In a letter from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 89, the Washington State based union claims to be assisting workers in the Oregon Legislature to unionize. The letter, authored by IBEW Local 89 Business Manager/Financial Secretary Matthew P. Carroll was addressed to the "members of the Oregon Legislative Administration Committee," and says:

The IBEW has been asked to assist workers in the Oregon Legislature in forming a Union to address their representational needs. We look forward to working with the Legislative Administration Committee to ensure your employees have a voice in the workplace they are so passionate about. The IBEW has a history of transcending politics and working with public entities in the collective bargaining process, producing agreements based on partnership and collaboration.

Local 89 is committed to a process that provides a path to representation for these workers, while respecting the laws and institutions of the State. We anticipate that the State will do likewise, respecting the rights of their employees.

House Republican Leader Christine Drazan said, "Our legislative employees are valued partners in service to our constituents and state. As these options are considered, we want to make sure that all workers are advised of their first amendment rights as required by the Janus decision." In 2018 the US Supreme Court decided in Janus v. AFSCME that public employees must be advised of their first amendment rights, and must knowingly waive those rights before union dues can be deducted.

It is not clear how the unionization will come about -- if there will be a vote of the workers, or if legislative leadership will simply designate IBEW Local 89 as the representative for the workers. Workers in the Legislature have many statutory protections. In 2017, the Oregon Legislature passed a pay equity law, HB 2005, which prohibits discriminatory pay laws, effectively determining pay based on resume.

Carroll concludes the letter by saying, "I look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the Oregon Legislature.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 280 PAC, an Oregon based political action committee has a history of making large donations exclusively to Democratic and left-leaning candidates and causes. It's not clear if their Washington-based sister union will follow the same pattern.

Major donations from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 280 PAC this year
Date	Donor	Amount
11/10/2020	Oregonians to Maintain Community Standards (1579)	$2,430
10/21/2020	Jackie for Salem (19242)	$1,000
10/21/2020	Friends of Dan Rayfield (14046)	$1,000
10/21/2020	Elect Ashley Carson Cottingham (20526)	$1,000
10/21/2020	Jason for Bend (18661)	$1,000
10/21/2020	Megan for Bend (20694)	$1,000
10/21/2020	Broadman for Bend (20610)	$1,000
09/30/2020	Melanie For Bend (20331)	$1,000
09/30/2020	Friends of Val Hoyle (13967)	$1,000
09/02/2020	Friends of Dan Rayfield (14046)	$1,000
09/02/2020	IBEW Political/Legislative Dept Voluntary Fund (fed)	$5,000
08/19/2020	Jackie for Salem (19242)	$1,000
08/19/2020	Elect Ashley Carson Cottingham (20526)	$1,500
08/19/2020	Committee to Elect Shemia Fagan (14993)	$2,500
08/19/2020	Jason for Bend (18661)	$1,000
08/19/2020	Friends of Julie Fahey (17469)	$1,000
08/05/2020	Oregonians to Maintain Community Standards (1579)	$2,430
05/13/2020	Oregonians to Maintain Community Standards (1579)	$2,823
04/15/2020	Jackie for Salem (19242)	$1,000
03/26/2020	Yes for LCC Bond (20245)	$10,000
03/15/2020	Oregonians to Maintain Community Standards (1579)	$2,823

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-11-16 09:29:20

Last Update: 2020-11-16 09:48:08