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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 6, 2006)
...Oregon AFL-CIO makes changes on E-Board, staff (From Page 1) UFCW Local 555 were not successful, Chamberlain reported to the Executive Board on Dec. 16. Part of those negotia- tions included a UFCW proposal to have Witt return as the full-time paid secretary-treasurer. “We will continue to reach out and have discussions with UFCW,” Cham- berlain said. However, under AFL-CIO rules, Witt was deemed ineligible to continue as the labor federation’s secretary-treasurer be- cause Local 555 wasn’t an affiliated union. “Brad has been very valuable to the union movement in Oregon, and I pre- dict he will continue to do so at the Leg- islature and with Local 555,” Chamber- lain told the Northwest Labor Press. Witt has lived in Clatskanie since 1989. He has served on numerous state boards, including the Board of Forestry and the Management-Labor Advisory Committee for the Oregon workers’ compensation system. In addition to his duties as chief fi- nancial officer and officer manager of the Oregon AFL-CIO, Witt handled workers’ compensation, health and safety, workforce and economic devel- opment, and natural resource issues for the labor federation. He was a gubernatorial appointee to the Oregon Workforce Investment Board and also served on the executive board of the Oregon Forest Resource In- stitute, as that organization’s employee representative; on the State Boards of Forestry and Watershed Enhancement; and as chair of the bi-state Lower Co- lumbia River Estuary Partnership. Witt worked in sawmills before join- ing the staffs of the national AFL-CIO, and later the Western Council of Indus- trial Workers, a division of the Carpen- ters Union (now a Change to Win affili- ate), and UFCW Local 555, where his duties included public relations, labor economist and union representative. Witt was elected secretary-treasurer of the Oregon AFL-CIO in September 1991. Also at the Dec. 16 Executive Board meeting, Leslie Frane, executive director of SEIU Local 503, the state’s largest public-sector union, was reappointed to her seat as first vice president, and Alice Dale, president of SEIU Local 49 and an international union vice president, was reappointed to her at-large position on the board. The seats had been declared vacant following the national disaffilia- tion, but replacements were never sought because of the Solidarity Char- ter discussions. Two positions previously held by representatives of UFCW Local 555 — a vice president and at-large seat — were filled. Al Zullo, president and business rep- resentative of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757, was appointed vice president. Zullo held an at-large seat on the board, so that post was declared open. Appointed to the two open at-large Executive Board seats were L.C. Hansen, president of the National Asso- ciation of Letter Carriers Branch 82, and Leal Sundet, president of the Interna- tional Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 8. The Oregon AFL-CIO also an- Early political endorsements announced by AFL-CIO Established in 1900 at Portland, Oregon as a voice of the labor movement. 4275 NE Halsey St., P.O. Box 13150, Portland, Ore. 97213 Telephone: (503) 288-3311 Fax Number: (503) 288-3320 Editor: Michael Gutwig Staff: Don McIntosh, Cheri Rice Published on a semi-monthly basis on the first and third Fridays of each month by the Oregon Labor Press Publishing Co. Inc., a non- profit corporation owned by 20 unions and councils including the Oregon AFL-CIO. Serving more than 120 union organizations in Ore- gon and SW Washington. Subscriptions $13.75 per year for union members. Group rates available to trade union organizations. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT PORTLAND, OREGON. CHANGE OF ADDRESS NOTICE: Three weeks are required for a change of address. When ordering a change, please give your old and new addresses and the name and number of your local union. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS, P.O. BOX 13150-0150, PORTLAND, OR 97213 Member Press Associates Inc. WESTERN LABOR PRESS ASSOCIATION JANUARY 6, 2006 ceived an early endorsement. He scored a 94 percent on the COPE voting record but is in a targeted race for labor. The only other early endorsement went to Mary Botkin, a lobbyist for Ore- gon Council 75 of the American Feder- ation of State, County and Municipal Employees, who is running for an open seat in Portland’s District 46. The COPE Board also heard about eight initiative petitions that are cur- rently being circulated in Oregon for signatures. At least five of the petitions are being pushed by right-wing, anti-la- bor groups. The AFL-CIO is asking workers not to sign two initiatives — I-6 or I-42, and I-14. The first two are so-called “Tax- payer Bill of Rights” (TABOR) initia- tives that would amend the State Con- stitution and impose arbitrary spending caps on all public services. I-14 is a complicated tax measure involving fed- eral and state tax deductions. Carpenters, Electricians, Laborers, Glaziers, Sheetmetal Workers, Floorcoverers, Bricklayers, Cement Masons, Roofers, Asbestos Workers, Family, Millwrights, Painters, Elevators, Plasterers Electricians, Carpenters, Laborers, Glaziers, Sheetmetal Workers, Floorcoverers, Bricklayers, Cement Masons, Roofer, Asbestos Workers, Family, Millwrights, Painters, Elevators, Plasterers (International Standard Serial Number 0894-444X) pacts working Oregonians. On the list were Senators Bill Mor- risette of Eugene, Charlie Ringo and Frank Shields of Portland, and State Reps. Phil Barnhart of Eugene, Terry Beyer of Springfield, Peter Buckley of Ashland, Jackie Dingfelder of Portland; Paul Holvey of Eugene, Mary Nolan, Diane Rosenbaum and Chip Shields of Portland, Carolyn Tomei of Milwaukie, and Brad Witt of Clatskanie. Arnie Roblan of Coos Bay also re- Serving Union Members Since 1954 Begin 2006 the right way. Take advantage of your “union” Credit Union. We are a full service financial institution offering innovative products and services to meet your family’s needs. Loans: First & Second Mortgages New & Used Autos Home Equity Lines of Credit Classic & Platinum Visas Recreational Vehicles Personal Lines of Credit Savings: Share & Invest Accounts Share Certificates Checking Online Banking & Bill Pay ATM/Debit Cards IRA Share & Certificate Accounts Bump-up Certificates PO Box 16877 9955 SE Washington St Portland, Oregon 97292 www.ibewuwfcu.com Call Today (503) 253-8193 * (800) 356-6507 Electricians, Carpenters, Laborers, Glaziers, Sheetmetal Workers, Floorcoverers, Bricklayers, Cement Masons, Roofer, Asbestos Workers, Family, Millwrights, Painters, Elevators, Plasterers The Oregon AFL-CIO’s Committee on Political Education issued several early endorsements for the 2006 cam- paign cycle. Among them was unanimous sup- port for the re-election of Labor Com- missioner Dan Gardner and Superinten- dent of Public Instruction Susan Castillo. Both are Democrats elected to non-partisan statewide posts. Gardner is a member and former of- ficer of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 48. Along with the endorsement of Gardner came a $1,000 campaign contribution. Gardner was a guest speaker during a holiday luncheon of the Oregon AFL- CIO held Dec. 16 at the NECA-IBEW Training Center in Northeast Portland. Also making brief remarks were Gover- nor Ted Kulongoski and Portland City Commissioner Randy Leonard. Other politicians receiving early en- dorsements were more than a dozen in- cumbent state lawmakers who scored 100 percent voting records in the 2005 legislative session. The voting scorecard was compiled by the Oregon AFL-CIO and was based on legislation that im- nounced several staff changes. Steve Lanning, the longtime political director, has accepted a newly created post as field coordinator, where he will work on strategic planning and coordi- nation with affiliates and central labor councils. Andy Lehn was hired as political or- ganizer; Duke Shepard was hired as the political/campaign director, and Jennifer Sargent was hired as the public rela- tions/research director. All are full-time positions Lehn previously worked as the direc- tor of the Oregon chapter of Working America, a community affiliate of the AFL-CIO. Shepard was the economic development and small business policy manager of the Portland Business Al- liance. Before joining the Business Al- liance, Shepard served as campaign manager to re-elect U.S. Rep. Peter De- Fazio. Sargent was the political organ- izer for the Oregon AFL-CIO during the 2001 legislative session, where she co- ordinated publications, action alerts and media relations. Sargent started working last month. Both Lehn and Shepard will start their new jobs in mid-January. Additionally, the Oregon AFL-CIO will contract with Tim Nesbitt to ana- lyze and evaluate several health care and revenue initiatives for the 2006 general election. “We’re back to full staff, with a lot of good experience,” Chamberlain said. “I’m very excited about the coming year. I don’t expect to miss a beat.” Glaziers, Carpenters, Laborers, Electricians, Sheetmetal Workers, Floorcoverers, Bricklayers, Cement Masons, Roofers, Asbestos Workers, Family, Millwrights, Painters, Elevators, Plasterers NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS PAGE 3
