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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 4, 2006)
What’s Happening Thompson wins fifth term at Roofers Local 49 Michael Thompson has been re- elected by acclamation as business manager of the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers Local 49 in Portland. He was sworn in to his fifth term of the 450-member local on July 13. In a three-way race for president, Darrell Hopkins Sr. unseated incum- bent Russ Garnett. Candidate Jim Newsom finished third. Russ Nicolai defeated Bruce Wynne for an open seat as vice president, while John Havens was re-elected Warden, defeating Jim Breneman. Paul Corbin ran unopposed for recording secretary. He succeeds Howard Nave, who is retiring. Elected to Local 49’s Executive Board were Hopkins Sr., Nicolai, Gar- nett, Ray Carpenter and Emily Blatch- ford. Elected delegates to the interna- tional convention were Carpenter, Garnett, Hopkins Sr., Nicolai and and Nave. SEIU endorses Gov. Kulongoski for re-election The Service Employees Interna- tional Union (SEIU) announced July 31 that it has endorsed Gov. Ted Ku- longoski’s re-election effort. SEIU Locals 503 and 49, which represent 45,000 workers in Oregon, endorsed Democratic challenger Jim Hill in the three-man primary in May. “In this (general) election, Kulon- goski is clearly the right candidate for Oregon,” said Kurt Kessler, an SEIU Local 503 member who provides serv- ices to senior citizens in Medford. “There is no question in our minds that working families will be better off (if Kulongoski is re-elected.)” Joe DiNicola, a corporate tax audi- tor who serves as president of SEIU Local 503, says Kulongoski’s Repub- lican opponent Ron Saxton is too ex- treme for Oregon. “If elected, Saxton will dismantle the services Oregonians rely on. When it comes to affordable health care, edu- cation for our children economic fair- ness and workers’ rights, Ron Saxton plans to send Oregon backwards,” DiNicola said. SEIU’s endorsement follows hun- dreds of conversations among union members, as well as votes by union members elected to its political action committees and boards of both locals. PAGE 4 L ABOR AND P OLITICAL NEWS FR OM AR OUND THE P A C I F I C N O R T H W E S T ‘Union Yes’ racer qualifies 16th at Woodburn event WOODBURN, Ore. — The “Union Yes” race car driven by Plumbers and Fitters Local 290 mem- ber Greg Hindman qualified 16th at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event July 6-9 at Woodburn Dragstrip. Sixty-four cars attempted to lock-in one of the 48 available positions in the Top Comp qualifying field. Hindman secured his top finish with a 7.11-second pass during his third run. He then went on to win three rounds, making it to the remaining four drivers in the Top Sportsman race. The Woodburn race was Hind- man’s third event in the 2006 season. Earlier this year, the “Union Yes” race car competed in divisional races in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. Hindman has been able to compete with the help of sponsorships by labor unions, councils and businesses. “With all these locals, councils and vendors working together towards one message, ‘Union Yes,’ this program is such a powerful advertising campaign. We are able to reach many more peo- ple than any one of us could do alone,” said Hindman. “I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to represent or- ganized labor. I am inspired by each union member, and of course, by the brothers and sisters of the labor move- ment that came before us.” Sponsors of the “Union Yes” race car include the Columbia-Pacific Building and Construction Trades Council; Roofers Local 49; Cement Masons Local 555; the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Lo- cals 280 and 640; Iron Workers Local Motorcycle Poker Run delivers winning hand Ashley Keels and Iris Smith of Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation accept a check for $25,000 from the “Unions for Kids” Motorcycle Poker Run held June 10 in Portland. Presenting the check is Unions for Kids co-chair Lee Duncan (center), a business representative of Electrical Workers Local 48, and Dave Tully of Teamsters Joint Council 37. The fourth annual Motorcycle event raised more than three times the $7,500 total last year. Nearly 300 riders, mostly union members and their friends, participated. “In four years we have jumped from the initial $2,500 raised to this year’s $25,000,” said Duncan. “This event has become a tremendous success. It is great to be able to do something like this for the kids who desperately need our help.” For the second year in a row, the raffle included a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle, which IBEW Local 48 member Bob Borman won. “Everyone wants that motorcycle,” said Duncan. “The raffle adds excitement to the event and considerably increases participation.” Standing in the background are union volunteers who helped staff the day-long event and members of unions that donated money. The check was presented at the Northwest Oregon Labor Council delegates’ meeting July 24. 29; the Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters, Plumbers and Fitters Lo- cals 290 and Oregon AFSCME Coun- cil 75. Corporate sponsors are Gre- sham Transmission, AutoMax USA, Nitrous Express and Wheelez. For more information about the race car, contact Brandi Hindman at 503-740-8806 or go to their Website at www.unionyesracing.com. Sheet Metal Workers ‘cruise-in’ Oregon Congresswoman Darlene Hooley calls out a winning ticket at the Summer Blast and Cruise-In July 30 at West Linn Willamette Park hosted by Sheet Metal Workers Local 16, SMACNA and the HVAC & Metals Institute. The day included a barbecue, live band, kids’games and a display of hot rods, trucks and motorcycles. All proceeds from the event went to Local 16’s Food Bank. Helping with the prizes are Local 16 President Ric Olander (center), and Business Representative Del Brown. About 600 people attended. NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS Labor Day picnics on tap in Portland and Bend, Ore. 350 janitors at ServiceMaster win back pay settlement The Northwest Oregon Labor Council once again will host a Labor Day picnic. Oaks Park in Southeast Portland has been booked fro Monday, Sept. 4. Unions are reserving space for what is the largest Labor Day bash in Oregon. Bill Lucy, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, will be the keynote speaker. The Labor Council will sell food scrip for 25 cents each. Three scrip will get you a hot dog and chips, two scrip a soda pop, and four scrip a beer. A deluxe ride bracelet costs $8.25 and is good from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year the roller rink will be open for those with ride bracelets. For more information, or to pur- chase scrip, call 503-235-9444. Union members in Central Ore- gon will host a “Labor Day Unity Picnic” starting at noon Monday, Sept. 4, at Pioneer Park. Union members and family and friends of labor are invited to enjoy free hamburgers, hot dogs, vegetar- ian choices, raw veggies, chips, dips, soft drinks and more. Participants are asked to bring a potluck dessert to share. Entertainment will include live music and games for kids. For more information, call Kathryn Wood at 541-385-8471. Janitors ordered to arrive early for work shifts at the Rose Garden arena will get back pay as part of the set- tlement of a court case. In July, Ser- viceMaster Swan Island agreed to pay $84,125 to settle a class action lawsuit filed in May 2005 in Mult- nomah County Circuit Court over violations of Oregon’s wage and hour laws. The suit alleged that ServiceMas- ter directed employees to arrive at a certain time and then wait up to an hour until the end of an event like a Blazers basketball game, before clocking in. That would run afoul of Oregon law. The settlement was declared a victory by Portland-based Service Employees Local 49, which paid the attorneys fees. Local 49 has watch- dogged abuses by ServiceMaster Swan Island, a nonunion cleaning firm that competes with unionized companies. ServiceMaster Swan Is- land janitors typically work part time, make just above minimum wage and do not receive health ben- efits. ServiceMaster Swan Island is a local franchise of a national com- pany; some ServiceMaster fran- chises are union-represented. The damages will be split among over 350 janitors who cleaned the Rose Garden between 1999 and 2005, depending on hours worked. AUGUST 4, 2006
