Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 29, 2016)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2016 Tied 4-4 after Scalia’s death, US Supreme Court gives unions a win Teachers had objected to paying fees By SAM HANANEL Associated Press WASHINGTON — In the clearest sign yet of the impact of Justice Antonin Sca- lia’s death, labor unions on Tuesday won a high-pro¿le Supreme Court dispute they once seemed all but certain to lose. The justices announced they were divided 4-4 in a case that considered whether unions representing govern- ment employees can col- lect fees from workers who choose not to join. The split vote leaves in place an appeals court ruling that upheld the practice. The result is an unlikely victory for organized labor after it seemed very likely the high court would rule 5-4 to overturn a system that’s been in place nearly 40 years. The court is operating with only eight justices after the death of Scalia, who had been expected to rule against the unions. The one-sentence opinion does not identify how each jus- tice voted. It simply upholds a decision from the 9th U.S. Cir- cuit Court of Appeals. Blow to conservative groups But it’s a major blow to conservative groups that have spent years pushing the court to overrule a 1977 precedent that allows unions to collect “fair share” fees from mem- bers and non-members alike that cover the costs of collec- tive bargaining. The decision came as Supreme Court nominee Mer- rick Garland was to meet with Republican Illinois Sen. Mark .irk, his ¿rst meeting with a J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo Visitors wait on the plaza of the Supreme Court on Tuesday as the justices split 4-4 in a case that considered whether public employees represented by a union can be required to pay “fair share” fees covering collective bargaining costs even if they are not mem- bers. The deadlock is the first tie vote since the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, who had been expected to rule against the unions, and now leaves in place an appeals court ruling that upheld the practice. GOP senator. President Barack Obama nominated Garland to ¿ll the vacant seat, but Repub- lican leaders in the Senate say they won’t hold con¿rma- tion hearings or vote on the pick until a new president is elected. The union case is among a handful of key disputes in which Scalia’s vote was expected to tip the balance toward a result that favored conservatives. During argu- ments in the case in January, Scalia and the court’s four other conservatives made it clear they were ready to deal a blow to the unions. Since Supreme Court deci- sions are not ¿nal until they are handed down, nothing Sca- lia did or said in connection with the case before his death mattered in the outcome. vative group said being forced to pay union fees violated the free speech rights of nonmem- bers who disagree with the unions’ positions. The high court had raised doubts about the viability of the 1977 prec- edent, Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, but it stopped short of overturning it in two recent cases. In Abood, the court said public workers who choose not to join a union can be required to pay for bargain- ing costs if the fees don’t go toward political purposes. The lead plaintiff was Rebecca Friedrichs, a public school teacher from Orange County, California, who said she resigned from the Cali- fornia Teachers Association over differences but was still required to pay about $650 a year to cover bargaining costs. Free speech rights Fees necessary In the case, California teachers backed by a conser- The case affects more than 5 million workers in 23 states and Washington, D.C., who are represented at the bargaining table by public sector unions. Labor of¿cials worried the potential loss of tens of mil- lions of dollars in fees would reduce their power to bargain for higher wages and bene¿ts for government employees. Labor leaders called the lawsuit part of a coordinated effort by conservative groups to weaken labor rights. Union of¿cials say the fees are neces- sary because the organization has a legal duty to represent all teachers, even those who are not members of the union. Lee Saunders, president of the American Federal of State, Local and Municipal Employ- ees, called the case a “political attack” on unions. “AFSCME members are more resolved than ever to band together and stand up to future attempts to silence the voices of working families,” he said. County unemployment below state, nation professional and business ser- vices 50. Manufacturing lost 40 jobs over the year. The Daily Astorian Clatsop County’s season- ally adjusted unemployment last month was more than 1 percentage point lower than the same point the year prior, according to statistics from the Oregon Employment Department. The county’s season- ally adjusted unemploy- ment rate, 4.6 percent, was the ninth-lowest out of Ore- gon’s 36 counties, and lower than both the national (4.9) and state (4.8) unemployment rates. February’s unemploy- ment was down three-tenths of a percent from January, and 1.1 percentage points lower than the same point the year prior. The county added 210 jobs in February, 100 more than expected. The change left nonfarm payroll employment at 17,950, 380 more than the year prior for a growth rate of 2.3 percent. over the last yea,r and local education another 50. Tillamook County Columbia County Leisure and hospitality added 80 jobs in February. Local government education, which includes student work- ers, added another 90. Over the past year, retail trade has added 230 positions, leisure and hospitality another 80, local government 70 and In Columbia County, the 6.2 percent seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Feb- ruary was in the bottom half among Oregon’s counties, but down one-tenth of a per- cent from January and more than 1 percentage point lower than the same point in time last year. In February, professional and business services added 20 jobs, as did leisure and hospi- tality. Retail trade lost 20 jobs. Columbia County’s non- farm payroll employment in February was 10,450, up 120 from the year prior for a growth rate of 1.2 percent. Over the past year, the coun- ty’s manufacturing industry has added 70 jobs, leisure and hospitality 50 and professional and business services 40. Con- struction has dropped 60 jobs In Tillamook County, the 5 percent seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February was near the middle of Oregon’s 36 counties, down one-¿fth of a percent from the month prior and more than one-half a per- cent lower than the year prior. Food manufacturing added 20 jobs in February, and local government education grew by 30. February’s nonfarm pay- roll employment was 8,830, 40 more than the year prior for a growth rate of 0.5 percent. Industries adding the most posi- tions over the past year included manufacturing with 90 and retail trade with 60. Leisure and hospitality was down 50 jobs over the year. The state Employment Department will release March’s county unemployment rates April 19. Man arrested for sexual abuse of teenage girl According to the Sheriff’s Of¿ce, evidence revealed The Clatsop County Jetland had secretly entered 6heriff’s Of¿ce arrested an the residence nearly a day Ilwaco, Washington, man earlier and hid in the bed- room with the girl Monday for the online sexual cor- while intermittently ruption and abuse of have sexual contact a local teenage girl. with her throughout Jesse Lee Jet- the day. land, 21, was Jetland used a charged with two social network to counts of sec- arrange an in-per- ond-degree sodomy son meeting with and one each of the girl, providing ¿rst-degree online her and a friend Jesse Lee sexual corruption, with marijuana and Jetland rape and burglary. tobacco while at The arrest the residence. Par- comes after a monthlong ents of both girls are aware of investigation by the Sher- the situation and have been iff’s Of¿ce, which received assisting law enforcement. a report in January indicating And further evidence indi- the parents of a local middle cates Jetland was communi- school student had found Jet- cating with other underage land in their daughter’s bed. females in the county. The Daily Astorian Nuclear power plant unexpectedly shut down after equipment breaks Associated Press RICHLAND, Wash. — Washington state’s only nuclear power plant has been shut down after operators received an indication that a system used to cool equip- ment wasn’t working. Of¿- cials said there was no release of radiation and no danger to the public. The Columbia Generat- ing Station near Richland was shut down about 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Energy Northwest spokesman John Dobken said. Of¿cials hope to restart the plant sometime this week, Dobken told The Associated Press early Tuesday. The Tri-City Herald reported that the plant was shut down after operators were alerted to problems with the system that uses water to cool heat exchangers and pumps, including those that control the power level of the reactor. Energy Northwest says it seems that a water system valve may not have been in the right position, but adds that an investigation is ongoing. The last time the plant had an unplanned shutdown, known as a scram, was in November 2009, when there was a hydraulic Àuid leak. Mike Paoli, an Energy Northwest spokesman, said a decision on restarting the plant will be made after a thorough review of the event and when operators have con- ¿dence that all systems can operate to standards. “Scrams are not unusual events in the industry, but they are not what we like to see to meet our generation num- bers,” Paoli said. The nation has 99 operat- ing nuclear reactors and they had more than 110 scrams in the last two years, he said. The plant broke genera- tion records in December and January, operating in January above its peak capacity factor. It produces enough elec- tricity to power a city about the size of Seattle. Bundy, co-defendants appeal to remain in Oregon Associated Press PORTLAND — Ammon Bundy and three co-defen- dants who are jailed in Ore- gon for the occupation of a national wildlife refuge have appealed an order that requires them to Ày to Nevada next month to face charges in a federal case there. Assistant federal pub- lic defender Rich Federico sent notice Monday that the four men are appealing to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. A federal judge in Port- land last week ordered the defendants to be Àown to Nevada on April 13 and returned to Oregon on April 25. During that window, they would make their ¿rst court appearances on charges stemming from a 2014 stand- off at Cliven Bundy’s ranch near Bunkerville, Nevada. Defense attorneys say the clock shouldn’t start on the Nevada case until the Ore- gon one if ¿nished, because it could violate their clients’ right to effective counsel. W A NTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500 Early Childhood Health & Education Clinic For Clatsop County Kids SIGN UP TODAY! FREE For all 2-5 year olds, regardless of income April 13, 2015 Astor Elementary School 3550 Franklin Ave., Astoria April 19, 2015 Seaside Convention Center 415 First Avenue, Seaside Early screening is an important step to successful learning. Your child will receive the following exams and screenings: ~ Physical ~ Hearing ~ School Readiness ~Speech ~ Nutrition ~Vision ~Dental ~Immunization Call your local elementary school or Head Start center for an appointment by April 6 for the Astoria clinic or April 14 for the Seaside clinic. Limited transportation help is available upon request. se habla espanol. Sponsors are NW Early Learning Council, NW Educational Service District and Clatsop Kinder Ready. Major health & education groups of Clatsop County are partnering to make this clinic possible. Columbia Memorial Hospital tXXXDPMVNCJBNFNPSJBMPSH
