Labor agency suspends
‘Helping Hands’ program
Labor’s Community Service Agency has temporarily suspended its emergency
assistance program due to lack of cash.
Since January the agency, under its newly created “Helping Hands” program,
has distributed more than $20,000 in temporary hardship assistance to people in
need. For years, that program operated under a dedicated Emergency Assistance
Fund. Those monies were earmarked on a one-time basis to help workers facing
temporary hardships such as a layoff, strike, illness or other reasons. The fund as-
sisted with payments on rent, utilities, buying groceries, and for other needs. The
program has been in operation since 1974. Last year it distributed $60,000.
“Requests for assistance exceeded the Helping Hands budget for the first quar-
ter of 2008, and that level of requests continued throughout the month of April,”
said Vickie Burns, office manager of LCSA. “The agency needs time to regroup
and recover while gearing up for what we anticipate will be a prolonged period of
economic distress for many working families.”
Labor’s Community Service Agency is hoping for a large turnout at the 11th
annual Labor Appreciation and Recognition Night Saturday, May 31, sponsored
by the Northwest Oregon Labor Council. Proceeds from that event go to the
Helping Hands fund. LCSA is a nonprofit agency funded by United Way of the
Columbia-Willamette, in partnership with the Northwest Oregon Labor Council,
AFL-CIO.
“Hopefully, on June 1, we will be in a position to restart the program,” Burns
said.
In the meantime, union members in the Portland metropolitan area experi-
encing a temporary hardship are asked to call 2-1-1. Similar to 9-1-1 for emer-
gency services and 4-1-1 for directory assistance, 2-1-1 is the three digit number
to dial for health and human service information and referrals for such basic re-
sources as food, shelter, employment, or health care.
Appreciate someone from
labor on special night May 31
Laborers Local 320 of Portland
has endorsed John Kroger for at-
torney general and Rick Metsger
for secretary of state in the May 20
Oregon primary election.
The union, which represents
workers in heavy and highway
construction, at industrial plants
and in the public sector, also
backed Sam Adams for mayor of
Portland and Nick Fish for an open
seat on the Portland City Council.
In congressional races, the
union supports Democrats Kurt
Schrader in District 5; Earl Blume-
nauer in District 3, and David Wu
in District 1.
MAY 16, 2008
Carpenters, Electricians, Laborers, Glaziers, Sheetmetal Workers, Floorcoverers, Bricklayers, Cement Masons, Roofers, Asbestos Workers, Millwrights, Painters, Elevators, Plasterers,
Laborers Local 320
endorses Kroger,
Metsger in primary
For more information or to or-
der tickets, call 503-235-9444.
PLEASE VOTE
MIKE FAHEY
PORTLAND CITY COUNCIL
POSITION #1
To all my friends in the Labor Movement—
First and foremost, I want to thank you for your years of friendship and support. Together we have worked to protect
and defend the rights of workers in the City of Portland and the State of Oregon. In the past 45 years as a union
member, I have seen a broad range of attacks aimed at undermining the economic security of working families.
Together we have turned back attacks on the prevailing wage, minimum wage increases, our public school teachers
and government employees, and working conditions.While a State Representative in Salem (and co-chair of the
Labor Committee), I fought legislation that would have limited registered nurses’ decision-making on the best care
to provide their patients. I aggressively fought every anti-worker bill that was assigned to the Labor Committee. I ac-
tively and openly defended PERS (Public Employees Retirement System).This year marked 25 years since we
started the Carpenters Food Bank.Together, with all your support, we have kept the doors open feeding 450 to 500
families a month and helped our Brothers and Sisters who have been laid off or on strike and our union retirees on
fixed incomes.
For more biographical information and my stands on current issues please visit one of the following web sites:
http://www.friendsformikefahey.com or http://blog.friendsformikefahey.com
(Authorized by Friends for Mike Fahey, 6809 N. Armour St. Portland, Or 97203. 503-289-5626)
Carpenters, Electricians, Laborers, Glaziers, Sheetmetal Workers, Floorcoverers, Bricklayers, Cement Masons, Roofers, Asbestos Workers, Millwrights, Painters, Elevators, Plasterers, Family
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Flexible terms
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Rates subject
to change
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Lowest interest rates in
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See our website for current
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Both fixed and variable
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Interest may be tax
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9955 SE Washington Street
Portland, OR 97216
(503) 253-8193 * (800) 356-6507
www.ibewuwfcu.com
Carpenters, Electricians, Laborers, Glaziers, Sheetmetal Workers, Floorcoverers, Bricklayers, Cement Masons, Roofers, Asbestos Workers, Millwrights, Painters, Elevators, Plasterers, Family
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
Carpenters, Electricians, Laborers, Glaziers, Sheetmetal Workers, Floorcoverers, Bricklayers, Cement Masons, Roofers, Asbestos Workers, Millwrights, Painters, Elevators, Plasterers,
The Northwest Oregon Labor
Council hosts the 11th annual La-
bor Appreciation and Recognition
Night Saturday, May 31, at West-
moreland Union Manor.
The dinner and awards cere-
mony serves as a fundraiser for
Labor’s Community Service
Agency, which helps union mem-
bers who have been laid off, are
on strike, or experiencing some
type of financial difficulty.
Dinner tickets are $10 per per-
son. Raffle tickets also are sold for
$1 each or seven for $5.
Don’t Forget to Vote by May 20
PAGE 3
