By Don McIntosh, Associate Editor 

The AFL-CIO has begun an all-out campaign to defeat “fast track” in Congress, and a vote on it is expected within days or weeks.

Fast track, also referred to as trade promotion authority, is legislation that would make it easier for Congress to pass more NAFTA-style trade agreements — including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a super-secret agreement being negotiated with 11 other Pacific Rim nations. Under fast track, when the president presents a trade agreement, Congress must hold an up-or-down vote within 90 days, with limited debate and no amendments.

If Congress passes fast track this time, the consequences could be enormous. TPP has been called “NAFTA on steroids” by its critics. It would cover almost 40 percent of the world’s economy, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam.

more at:  http://nwlaborpress.org/2015/03/fast-track-fight-begins/

Union Organizing

After obstruction and delay, City of Portland ordered to proceed with union election for park rangers

City obstructed and delayed for a year, but now park rangers get to join DCTU…

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Mar 17, 2014

Collective Bargaining

Portland State University professors authorize strike

AAUP says they’re ready to walk out to promote greater stability and defend faculty role in governance…

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City of Portland workers voting on
tentative contract agreement Feb 5, 2014  |  

By DON McINTOSH, Associate Editor

After nearly a year of contentious negotiations, about 1,300 City of Portland workers had a chance to vote on a new union contract this week and last. They are members of the seven-union coalition known as the District Council of Trade Unions (DCTU). DCTU represents 1,583 City workers, but a little over 300 of those are “fair share” employees who chose not to join the union and therefore don’t get to vote on the contract.

The rest of these stories:  http://nwlaborpress.org/
Pictures above include work by W Labor Press associate editor Don McIntosh, as published in NW Labor Press.

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