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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (March 3, 2006)
What’s Happening Court upholds ban on piecemeal-paid signature-gatherers The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Feb. 22 upheld 2002’s Ballot Measure 26, the union-spon- sored measure that bans initiative sig- nature-gatherers from being paid for each signature collected — a practice which had led to widespread docu- mented fraud and abuse. The measure has been the feature of several news items recently because of alleged violations of the law among signature-gathering firms. “The court said very clearly that the First Amendment cannot be used as a fig leaf for fraud and forgery,” said Tim Nesbitt, past president of the Ore- gon AFL-CIO and a co-sponsor of Measure 26. “We hope that Oregon’s Initiative Integrity Act (Measure 26) and this decision upholding that act will motivate voters in other states to enact similar safeguards to protect their initiative systems.” Boiled down, the 38-page federal court decision says Measure 26 does not violate First Amendment (“free speech”) rights by requiring signature- gatherers to be paid by the hour, rather than on the “bounty system” of being paid per signature. Among the plaintiffs was Jason Williams of the Taxpayers Association of Oregon. Williams’ organization tried to place anti-tax measures on the ballot in 2004, but was questioned by the Oregon secretary of state’s office about possible violations of Measure 26. Williams (and others) responded to the inquiry by filing a lawsuit alleging Measure 26 was unconstitutional. Not so, said the court, which as- serted that Measure 26 applies reason- able constraints to the process. The courts said Measure 26 is targeted at electoral processes rather than at the communicative aspect of petition cir- culation. “... Measure 26 imposed no severe or substantial burdens on the circula- K L ABOR AND P OLITICAL NEWS FR OM AR OUND THE Council 75. “This thing could be set- tled for about $20,000 tops.” Wages are the primary cause of the dispute. AFSCME is seeking a 3.3 percent cost-of-living-adjustment retroactive to July 1, 2005 — the date it was granted to all other Washington County employees. The county gave the 30 corrections employees a COLA increase on Jan. 14, 2006. The union also wants the county to undertake an independent wage and classification survey for community corrections specialists, whose job it is to monitor the daily activities of those incarcerated within the county’s com- munity corrections facility, including security checks. As of press time, no further talks had been scheduled. tion of initiative or referendum peti- tions, and [the secretary of state’s] in- terest in protecting the integrity of the initiative process justified the lesser burdens imposed by the measure,” wrote Justice Carlos Bea. Tom Chamberlain, president of the Oregon AFL-CIO, said “Oregon’s ini- tiative process should be people-pow- ered, not run by wealthy out-of-state interests who will pay $10 for a signa- ture. Measure 26 plays an important role in keeping the initiative process democratic and clean.” Hillsboro School District contracts out custodial jobs Fifty-six Hillsboro School District custodians and groundskeepers were terminated Feb. 24 as part of a district plan to save money by contracting out. The work will now be done by Somers Building Maintenance (SBM) a Sacra- mento-based firm which also cleans Intel facilities. The fired workers were members of Hillsboro Classified United Local 4671 of American Federation of Teachers-Oregon. For eight months, the union resisted the plan to contract out. The district labor agreement ex- pired last July, and in October, mem- bers voted down a management con- tract proposal because it included the plan to outsource. They relented Jan. 5, however, ap- proving a new three-year contract in a 251-67 vote. Under the new contract, employees will receive a 2.6 percent annual wage increase for the first two years of the contract. [The third year’s wage increase will be bargained in spring 2007.] The agreement also sets up a “two-tier” system of health insur- ance, in which employees hired after July 2007 will pay a higher proportion of premiums. And the contract permit- ted the district to outsource custodial and maintenance work. One head custodian per school will remain employed by the district. The district says the plan will save $600,000 the first year, an amount that would rise to $1.2 million a year after that, primarily due to the lower retire- ment and health benefit contributions of the private contractor’s employees. Local 4671 President Billie Pinder, UFCW’s Ed Clay retires Ed Clay (right), longtime secretary-treasurer of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, shares a chuckle with family members during a “retirement roast” held on his behalf Feb. 18 at the Portland Hilton Hotel. More than 200 people attended. Clay was elected secretary-treasurer of the local in 1997. In his 29 years with the union, he has served as director of membership services, grievance director, representative and organizer. a special ed assistant, said the union ultimately agreed to the outsourcing only because it appeared the district was prepared to declare impasse and impose its final offer without the workers’ consent. Pinder said the union was able to get some assurances for the laid-off workers, including a promise they’d be paid the same hourly wage if they went to work for SBM. Those who didn’t agree to work for the contractor would get severance pay equal to one week’s wages for each year of work, and would continue to get employer-paid health insurance coverage for three months. SBM, too, is a union employer, sig- natory to a master agreement negoti- ated by Portland-based Service Em- ployees International Union Local 49. That agreement provides employee- only health coverage, and a 5-cent-an- hour pension contribution. While SEIU seeks to represent all janitors, Local 49 political director Felisa Ha- gins said the union opposes, on princi- ple, contracting out the work of public employees. As many as 20 custodians chose to mailing service Visit our Website at www.kramersmailing.com MEMBERS OF TEAMSTERS LOCAL 223 — Eric Brending, Owner — Corrections staff set March 6 strike in Washington Co. The union representing community corrections employees in Washington County notified the county of its intent to strike at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, March 6. About 30 community corrections workers in Hillsboro voted more than a year ago to form Local 3913 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. They have been unable to reach agreement on a first contract. The county has hired the law firm of Bullard Smith Jernstedt and Wilson to handle negotiations — at a cost to date of nearly $88,000, according to the union. “It’s a complete waste of taxpayers’ money” said Don Loving, public af- fairs director for Oregon AFSCME Labor bowl for MDA scheduled Sunday, April 23 The 17th annual Labor Bowl Challenge to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) will be held Sunday, April 23, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Cascade Lanes, 2700 NE 82nd Ave., Portland. Money raised helps provide wheelchairs and braces for young- sters, medical care, research and summer camps. To date, $257,000 has been collected for the charity. Pledge packets are available at the Northwest Oregon Labor Coun- cil or by calling MDA at 503-223- 3177. Benefit auction to aid ill Painters Local 10 member A benefit auction and spaghetti din- ner for Dave Jenson, a member of Painters and Drywall Finishers Local 10, will be held Sunday, March 19, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Sunnyside Foursquare Church. Cost is $7.50 for adults and $5 for children. Jenson has an aggressive form of brain cancer and is unable to work while receiving treatment. Money raised at the auction will help support his wife and three children. For more information, or to donate auction items, call Monte Skiles at 503-201-7626. • Social Security • SSI - Disability Claims Personal Attention To Every Case Working For Disability Rights Since 1983 THE ONLY UNION MAILER IN OREGON work for the contractor; the others will be eligible for unemployment benefits. Zachary Zabinsky ramers/metro 3201 N.W. 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