Committee Hears Divided Testimony on Bill Allowing Unemployment Benefits for Striking Workers

The Senate Committee on Labor and Business held an extended public hearing Feb. 11 on Senate Bill 9 16, legislation to make striking workers eligible for unemployment insurance (UI) under specified conditions. Supporters said the change would help level bargaining power and protect workers and families; opponents said it would alter the purpose of UI, raise costs for employers and taxpayers, and could incentivize longer strikes.

Committee staff summarized the bill: it would amend existing law to specify that an otherwise-eligible individual is not disqualified from UI for any week the Employment Department director finds the individual unemployed because of a labor dispute at their place of work; the measure declares an emergency and is effective on passage, according to the summary read at the hearing.

Multiple labor and education unions, frontline health care workers and an economic research analyst urged the committee to support SB 9 16. Jenny Spinning, a nurse care manager at Providence and a member of the Oregon Nurses…