Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 2006)
...Former AFL-CIO leader Nesbitt appointed to governor’s staff (From Page 1) reined in anti-union ballot measure ac- tivist Bill Sizemore. Then, as Oregon AFL-CIO president, he helped unite and focus Oregon’s labor movement, turning it into a permanently mobilized political force. So he was tremendously disheart- ened to see labor’s unity unravel as SEIU led a group of unions out of the national AFL-CIO in July 2005. “We were going to have to go through a period of rebuilding,” Nesbitt said, recalling the dilemma he faced as the split spread to the state level. “I had already done it once.” As the Oregon AFL-CIO met in its September convention, it was unclear Plumbers and Fitters Local 290 helps foster children’s party A $1,000 donation by Plumbers and Fitters Local 290 to child welfare em- ployees at the Oregon Department of Human Services in East Multnomah County helped foster kids enjoy a holi- day party this year. “They step up and help us every year. We adore those guys,” said Debo- rah Bruun, a social service specialist who helps organize the annual event. Local 290’s contribution accounted for nearly half of the money raised this year. The State of Oregon used to fund the party, which includes pizza, games, craftmaking and gifts at the festively- decorated Multnomah County office in Northeast Portland. Some 200-plus kids and foster parents attend each year. But budget cuts in the late ’90s dried up the money-source for the party. State employees thought the event was so vi- tal for the children that they began rais- ing money on their own time. Bruun cold-called Local 290 about six years ago, and the union has been contributing ever since. Last year the union sponsored a “fishing room with candy cane fishing poles that caught stuffed animals,” Bruun said. Bruun said this year employees were scrambling to raise enough money for the party. She and her daughter met with Local 290’s Executive Board, who approved a $1,000 contribution. “I don’t know what we would have done without their support,” Bruun said. “There might not have been a party this year.” The party was held Dec. 13 (after this issue went to press). whether national union leadership would allow Change to Win locals to re- main affiliated with local AFL-CIO bodies. Nesbitt decided the time had come for him to step aside, and pro- posed former Fire Fighters Union Pres- ident Tom Chamberlain as a successor. After resigning, Nesbitt stayed con- nected with the labor movement, work- ing as a consultant for the Working Families Party of Oregon, a new labor- led third party that qualified for ballot status this year. He maintains an associ- ate membership in SEIU. In July, he began working as a polit- ical adviser on Kulongoski’s re-election campaign. Unions were the backbone of the campaign. Now, Kulongoski’s choice of Nesbitt and Terhune suggests the gov- ernor will work closely with organized labor in his second term. With Democrats in control of the Legislature and governor’s office, Nes- bitt is optimistic about progress on is- sues dear to labor, including a fairer tax system, health care cost savings, and greater ease for employees to form unions. “A progressive and growing union movement is important, but it’s still not enough. We need to make government work for working people,” he said. Nesbitt says he sees working for the governor as a continuation of his politi- cal work in the union movement. “I never saw unions as a special in- terest. Unions are a defender of the gen- eral interest.” Nesbitt’s new post means giving up several commitments, including the Working Families Party, as well as his regular column in the Northwest Labor Press, which he’s written since 2004. Nesbitt serves on the Oregon State Board of Higher Education, and said he will decide soon whether it’s feasible to remain on the Board. Karl Bik, Co-Chairman Cement Masons Trust Funds for Northern California The bank of labor has on-the-job experience in Taft-Hartley trust fund management supports you with an expert labor team and one easy point of contact offers investment solutions to build and protect your hard-earned funds gives workers the benefit of customized health and retirement plans has worked on behalf of unions for more than 50 years. Invest in you ® Labor Management Trust Services Trevor Lewis, Senior Vice President, (213) 236-4061 Jan Dawson, Vice President, (503) 450-1273 Louis Nagy, Vice President, (206) 587-3627 Labor Management Deposit Services Diane Williams, Senior Vice President & Manager, (213) 236-5085 John Mendoza, Vice President & Relationship Manager, (415) 705-7112 Visit us at unionbank.com DECEMBER 15, 2006 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS ©2006 Union Bank of California, N.A. Member FDIC PAGE 13
