...Oregon AFL-CIO makes changes on E-Board, staff
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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
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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.
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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-
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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
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