

Five years ago, the United Farm Workers of America moved in next door to Beef Northwest's Boardman feedlot. In its first foray into Oregon, the well-known California union organized workers at Threemile Canyon Farms, the state's largest dairy and a Beef Northwest neighbor.
But with no unionized feedlots in the country, Beef Northwest's owners didn't think the labor movement would ever cross over to cattle pens.
Now, the United Farm Workers' efforts to organize the state's largest cattle feedlot has turned ugly, as the two sides clash over one central question: whether or not the company's 80 employees even want union representation.

Beef Northwest owners say their workers are among the highest paid in the industry and that the majority of their workers appear happy. They want the vote taken by secret ballot, in which workers vote anonymously without union involvement.
The ongoing conflict could pose harm to such promising Oregon brands as Country Natural Beef, which supplies all-natural meat to retailers such as Portland-based New Seasons and Whole Foods, based in Austin, Tex. Whole Foods recently announced it would stop buying meat that comes from the Beef Northwest feedlot.
In a meeting held today, representatives of Gov. Ted Kulongoski encouraged the two sides to continue to work toward a resolution. But without any laws in Oregon governing agricultural workers and collective bargaining, even the state's role is limited, says Anna Richter Taylor, the governor's spokeswoman.
"We can't mediate anything," Taylor says. "It's outside of what our role is legally."
Look for more in tomorrow's editions of The Oregoninan.
(blog.oregonlive.com)