L ABOR
What’s
Happening
King documentary
shown in Bend by
Jobs with Justice
BEND — Union members and
community activists were presented a
free showing of “At the River I Stand,”
a documentary film about the 1968
Memphis sanitation workers strike and
last march of the Rev. Martin Luther
King Jr., on Jan. 19.
The 56-minute documentary, with a
discussion about civil rights and the
trade union movement, was sponsored
by Central Oregon Jobs with Justice.
Fernando Gapasin, president of the
Central Oregon Labor Council, led the
discussion and Alison Hamway, secre-
tary-treasurer of the labor council, par-
ticipated.
In 1968, black sanitation workers in
Memphis, Tennessee, waged a 65-day
strike to gain recognition for their
union, AFSCME Local 1733. Their
slogan, “I Am a Man,” gained them
national attention and captured the as-
pirations of black workers for union
representation and racial justice. King
marched with the sanitation workers
and was back in Memphis for a sec-
ond march when he was gunned down
by an assassin on April 4.
“At the River I Stand captures the
class and racial conflict between
whites and African Americans in
Memphis and reveals the intra-class
tensions between African Americans
and the union movement,” said
Gapasin. “The film also depicts the in-
ternal struggles of Dr. King as he
reached a higher level of race and
class consciousness.”
Laws improve how
public agencies
award contracts
SALEM — Two new laws went
into effect Jan. 1 that will improve
how public agencies award public
works contracts.
AND
One requires all public entities
awarding public improvement con-
tracts to the lowest responsible bidder
to submit a “Responsible Bidder De-
termination” form to the Oregon Con-
struction Contractors Board within 30
days of awarding the contract. The re-
quirement is part of Senate Bill 1006
passed by the Legislature in 2005.
In the past, contracts have gone
simply to the lowest bidder, with no
regard to the contractors’ work history.
The second new law requires all
contractors seeking public works proj-
ects to obtain a Bureau of Labor and
Industries $30,000 public works bond
issued by a corporate surety author-
ized to do business in Oregon. The
bond must be filed with the Oregon
Construction Contractors Board be-
fore starting work on a contract or sub-
contract.
The bond will be used exclusively
to pay prevailing wages determined to
be due workers by BOLI.
The bond is separate and is re-
quired in addition to any other bond a
contractor or subcontract is required to
obtain.
To find bond forms or responsible
bidder determination forms, go to the
Construction Contractors Board Web
site at www.ccb.state.or.us and click
on the “What’s New” section.
Labor bowl for
MDA scheduled
Sunday, April 23
Mark your calendars for the 17th
annual Labor Bowl Challenge to
benefit the Muscular Dystrophy As-
sociation (MDA), Sunday, April 23,
from 1 to 4 p.m. at Cascade Lanes,
2700 NE 82nd Ave., Portland.
Last year, Portland area labor
unions raised $20,000, bringing their
grand total collected to over
$257,000.
In addition to bowling, there is a
silent auction and raffle prizes. This
year Gov. Ted Kulongoski has been
invited to participate.
Money raised helps provide
wheelchairs and braces for young-
sters, medical care, research and
summer camps.
Pledge packets are available at
Zachary
Zabinsky
• Social Security
• SSI - Disability Claims
Personal Attention To Every Case
Working For Disability Rights
Since 1983
NEWS FR OM AR OUND THE
P A C I F I C N O R T H W E S T
DCTU to start
negotiations with
City of Portland
AFSCME strikes in Grants Pass
Public employees at Josephine County — members of AFSCME Local 3694
— conducted a four-day strike Jan. 8-12 before reaching a tentative deal with
a state mediator and returning to work Jan. 13. Voting on the proposed
contract was held Jan. 15-17, but results were not available at press time.
Assuming it passes, county commissioners will vote their approval Jan. 18.
The sides would not release details of the settlement until it is signed, but they
did say it was retroactive to June 30, 2005, and will run through June 30, 2007.
County employees had rejected proposals that included retirement take-
backs, deferred compensation, reductions in paid time off (sick leave, family
leave and vacation) and new restrictions on merit pay. An estimated 80 percent
of the local’s 330 members were on the picket line, union officials said.
the Northwest Oregon Labor Coun-
cil or by calling Tor and MDA at
503-223-3177.
PCC ‘Brown Bag
Series’ will explore
labor, business issues
Portland Community College is
hosting a free Brown Bag Series to
explore labor and business issues.
Discussions will be held from
noon to 1 p.m. every Wednesday
starting Feb. 1 to March 8 in Terrell
Hall 122 of the Cascade Campus,
705 N. Killingsworth St.
Attendees can bring lunch, and
coffee will be provided. The com-
munity is welcome to attend.
The Brown Bag Series schedule
includes:
“Where will the jobs be?” Feb. 1:
Christian Kaylor, a local workforce
K
analyst, will provide a macro per-
spective on the job industry.
“Ethnicity and Gender in the La-
bor Market,” Feb. 8: Mary King,
professor and chair of the Econom-
ics Department at Portland State
University, is interested in the situa-
tion of women, people of color and
low-wage earners. She will discuss
major labor market trends and op-
tions for policymakers.
“Creative Services,” Feb. 15:
Anne Mangan, Portland Develop-
ment Commission, and Julie Beeler,
Second Story Interactive Studios,
will discuss design activities locally.
“Going Global” Feb. 22: Dana
Shannon, international business
counselor and international trade ad-
viser to the State of Oregon, will dis-
cuss what’s happening with out-
sourcing, trade and issues
concerning imports and exports.
For more information on the se-
ries, call 503-978-5242.
The District Council of Trade
Unions will embark on contract ne-
gotiations with the City of Portland
beginning Jan. 31.
“We feel good about it and are
ready to do business,” said James
Hester, lead bargainer and union rep-
resentative for the American Federa-
tion of State, County and Municipal
Employees Local 189.
The DCTU represents approxi-
mately 1,800 employees from seven
unions, including AFSCME Local
189, Laborers Local 483, Electrical
Workers Local 48, Operating Engi-
neers Local 701, Painters District
Council 5, Plumbers and Fitters Lo-
cal 290 and Machinists Lodge 1005.
The DCTU bargaining team has been
meeting nearly every week since Au-
gust in preparation for bargaining.
The DCTU bargaining team met
with the city’s bargaining team in a
joint session on Dec. 16 to negotiate
ground rules for bargaining.
Hester said the DCTU “will pres-
ent a comprehensive and fair pro-
posal” to the city at the first session.
“It is the hope of the bargaining team
the city’s proposal will be equally
fair,” Hester said. “The extent and tone
of the city’s opening proposal will no
doubt dictate how smoothly bargain-
ing will be conducted.”
The current contract expires June
30, 2006.
Workers Memorial
Scholarship
deadline is March 1
SALEM — The deadline to apply
for a Workers Memorial Scholarship
for the 2006-07 academic year is
March 1. Applicants must be Oregon
residents receiving fatality benefits, a
dependent or spouse of a fatally-in-
jured worker, or the dependent or
spouse of an Oregon worker who in-
curred a permanent total disability
while on the job.
For more information, call Kathy
Mossbrucker Oregon-OSHA at 503-
947-7992.
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mailing service
3201 N.W. YEON
PORTLAND, OREGON 97210
(503) 274-1638 FAX (503) 227-1245
THE ONLY UNION MAILER
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PAGE 4
P OLITICAL
MEMBERS OF TEAMSTERS LOCAL 223
— Eric Brending, Owner —
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
JANUARY 20, 2006