The Oregon Labor Law Conference is a yearly gathering that brings together union staff and leadership from around the Northwest to learn about cutting-edge labor law and build a stronger labor movement. The conference provides training on grievance handling and arbitration, collective bargaining, organizing workers, union governance, legislation, and worker rights.
Founded over 20 years ago by former IBEW Local 48 general counsel Norman Malbin, the conference is created by and for the labor movement. The conference features leading legal practitioners from Oregon, the Northwest, and the nation for a day of dynamic sessions and practical advice, followed by a social gathering to build bridges within the labor movement. The conference sells out every year, and registration is on a first-come, first served basis, so register now.
We hope to see you in January next year.
–Lillian Killen, John Bishop, Noah Barish, Diana Winther
Conference Co-Planners
Conference Details
Oregon Labor Law Conference
Conference Date:
Friday, January 30, 2026 (FULL)
Registration:
Times:
7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. – Registration
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Conference
4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – Social Hour
Location:
IBEW Local 48 Meeting Hall
15937 NE Airport Way
Portland, OR
Cost:
$100 per participant
More Information:
ollc@mbjlaw.com
503-821-0957
Includes: Breakfast, lunch, and hosted reception. If you have any questions or special dietary requests for lunch, please contact Lynne Fergusson (503-
821-0957 or ollc@mbjlaw.com).
Note: Materials will be available prior to the conference for download.
2026 OLLC Agenda
| IBEW Local 48 | NECA/IBEW Training Center | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting Hall (MC: John Bishop) | Center Auditorium (MC: Liz Joffe) | Room 1/2 (MC: Dan Hutzenbiler) | Room 5 (MC: Andrew Toney-Noland) |
|
| 7:30-8:30 am | Registration | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 8:30-9:00 am | Welcome Conference Organizers Opening Graham Trainor, Oregon AFL-CIO | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 9:00-9:50 am | Christina Stephenson Oregon Labor Commissioner | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 10:00-10:50 am | Organize and Resist David Rosenfeld | Responding to Employer Changes: Grievance, Bargain, or ULP? Caren Sencer | Oregon ERB Update Chair Adam Rhynard & Members Shirin Khosravi and Benjamin O'Glasser | Making the Most of Mediation Janet Gilman, ERB |
| 11:00-12:20 pm | Offensive Bargaining David Rosenfeld | Bargaining Over AI Lisa Kresge UC Berkeley Labor Center, and Gordon Lafer, LERC | NLRB Law and Strategy Developments Caren Sencer | Steward Training Mark Brenner |
| 12:30-1:20 pm | Lunch in the Meeting Hall and Keynote: Labor’s Role Right Now Rep. Lisa Fragala, Rep. Dacia Grayber | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 1:30-2:20 pm | Understanding Labor Preemption Rich McCracken | National Labor Relations Board Update Brenna Wolfe, NLRB Region 19 Field Attorney | Building Trades Focus: Hiring Hall Basics Dan Hutzenbiler | Grievance Focus: Writing Strong Grievances Jared Franz |
| 2:30-3:20 pm | Strategies Without the NLRB Rich McCracken | Leave Laws Liz Joffe | Building Trades Focus: Jurisdictional Disputes Krista Cordova | Grievance Focus: I’m a Labor Arbitrator, Ask Me Anything! Barbara Diamond and Dorothy Foley |
| 3:30-4:20 pm | Advocating in the ADA Interactive Process Charese Rohny | Immigration Rights in the Workplace Bonnie Allen-Sailer | Workers’ Compensation Derrick Louie and Emily Guida | n/a |
| 4:30-6:00 pm | Social Hour |