SEIU #503 reaches tentative contract with nursing homes
Nursing home owners from four
different chains and Service Employ-
ees Local 503 reached a tentative
agreement Aug. 5 on a new contract.
The four year contract, which cov-
ers over 800 workers, calls for $2.65
cent per hour wage and benefit im-
provements over the life of the agree-
ment.Wage increases are effective
Oct. t each year at 70 cents, 50 cents,
60 cents and 50 cents.
Benefit improvements ranged from
putting money into a health care flex
account, helping offset the costs of
health care, to establishing shift differ-
entials.
Starting in the spring of 2008, im-
proved staffing ratios in nursing
homes will be phased in from 10 to 7
residents per staff person on day shift,
from 15 to 11 on evening shift, and
from 25 to 18 on the night shift.
“We’re very proud of this contract.
It is a big win for residents and work-
ers,” said Diane King, a nursing home
employee in Oregon City. “The wage
increases and improvements in our
contract will help us attract and retain
skilled workers. Because of that we
can staff up and greatly improve the
quality of life for our residents.”
The new contract is a result of an
Oregon commission created due to the
joint advocacy efforts of SEIU and
Nursing Home Operators. In 2006
Governor Ted Kulongoski agreed to
appoint a commission to study the re-
lationship between staffing ratios and
quality care in nursing homes. The
recommendations of the Commission
were achieved primarily because the
2007 Oregon Legislature approved $3
million to implement improved
staffing ratios.
The nursing home chains affected
by the new agreement are Prestige,
Avamere, Evergreen and Pinnacle.
They have homes in Portland, Hills-
boro, Clackamas, Hood River, The
Dalles, Salem, Lebanon, Indepen-
dence, Milton-Freewater, Pendleton,
LaGrande and Ashland.
The Members and Officers of
Office and Professional Employees
International Union Local 11
honor all working men and women
on this important holiday.
Happy Labor Day 2007!
Special Recognition
to Workers Everywhere
Happy Labor Day!
OFFICE & PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES
INTERNATIONAL UNION
OREGON STATE BUILDING AND
CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL
LOCAL 11
7931 N.E. Halsey, Suite 103 • Portland, Oregon 97213
503-257-6691 • 800-547-8907 • Vancouver 360-892-1370
• www.opeiu11.org
BOB SHIPRACK
THE FIRST LABOR DAY
20210 S.W. Teton
Tualatin, OR 97062
503-691-0632
The Hard-Working
Dedicated Municipal Employees
Laborers Local 483
Salute our Union Brothers and Sisters
Richard Beetle
Troy Hogeland
Myron Hall
Business Manager
President
Secretary-Treasurer
Bruce Easley
Gannon Sorg
Tom Clough
Vice President
Recording Secretary
Sgt.-at-Arms
Donna Bandeen
PAC Treasurer
AUGUST 17, 2007
Dan Forner
Executive Board
Tim Meyer
Michael Dehner
Executive Board
Field Rep
Two men have been credited with suggesting a holiday to honor working people in the United States —
Matthew Maguire, a machinist from Paterson, N.J., and Peter J. McGuire, a New York City carpenter who
founded the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners. Both men played an important part in staging
the first Labor Day parade in New York City on Sept. 5, 1882. In 1887, in accordance with the plans of the
Central Labor Council, Oregon became the first state to make Labor Day a legal holiday.
In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected to be the holiday, as originally proposed, and the
Central Labor Council urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and
celebrate a “workingmen’s holiday” on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations,
and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many individual centers of the country.
As the years went by the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day. The first governmental
recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. From them developed the
movement to secure state legisIation. The first state bill was introduced into the New York Legislature, but
the first to become law was passed by Oregon on Feb. 21, 1887. During the year
four more states — Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York —
created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment. By the end of
the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had followed
suit.
By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of
workers, and on June 28 of that year Congress passed an act
making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday
in the District of Columbia and the territories. President Grover
Cleveland signed it into law making Labor Day a national holiday.
Have a safe and happy Labor Day
from
the Members, Executive Board
and Staff of IBEW Local 125
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
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