2026 Class Summaries

9:00 AM – 9:50 AM

Keynote Presentation – Oregon’s Labor Commissioner

We will start the day with a report from Oregon Labor Commissioner Christina Stephenson. Commissioner Stephenson will speak about her progress strengthening wage, hour, leave and apprenticeship standards in Oregon, and her plans for the future. There should be time for questions from the audience.

10:00 AM – 10:50 AM

Organize and Resist

(David Rosenfeld Weinberg Roger & Rosenfeld)

You may know David from prior conferences. He is entertaining, insightful, and passionate about educating union members. You won’t want to miss learning from this legend in the field. And, as he would say: Organize!

Responding to Employer Changes: Grievance, Bargain, or ULP?

(Caren Sencer, Weinberg Roger & Rosenfeld).

The employer has just made a big change in working conditions. You are ready to fight it . . . but how exactly? Caren is one of the most talented and prolific labor lawyers anywhere. She will guide you through three fundamental approaches responding to employer changes– grievance, bargaining, and unfair labor practice—explaining when each is most powerful.

Oregon Employment Relations Board Update

(ERB Chair Adam Rhynard; ERB Member Shirin Khosravi; ERB Member Benjamin O’Glasser).

or anyone in the public sector in Oregon, or anyone with bargaining units in the public sector, this class is essential. Learn from the ERB how and why to use the ERB. Also get an update on new developments in ERB case law.

Making the Most of Mediation

ERB State Conciliator Janet Gilman

Mediation can be used in collective bargaining, grievances, and ULPs. It can be incredibly productive. But how it works can be a bit mysterious. How do you get ready for mediation, and make the most of the process once it is happening? Expert mediator Janet Gilman will give you the tips and tricks you need to succeed in all types of labor mediation. Even though Janet works in the public sector, this class will be useful for those in either the public or private sector.

11:00 AM – 12:20 PM

Offensive Bargaining

(David Rosenfeld Weinberg Roger & Rosenfeld)

This is the classic, informative, and wildly entertaining class on how to bargain like a pro. Learn tactics pioneered by David for unions to get information, get the upper hand, and get offensive in bargaining.

NLRB Law and Strategy Developments

(Caren Sencer, Weinberg Roger & Rosenfeld).

Private sector unions face a very different legal landscape than a year ago. New strategies will require a new understanding of the law. Join tactical visionary Caren Sencer to learn the best strategies for private sector unions in this new environment.

Bargaining Over AI

(Lisa Kresge, UC Berkeley Labor Center; Gordon Lafer, University of Oregon’s LERC).

AI is everywhere, especially in the workplace. Lisa Kresge is a leading practical expert in new technologies and how unions have addressed them in bargaining. Gordon Lafer is a scholar of the labor movement in Oregon who has recently completed a study on this topic. Together, they will give you practical ways that you and your union can proactively address AI.

Steward Training

(University of Oregon Labor Education & Research Center)

Are you a new steward? Or an experienced steward looking to learn new skills? Join Oregon’s premier labor training center for the essential tools you need to be a great steward. Topics may include communications with co-workers, knowing your contract, investigatory meetings, grievance filing, etc.

12:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Lunch – Labor’s Role Right Now

Rep. Lisa Fragala and Rep. Dacia Grayber

Labor and civil society at large face unprecedented attacks. We explore the labor strategies we need to meet the moment with two unionists who serve as representatives in the Oregon State Legislature.

1:30 AM – 2:20 PM

Understanding Labor Preemption

(Rich McCracken, McCracken Stemerman & Holsberry, LLP)

Labor preemption is a legal principle dictating which labor subjects can be controlled by the federal law instead of the state law. Understanding labor preemption is critical when crafting new labor legislation, designing union legal strategies, and launching campaigns. Rich is the nation’s leading expert in the field. Allow him to demystify labor preemption, giving you the confidence to bring your union to the next level.

National Labor Relations Board Update

(Brenna Wolfe, NLRB Region 19, Field Attorney)

Learn about NLRB processes and recent important NLRB decisions and rule changes from the past year. This is also an opportunity to ask questions and learn about how to be successful before the NLRB.

Building Trades Focus: Hiring Hall Basics

(Daniel Hutzenbiler, McKanna Bishop Joffe, LLP).

Hiring halls—our members rely on them daily, but do we really know how to ensure they are legally compliant? Dan will provide an overview and discussion of some of the basics of hiring hall law. This is the first of a two-class Building Trades Focus.

Grievance Focus: Writing Strong Grievances

(Jared Franz, Tedesco Law Group)

Writing grievances is meant to be simple, right? Just say what happened and why it violated the contract. But if you want to bring your grievance skills up a notch, you will need to think far ahead when writing grievances. Jared, an attorney in private practice who formerly was general counsel to the largest union in Oregon, will give you practical tips on writing stronger grievances. This is the first of a two-class Grievance Focus.

2:30 AM – 3:20 PM

Strategies Without the NLRB

(Rich McCracken, McCracken Stemerman & Holsberry, LLP).

With the NLRB operating without a quorum, private sector unions need to get creative in achieving their goals without relying on NLRB enforcement. Learn from master strategist Rich McCracken how unions can make progress even without the NLRB.

Oregon Leave Laws

(Liz Joffe, McKanna Bishop Joffe LLP)

Liz reviews the basics of federal and Oregon leave laws and new developments, including Paid Leave Oregon. Liz’s handy reference chart for leave questions has guided union leaders for decades. If you have ever had questions about leave issues, you won’t want to miss this class.

Building Trades Focus: Jurisdictional Disputes

(Krista Cordova, McKanna Bishop Joffe, LLP)

 In the trades, jurisdictional disputes are an unfortunate reality. Krista will provide an overview and discussion of some of the basics of the different legal frameworks for resolving jurisdictional disputes, and how ideally to avoid them. This is the second part of a two-class Building Trades Focus.

Grievance Focus: I’m a Labor Arbitrator – Ask Me Anything!

(Barbara Diamond, Dorothy Foley).

Esteemed labor arbitrators Barbara Diamond and Dorothy Foley are here to answer all of your questions about the arbitration process, how they decide issues, and what will give you the best chance to win your arbitration. If it’s on your mind and it’s about arbitration, it’s fair game.

3:30 AM – 4:20 PM

Advocating in the ADA Interactive Process

(Charese Rohny, McKanna Bishop Joffe, LLP)

Workers with disabilities frequently ask for assistance with accommodations under the Americans With Disabilities Act. Expert employment and labor lawyer Charese Rohny will walk you through the basics of the ADA interactive process, a union’s right to represent workers in that process, and tips about how to get the most effective accommodations for workers.

Immigration Rights in the Workplace

(Bonnie Allen-Sailer, Northwest Workers Justice Project)

This session will focus on concrete steps labor organizations can take to protect immigrant workers at work, and will be driven by current topics and practices in federal immigration enforcement.

Workers’ Compensation

(Derrick Louie and Emily Guida)

If someone gets injured on the job, they may come to their union for help navigating the world of workers’ compensation. Derrick has seen that system from both sides—first as a claims processor, and now as an attorney representing injured workers. Derrick and Emily will provide essential knowledge for unionists who interact with the workers’ compensation system.

4:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Hosted Social Hour

Details at the event

File Size: 84K

OLLC-2026-Agenda-v7.pdf

File Size: 2 MB

Training-Center-Map.pdf