Murmurs: No Jokes About How Hot and Smokin' This Story Is.

JONES
By WW Editorial Staff
  1. It’s becoming clearer why Ron Jeremy’s Club Sesso was so happy when Assistant Fire Marshal Doug Jones told the sex club he’d look the other way if a party at the club violated fire regulations: The club stood to lose a lot of money if Jones had enforced city rules preventing Club Sesso from throwing the June 28 anniversary party. “Club Sesso will suffer substantial economic damage, likely exceeding $30,000 for this event alone, plus bad will that will be generated among the client base,” Club Sesso attorney Ted M. Brindle wrote in a June 27 letter to the city and obtained by WW. Jones is under investigation by the city for his actions, -including his intervention to block a fire inspector from citing Club Sesso for violations when it decided to throw the party anyway. No word yet if a criminal investigation is underway after WW reported last week that club owner Paul Smith told a witness he was bribing someone in the Fire Marshal’s office. (“Playing With Fire,” WW, Aug. 27, 2014). Smith denies doing anything wrong. Fire bureau spokesman Lt. Damon Simmons declined to comment because of the pending city investigation.
  1. Former Oregonian columnist S. Renee Mitchell, who left the paper in a 2008 staff buyout, has sued another employer for unpaid wages and allegedly subjecting her to gender discrimination and emotional distress. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court on Aug. 28 names Groowin Inc., which helps social media users make money from “small actions,” such as tweeting and “liking” things on Facebook. In her lawsuit, Mitchell alleges the company failed to pay her $115,000-a-year salary and that Groowin co-founder Mohamed Kande subjected her to “hostile” behavior. Mitchell is seeking unpaid wages of $64,000 and damages of $1.5 million. Kande did not return a call seeking comment, and Groowin’s attorney was also unavailable.
  1. Service Employees International Union Local 503 is already the state’s largest public employee union, representing more than 55,000 workers. But under new political director Melissa Unger, SEIU is looking to wield even more power. At its annual meeting that ended Aug. 16, the union decided to start charging new members a $60 initiation fee (they currently pay none). The union also wants to increase the number of represented employees who contribute to the union’s political fund, from 6 percent to 25 percent, and for each one to give $10 a month. That would raise about $2.6 million for the union’s political action committee, more than twice what campaign filings show it has averaged over the past six years. SEIU may also broadly expand who is eligible to join the union.  “For instance,” reads an SEIU resolution, “does it matter what kind of work the person does or even if they are employed?” 

WWeek 2015

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