TRIMET LOSES UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE

Oregon Employment Relations Board Denies TriMet’s Motion to Stay the Board Order

The transit workers’ union president, Bruce Hansen announced that the Oregon Employment Relations Board today denied TriMet's Motion to Stay the Board's order in UP 39-10. This case addressed health insurance charges to employees in 2011. The decision means that TriMet must post notices of its illegal actions and reimburse members for health insurance premium contributions and medical expenses while TriMet’s appeal is pending. “It is important to remember that the overwhelming evidence in this case proved that TriMet decided to charge employees more for health insurance for the wrong reason. It was not to save money. Instead, the evidence showed it was to punish the workers because their union filed a complaint charging TriMet with negotiating in bad faith.” Hansen said. “The problem is that our justice system suffers when one party to a dispute has the power to punish the people who are objecting to law violations and mistreatment. That is the issue the Board addressed, and correctly, I might add.”