17, 2020, did not disclose the exact number of employees that were laid off. However, roughly 85% of the 400 members of the company's unionized workforce were terminated. More than 100 former staffers were then rehired to fulfill a large surge of online orders, but the union pointed out that only 49 were union-represented, and that the rest were managers who were now doing front-line work normally done by represented employees. In July 2020, Powell's announced that the store and kiosk in the Portland International Airport would remain closed permanently. As Powell's gradually began re-hiring staff beginning in April 2021, former employees were forced to apply for open positions as new employees. Powell's claimed that their right to return to their old jobs had expired, and an agreement to extend those rights (and maintain previous pay levels) had not been reached between Powell's and the union. The majority of hired staff have been previous employees. Politics Powell's Books was a key opponent of Oregon's Measure 97, which would have raised corporate taxes to fund schools, healthcare and senior services. Michael Powell contributed $25,000 to the opposition campaign. Powell's Books was featured in television ads for the No campaign, and Emily Powell signed a statement opposing the measure in the voter's pamphlet. List of locations In addition to its "City of Books" location (1005 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209), Powell's Books has the following smaller locations: A store in Portland's Hawthorne District (3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214). Another location focused on cooking and gardening materials was located two spaces east; it was announced in January 2016 that Powell's would expand into the intermediary space and combine the two stores into one, with larger children's books and authors' event sections. A general bookstore with the "largest children's book section of any book store on the West Coast", located at Cedar Hills Crossing in Beaverton (3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, Beaverton, OR 97005) and opened in November 2006, replacing a 22-year-old location near Washington Square that was less than half the size. A small corner of the Condon Local in Condon, Oregon (201 S Main St, Condon, OR 97823) consisting of 12 bookshelves. The outpost was started in 1993 by Michael Powell after discussions with Darla Seale, the then-owner of the Condon Local (then called Country Flowers). See also Cameron's Books and Magazines References External links Powell's website, including a