Happy Labor Day!
Working together—hand in hand
You work hard for the well-being of your family and this community
we’re proud to call home. That’s why we’re dedicated to helping
you be the healthiest you can be. At Regence, we’re more than
your health care company—we’re your neighbors.
Find nutrition and safety tips for your Labor Day Celebration
at myRegence.com
Have A Safe and happy
LABOR DAY
From the Executive
Board, Members
and Staff of
AFL-CIO’s political program to
extend far beyond presidency
CHICAGO (PAI) — The national
AFL-CIO’s political program for the
2007-2008 election cycle is still being
formed, but it will extend far beyond
the presidential race, the group’s polit-
ical director says.
Seven U.S. Senate seats are on the
labor federation’s radar screen, in-
cluding one in Oregon, where Repub-
lican incumbent Gordon Smith is up
for re-election.
Two Democrats have filed to chal-
lenge Smith. They are House Speaker
Jeff Merkley and political activist
Steve Novick.
Other states being targeted by the
national AFL-CIO are Republican
Senate seats in Virginia, Maine, Min-
nesota, New Hampshire and Col-
orado. The seventh seat in South
Dakota is held by a Democrat. De-
mocrats now hold a 51-49 U.S. Senate
majority and a 232-203 majority in
AFL-CIO to start
major health care
drive on Labor Day
CHICAGO (PAI) — The national
AFL-CIO will start a major drive to
put universal quality health care atop
the national election agenda, starting
just after Labor Day.
The federation’s Executive Council
said it would add the health care drive
to its effort to restore workers’ free-
dom to join unions and bargain collec-
tively through passage of the Em-
ployee Free Choice Act.
But the council did not endorse
specific legislation for universal cover-
age. At least five unions, including the
Steel workers, the California Nurses
Association and the International
Longshore and Warehouse Union,
support government-run single-payer
health care.
Others support different methods.
The labor federation established a spe-
cial health care panel of union presi-
dents and leaders to work out which
specific plan to support. It named
longtime Democratic political organ-
izer Heather Booth to direct the drive.
the U.S. House.
Final decisions on the scope, size,
funding, and how to pay for the sup-
port will be made at meetings of the
federation’s political committee on
Sept. 21 and its Executive Council on
Sept. 28, both in Washington, D.C.,
said political director Karen Acker-
man.
Decisions on which races to get in-
volved in are separate from the feder-
ation’s Aug. 8 vote to take no action in
the Democratic presidential primary.
“Every national union affiliate may
decide for itself if it wishes to support
a candidate in the primaries, and dif-
ferent unions will be ready to make
decisions at different times,” the AFL-
CIO Executive Council said.
The Executive Council’s decision
not to endorse a presidential hopeful
before the big round of primaries in
2008 could change if the political situ-
ation changes, Ackerman said after
the council vote. But its resolution set-
ting the unions loose to make their
own pre-primary endorsements had
the presidents “reflecting their mem-
bership,” she added.
L EGAL P ROBLEMS ??
For $16 a month
coverage includes:
❖ Unlimited toll-free phone
consultation with attorneys.
❖ A comprehensive will with
yearly updates is included.
❖ Representation for traffic tickets,
accidents, criminal, and civil suits.
❖ Coverage on IRS tax audits.
❖ Divorce, child custody, bank-
ruptcy and many more benefits.*
THESE LEGAL SERVICES
ARE PROVIDED BY THE
VERY BEST LAW FIRMS
IN OREGON & WASHINGTON.
* Some services not 100% covered
For more
information,
call 503-760-2456
or toll-free at
(888) 252-7930
www.prepaidlegal.com/info/randallnix
/$%25(*21
/(5&
,ABORô%DUCATIONôANDô2ESEARCHô#ENTER
Carpenters Local 1388
If You Enjoy Labor Day, Thank a Carpenter!
PAGE 10
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
7EªAREª0ROUDªTOª3ERVEª7ORKERS
ANDªTHEª5NIONª-OVEMENTªINª/REGONª
THEª&IRSTª3TATEªTOª-AKEª,ABORª$AYª
ANª/FlCIALª(OLIDAY
4HEô&ACULTYôANDô3TAFFôOFôTHEô,ABORô%DUCATIONôANDô2ESEARCHô#ENTER
5NIVERSITYôOFô/REGON
AUGUST 17, 2007