marijuana card, but starting Oct. 1, Oregon’s li- censed medical marijuana dis- pensaries will be allowed to sell to any adult 21 and over. in the first quarter, the Labor Department reported. The index tracks wages, salaries and bene- fits. Wages and salaries alone also rose 0.2 percent. Both measures recorded the smallest quarterly gains since the second quarter of 1982.
