Why does Oregon hate workers?

[Greyhound]

Not only are we a "right to work" state, we lack even the most rudimentary laws to protect workers from employer abuse. Standard stuff that is found in even the most backwards places, just doesn't exist here, and the very few regulations and laws that do exist are simply not enforced.

I thought we were progressive here, I was wrong.

[the_chinuk]

1. Actually, Oregon isn't "Right-to-Work".. It just seems that way sometimes

Checking on the list of states with RoW laws on the books, Oregon isn't amongst them.

But the Republican party has been quite successful in creating a climate where business can get what it wants.

We still have closed union shops. I work in one. So we're not a "right to work" state ... at least not yet, and probably not as long as Barack Obama is in office. We might finally get "card-check" soon.

We are progressive here–you're kind of mistaken simply to write the whole state off–but, as I said, we have a climate that has long allowed buiness to get away with what it wants, and make it impractical for the little guy to make a case if he gets screwed.

Thats why we have to register Democratic, vote Democratic, and support Union businesses. It's hard to change a world view as pervasive as that, but it takes persistence. We all do what we can as working folk.

[Greyhound]

2. There are several lists that I found and some list Oregon, but I think you are right

in the technical sense. I've been told we are by so many people that I took them at their word. My mistake.

That said, we do have an abominable lack of workers rights here and the state and local governments care nothing for the workers here. The city of Portland, the heart of Oregon "liberalism", acknowledges that fully 20% of Portlanders earn below poverty wages. This is combined with policies where there is nothing too good or too much for large corporations while simultaneously taxing small businesses out of existence. It's the worst of both worlds.

It seems the reputation does not reflect the reality and the people I meet don't seem to have any desire to improve it.

[0rganism]

3. the iron triangle of Oregon conservativism

It's the Oregon version of the of overall US conservativism: racism and vigilantism disguised as "tough on crime" initiatives, social injustices portrayed as "protecting our sacred institutions", and tax slashing to the point of government insolvency. In Oregon, these causes have lately been personified by Kevin Mannix, Lon Mabon, and Bill Sizemore, respectively. All three are highly offensive, corrupt, and annoying, but they've been riding the wave with great success.

Oregon is not progressive, it's really a deeply divided state with occasional liberal tendencies, and it's been this way for the last 20 years that I've been living here. Sometimes the balance shifts one way or another, but overall the urban/rural split is very much alive and keeps the issues in play. Even in the last election, a liberal landslide by Oregon standards, you saw what happened to that Mannix-backed ballot measure and its alternative, regarding stepping up the mandatory minimum sentences. Lots of progressives were scared into backing the compromise referral, just in case the ultra-fascist Mannix bill passed. Few dared to think we could defeat both measures outright.

So yeah, Oregon tends to disappoint that way.

[tonysam]

4. Outside of the Portland-Salem-Eugene Area,

Oregon tends to be quite red. I was raised in the Rogue Valley, and it was and still remains pretty conservative, as does most of the state.

[misanthrope]

5. Live in the Deep South for a while...

...and it might be an education on what severe employee abuse is like.