Lawsuit seeks to block unionization of Oregon's Capitol staff

A lawsuit filed in Oregon Appellate Court last week is challenging the efforts of staff within Oregon’s Legislature to unionize.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reports the Freedom Foundation — a group that combats public sector unions in Oregon, Washington and California — is seeking judicial review of the state Employment Relations Board’s ruling that cleared the way for legislative staff to vote to unionize in late May.

Jason Dudash, Oregon director of the Freedom Foundation, said he believes the idea of a union is “fundamentally incompatible” with the work of the Legislature.

“Unionizing legislative assistants will compromise the integrity of the legislative branch and erode trust by the people toward their elected lawmakers,” Dudash said in a statement Friday.

The group argues that the bargaining unit representing legislative assistants is in conflict with the state law dividing power between Oregon’s three branches of government. The argument is nearly identical to one made by the Oregon Legislature itself last December when it objected to unionization efforts organized by staffer.

Read more: https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/2021/08/09/lawsuit-seeks-block-unionization-oregons-capitol-staff/5543768001/
(Salem Statesman Journal)