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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2006)
Inside MEETING NOTICES See Page 6 Volume 107 Number 23 December 1, 2006 Portland Union Shopping Guide F or T he Holida ys Consumers will spend upwards of $60 billion for holiday gifts this year and much of that money is earmarked for apparel, computer equipment, consumer electronics and books, according to gov- ernment sources and commercial polling firms. There are union-made, competitively priced sources for all of the items on the typical shopper’s wish list. “Yes, it gets harder every day to seek out union products and services. It’s a moving target with some goods that were produced here last month bearing a ‘Made in China’ label this month,” says Charles Mercer, president of the AFL- CIO Union Label and Service Trades Department. However, he added, “It does make a difference when union families tell merchants they want to see a union label before they buy.” Last year, the national AFL-CIO con- vention designated the 10 days follow- ing Thanksgiving as “Buy Union Week” as a means of harnessing the consider- able buying power of union wages. The Northwest Labor Press has com- piled a union shopping guide. It is by no means an all-inclusive list, but it does in- clude products made by members of both the AFL-CIO and the Change to Win labor federations. Maybe the best-known union com- panies in Oregon are Powell’s Books, represented by International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 5; Pendle- ton Woolen Mills, where you can buy blankets and housewares made by mem- bers of UNITE HERE; Harley-David- son motorcycles, made by members of the Machinists Union and United Steel- workers; and Cingular Wireless, repre- sented by Communications Workers of America. All of those companies’ prod- ucts would make great union-made or serviced holiday gifts. There are others. Teamsters represent workers at Boyd Coffee in Northeast Portland. The Machinists Union rep- resents workers at Gerber Leg- endary Blades, who make outdoor knives and multipurpose tools in Tigard. Jackson & Perkins is a Medford- based company that grows roses, Christmas trees and other items in California, where it employs 1,400 members of United Farm Workers. Baked goods from Oroweat, Franz, Williams, Fred Meyer Clackamas Bakery and Safeway Clackamas Bread Plant are made by members of Bakery, Confectionery Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 114. Other union-made goodies include Hershey’s, See’s Candies, Ghi- rardelli, Brown & Halley, Russell Stover and Hostess products, to name a few. Teamsters and Operating Engi- neers represent workers at Tillamook County Creamery, where some of the best cheese in the world is pro- duced. Teamsters also represent workers at Smuckers, Darigold, Pepsi Cola, Coca-Cola and Franz Bakery. WHERE TO BUY Fred Meyer is the only unionized department store in Oregon, with em- ployees represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555. However, not all stores are union, and even within union stores there are sometimes nonunion departments. If you want to be sure, ask a worker. In Longview, Washington’s Old Town, Bob’s Merchandise and Bob’s Bike Shop have employees repre- sented by Local 555. So do Farr’s True Value stores in Coos Bay and Coquille, and Bay Appliance and TV in Coos Bay. In grocery and meat, most Fred Meyer, Safeway, Albertsons, Haggens, QFC, Sherm’s and McKay’s stores employ workers rep- resented by UFCW Local 555. Again, not all stores are union and, as in retail, not all departments are union. In-store bakery workers are mem- bers of Bakers Local 114 at most (Turn to Page 5) Getting into the holiday spirit A sure sign that the holidays season is near is the presence of volunteer electricians from IBEW Local 48 getting The Grotto ready for its annual Festival of Lights. As they have done for the past 19 years, electricians mounted panels and assembled temporary power boxes that supply power to more than half-a-million lights and fiber- optic displays and animated displays in a walk- through depiction of the story of the birth of Christ. A team of 40 union members volunteered (including Dave Manning and Steve Martell in the photo above on opening night; Eric Garcia in the photo right, and Bob Palandech and Craig Dyk below) this year, while union contractors of the National Electrical Contractors Association donated equipment. “The expertise and pro- fessionalism of the IBEW Local 48 electricians are so important to this event,” said Father Jack Topper, executive director of The Grotto. “Year after year they come out to lend us a hand. We couldn’t do this without their selfless help.” The Grotto Festival of Lights is open nightly through Dec. 30 from 5 to 9:30 p.m. The Grotto is located at NE 85th and Sandy Boulevard, Portland.