Publications

  • Farmworker Overtime
    In 2022, the Oregon state legislature passed HB 4002 which mandates overtime pay for farmworkers. In this policy brief, LERC Research Associate Mary Follo assesses the primary research cited by Oregon growers in opposition to the legislation. She finds a number of methodological problems with this research that cast doubt on their conclusions….
  • Daycare worker and two small children playing
    Child Care Workforce in Crisis
    This report documents how home-based child care providers and their families pay the price for both poor wages and working conditions in the rest of the economy, and for our stingy public child care programs. Families can’t afford the true cost of care and our severely underfunded public child care programs are too small and weak to make up the difference….
  • A State of Immigrants
    LERC announces the release of a new report: “A State of Immigrants: A New Look at the Immigrant Experience in Oregon.” The book was edited by LERC Director, Bob Bussel and produced by LERC Staff, with contributions from scholars across the state….
  • Hundreds of cars in red, blue, silver, and white
    Examining the Auto Industry’s Future
    In this report, LERC professor Gordon Lafer finds that one of the most critical factors that will determine the quality of EV manufacturing jobs is whether employees will have the right to organize labor unions without fear or intimidation….
  • Assessing Oregon Apprenticeships
    This report examines the progress women and workers of color have made entering the Oregon construction industry. We find that pre-apprenticeship programs and targeted recruitment efforts over the last decade have had a significant impact creating a more diverse construction workforce….
  • Two people in a food processing plant
    Essential Work, Disposable Workers
    This report highlights the growing visibility and vulnerability of food processing workers in rural Washington—primarily immigrants and people of color—who faced severe COVID-19 outbreaks due to crowded, high-risk working conditions. Workers also struggled to access public relief due to bureaucratic hurdles, misinformation and language barriers. …
  • Close up image of face with mask
    Essential Yet Invisible
    Essential Yet Invisible explores how COVID-19 has intensified the risks and complexities of one of Oregon’s fastest growing occupations, homecare work. Workers are often left to independently adjust care routines and adopt additional health and safety measures. These heightened challenges disproportionately impact women—especially women of color….
  • A woman assisting an elderly patient with putting on shoes.
    Homecare Work in Oregon
    This report covers the union and nonunion homecare industry and workforce in Oregon, with a particular focus on nonunion private agency homecare work….
  • Construction worker on steel beam
    Prevailing Wage Report
    This study by the Labor Education and Research Center (LERC) and the Illinois Economic Policy Institute highlights the positive effects of Oregon’s Prevailing Wage Rate law. The research shows that the law does not raise construction project costs, but it does enhance bid competition, increase the number of contracts awarded to local firms, and improve both wages and access to health insurance for workers…
  • Wind turbine and sunset
    Climate Action and Union Jobs
    States are tackling climate change through diverse strategies like renewable energy goals and climate action plans, emphasizing the need for collaboration among environmental advocates, policymakers, and labor groups. Organizations such as the BlueGreen Alliance are fostering connections between labor unions and climate initiatives to ensure support for policies that include job creation, worker organizing, and transition assistance….
  • Food processing worker
    Persistent Unpredictability
    In 2017, Oregon passed the first statewide legislation (SB 828) to regulate unpredictable scheduling practices in retail, food service, and hospitality. This study reveals persistent scheduling instability among these workers, as employers continue to make last-minute changes and circumvent predictability pay requirements….
  • The Union Advantage
    This report finds that unions in Oregon raise wages, improve health and pension benefits, reduce overall income inequality, and significantly decrease racial and gender inequalities. Oregon unions also make it much less likely that workers will need to rely on public benefits such as food stamps or welfare….
  • The Care Revolution
    The Care Revolution tells the inspiring story of the first wave of organizing by Oregon’s home care workers. Grounded in extensive interviews with workers, the film explains how union representation has transformed the lives of caregivers and improved the quality of care for the people they serve….
  • Bullying in the Workplace
    This paper explores the growing recognition of workplace bullying and mobbing in the U.S. and Canada, highlighting the challenges of translating consensus into effective policies that balance the interests of employees, employers, and unions. It offers guidance for advocates and arbitrators by reviewing definitions, impacts, policy language, and arbitration cases, with a primary focus on U.S. examples and limited Canadian applicability due to structural differences….