Oregon’s largest union targeted in class action

[Valin]

Oregon Live:

Gordon Friedman

Aug 12 2015

 

The Freedom Foundation, a libertarian think tank based in Washington state, is opening a branch in Salem and arriving with a running start.

 

The organization is holding a 2:30 p.m. press conference Thursday on the Capitol steps, where it will announce the filing of a federal class action lawsuit against the Service Employees International Union Local 503, Oregon’s largest workers union.

 

The suit, filed Wednesday, names home-care worker Julian Brown, of Deschutes County, as the plaintiff. Named as defendants are SEIU Local 503, Gov. Kate Brown, Department of Human Services Director Erinn Kelley-Siel, Oregon Home Care Commission Executive Director Cheryl Miller, Department of Administrative Services Director George Naughton, and DAS Labor Relations Unit Manager Tom Perry.

 

SEIU Local 503 represents more than 20,000 home-care workers who provide essential services for seniors and people with disabilities. Since unionization in 2000, the state’s home-care workers have won pay raises, health care and workers compensation coverage, according to SEIU.

 

The Freedom Foundation’s general counsel, James Abernathy, said the suit will focus on two arguments: That the state and SEIU cannot take union dues from or force membership for home-care workers who did not consent to union membership, and that SEIU’s exclusivity as the only bargaining agent for home-care workers is illegal.

 

(Snip)