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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (April 6, 2007)
NW Labor History confab set May 11-12 at IBEW #48 Health care reform topic of retirees group The Oregon chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA) held its fourth annual convention March 17 at the International Longshore and Ware- house Union in Northwest Portland. The keynote speaker was former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber. An em- ergency room doctor from Roseburg, Kitzhaber launched the Archimedes Movement, a project to make basic health insurance coverage available to all Oregonians. The Oregon Better Health Act was introduced in the Legislature earlier this year. Senate Bill 27 would pool monies from Medicare, Medicaid and employer-sponsored insurance plans to provide a “core benefit” of health care benefits for everyone. Kitzhaber told delegates it can be done without raising taxes, although it would require approval of Congress. Kitzhaber envisioned a health care system similar to that of the public school system, where everyone pays regardless of economic status and “everyone has universal access to a de- fined level of education.” Parents can al- ways enhance educational opportunities with tutors and by other means — but at their own expense, he said. When budgets are tight, Kitzhaber said leaders might increase class sizes or take other measures to save money. “But they never argue about eligibility. Never.” SB 29 has been merged with an- other health care bill sponsored by Senators Ben Westlund of Bend and Alan Bates of Ashland. The Senate Special Committee on Health Care Reform is working on a draft that combines language from both bills with portions of two other health care plans currently circulating around the state. Westlund was joined at the ARA 7LUHG RI :RUNLQJ LQ 3$,1" 0RVW,QVXUDQFH 3ODQV$FFHSWHG 3 P 528'/< ROUDLY 6 S (59,1* ERVING ORTLAND W 3 P 257/$1' : ORKERS 25.(56 F OR O VER 32 Y EARS ) 25 2 9(5 < ($56 APRIL 6, 2007 Former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber talks about health care reform to more than 50 people who attended the annual convention of the Oregon Chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans. meeting by State Rep. Mitch Green- lick. Greenlick discussed House Joint Resolution 18, a referral to voters that seeks to add language to the State Constitution making health care a right for all legal residents of Oregon. In other business, Congresswoman Darlene Hooley presented an ARA award for service to retirees Bill and Genie Ubelacker. Genie is a retired member of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Em- ployees and both are active in the De- mocratic Party. Verna Porter was re-elected presi- dent of the Oregon Alliance of Retired Americans. Others elected were Bar- ney Gorter, 1st vice president; Ken Hennrich, 2nd vice president; Val Jack, secretary; Ron Rogers, treasurer; and Leanna Hakala and Scott Blau, trustees. %HHVRQ &KLURSUDFWLF KHOSVEULQJWKH UHOLHI\RXQHHG 7UHDWPHQWIRUSDLQGXHWR RYHUXVHDQGUHSHWLWLYHPRWLRQ &KLURSUDFWLFDGMXVWPHQWV 7UHDWPHQWIRUDFFLGHQWDQG VSRUWVUHODWHGLQMXULHV 5HKDELOLWDWLRQH[HUFLVHV 7KHUDSHXWLFPDVVDJH ,QWHUQDOGLDJQRVLVDQGWUHDWPHQW /DEWHVWVDQG[UD\V 'U'DQ%HHVRQ&KLURSUDFWRU 6(7KLUWHHQWK$YHLQ6HOOZRRG &$// “Preserving Union History: Saving The Day” is the theme of the 39th an- nual Pacific Northwest Labor History Association Conference, slated Friday and Saturday, May 11-12, at the IBEW Local 48-NECA Training Cen- ter, 15937 (16021) NE Airport Way, Portland. The conference brings union mem- bers from Oregon, Washington and British Columbia together for a week- end of workshops, panel discussions and entertainment. The annual awards banquet will be held May 11 starting at 6:30 p.m. Ed Barnes, retired business manager of IBEW Local 48, will be honored with the Labor History “Person of the Year”Award. Speakers that evening will include Labor Commissioner Dan Gardner and Tim Nesbitt, adviser to Gov. Ted Kulongoski. Nesbitt is a former presi- dent of the Oregon AFL-CIO. On May 12, a plenary session start- ing at 9 a.m. will feature Joseph Mc- Cartin, associate professor of history at Georgetown University, who will talk about the the air traffic controllers and how their mass firings in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan changed the face of collective bargaining in the Southgate Mobile & RV Park 7911 SE 82nd Ave. Portland, Oregon Spaces Available up to 35’ United States. Also speaking on Saturday will be Heather Mayer of Simon Fraser Uni- versity; Trevor Griffey of the Univer- sity of Washington History Depart- ment; and Adam Klugman of the Progressive Media Agency. Mayer will discuss the Wobblies and the 1907 sawmill strike in Portland. Griffey will talk about working-class radicalism and the electrical workers in the Northwest. And Klugman will make a presentation on telling labor’s story. Registration is $50 before May 1 and $65 after that. For more information, call Ross Rieder at 253-875-9498. 503-771-5262 Quarry 8” Safety toe or reg. Gortex/Vibram. Black Try a pair on, you’ll like them. Tough boots for the Northwest. AL’S SHOES 5811 SE 82nd, Portland 503-771-2130 Mon-Fri 10-7:30 Sat 10-5:30 Sun 12-6 Gradine Storms Real Estate Broker Member of CWA Local 7901 E-Mail: gstorms@equitygroup.com www.equitygroup.com/gstorms 7886 SE 13th Ave. Portland, Oregon 97202 Direct: 503-495-4932 Branch: 503-233-8883 Each Office Independently Owned and Operated THE UNION PLUS ® MORTGAGE PROGRAM Provided Exclusively by Chase Home Finance When it comes to mortgages, we’re taking a stand for Union members. Chase is backing union members with the Union Plus® Mortgage Program — a home purchase and refinancing program exclusively for union members, their parents and children. • FREE Mortgage Assistance Benefit If you are unemployed or disabled. • A wide variety of mortgages Choose from fixed-rate, adjustable-rate, and low- or no-closing costs options. • Special Lending First-time homebuyer and less-than-perfect credit programs. • Savings on closing costs Member-only savings on new purchases and refinance. It all adds up to more home-buying power. Contact your local Union Plus® Mortgage Specialist 866-729-6016 866-729-6016 Ext. 3016 Union Plus is a registered trademark of Union Privilege. Eligibility for mortgage assistance begins one year after closing on a Union Plus Mortgage through Chase Home Finance. This offer may not be combined with any other promotional offer or rebate, is not transferable, and is available to bona fide members of participating unions. For down payments of less than 20%, mortgage insurance (MI) is required and MI charges apply. All loans are subject to credit and property approval. Program terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Not all products are available in all states or for all loan amounts. Other restrictions and limitations apply. ©2005 JPMorgan Chase & Co. All Rights Reserved. P-UP 104 2A-7604 10/05 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS PAGE 9
