Workers in Oregon Fend Off Employer, Anti-Union Activists

Seeking respect and basic benefits, including sick leave and vacation time, 156 workers at Dosha Salon and Spa in Portland voted 79-66 for CWA Local 7901 in a hard-fought, 18-month campaign.

Management brought in Harry Beck and other anti-union activists to try to thwart the campaign, which organized workers at four salon locations. A fifth is opening soon.

The hair stylists, massage therapists, nail technicians, spa hosts, schedulers and laundry workers were fed up with arbitrary policies, including unreasonable restrictions on vacation and sick time.

New hires sometimes got higher pay than more senior workers doing the same job, and employees had to sign restrictive "non-compete" agreements that limited their ability to augment their wages. The company also set unrealistic sales quotas and disciplined workers who failed to meet them.

"They are brave for standing up for what they believed despite negative campaigning by management, and a visit from anti-union extremists the company brought in to pressure them into voting no," said District 7 Organizing Coordinator Al Kogler. "Instead, the workers stayed upbeat and stuck together, wearing red T-shirts to anti-union meetings and temporary pro-union tattoos."

The employees first tried to organize when a supermajority signed a petition seeking representation, but management refused to recognize the union. After that, the workers' inside organizing committee sought the NLRB election. Local 7901 Organizer Joe Crane and President Madelyn Elder, also a CWA At-Large Executive Board member, assisted the workers.