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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (June 6, 2008)
Sizemore held in contempt of court A Multnomah County judge held anti-union ballot measure activist Bill Sizemore in contempt of court May 27 for willfully violating a 2003 court or- der. The court order came after a law- suit filed in 2000 by the Oregon Educa- tion Association and American Federation of Teachers-Oregon. In that suit, after a two-week trial, a Multnomah County Circuit Court jury found two Sizemore-led organizations guilty of a pattern of fraud and forgery to get initiatives on the ballot that were intended to cause financial harm to the unions. The judge in the case, Jerome LaBarre, ordered $2.5 million in dam- ages. When Sizemore tried to evade the verdict by creating new organizations, LaBarre issued an order that, among other things, barred Sizemore from rais- ing and spending money for new polit- ical groups until the court-awarded damages were paid. But Sizemore didn’t pay, and in 2006, he raised and spent money for a new initiative campaign, which didn’t make it to the ballot. The unions asked that he be held in contempt of court for that. Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Janice Wilson rejected Size- more’s argument that he didn’t under- stand the court order, and ruled that he “chose to ignore” it. “Mr. Sizemore is a very bright man,” BILL SIZEMORE Judge Wilson said. “He knew that the words [of the court order] meant some- thing.” Jail, the judge declared, wouldn’t be appropriate or necessary. But the judge is ordering that Sizemore pay the plain- tiffs’ attorneys fees for pursuing the contempt of court case, which could be tens of thousands of dollars. And Wil- son is adding the amount Sizemore raised — about $35,500 — to the amount he still owes the unions. That’s about $500,000. [An appeals court re- duced the earlier award to $500,000.] “This is what we have to do to get compliance with the jury award and the injunction,” said AFT-Oregon Execu- tive Director Richard Schwarz. “Size- more is very good at proposing laws for everyone else, but when it comes to laws that apply to him he thinks he should be immune.” The decision is the latest in a series of court orders against Sizemore’s cir- cumvention of the courts. In February, attorneys for OEA and AFT-Oregon filed a fourth contempt of court charge, presenting evidence that Sizemore fraudulently used a sham charitable or- ganization to funnel money into his po- litical activities — which he was barred from doing by LaBarre’s order. On May 27, Judge Wilson also gave plaintiffs attorneys the right to subpoena documents and testimony from Size- more and his wife to gather more infor- mation about the Nevada shell organi- zation. Parts of LaBarre’s order expire July 25, including a prohibition against Size- more using funds from charitable non- profits for political causes. Hartman said plaintiffs will ask the court to ex- tend the order another five years. “There hasn’t been much compliance so far,” Hartman said, “so we’d like to give Bill another chance to comply.” Meanwhile, the original case is still on appeal before the Oregon Supreme Court, which heard from both sides last September but has yet to make a deci- sion. I NDEPENDENT R ETIREMENT L IVING Westmoreland's Union Manor Kirkland Union Plaza 6404 SE 23rd Ave. Portland 97202 1414 Kauffman Ave. Vancouver 98660 503•233•5671 360•694•4314 Manors Make the Difference • Studio and One-Bedroom Apartments • Affordable Rent includes Utilities ( EXCEPT PHONE AND CABLE ) • Planned Events, Clubs, and Activities • Ideal Locations offer easy access to Bus Lines, Shopping, and Entertainment • No Costly Buy-In or Application Fees K IRKLAND U NION P LAZA JUNE 6, 2008 Michael Douglas Anderson, a re- tired business representative of Sheet Metal Workers Lo- cal 16, died May 23 at his home in Van- couver, Washing- ton. He was 58. Anderson joined Local 16 as an ap- prentice in October 1968. He worked for the local as an organizer from 1995 to 1998 — leav- ing that job to become a business rep- resentative for the union. He retired in April 2005. Anderson was born in Eugene, Ore- gon, on March 25, 1950. He attended high school there before moving to Vancouver, where he graduated from Evergreen High School. He met Janet L. Woodcock through her brother Jim. The Woodcocks all went to Madison High School in Port- land. They were married on April 4, 1968. According to his daughter, Michelle, Michael Anderson “was a Jack of all trades, who loved racing, guns, and family.” Anderson was preceded in death by his father William G. Anderson. He is survived by his wife; mother, Doris L. Anderson; a son, Bill; a daughter, Michelle Rivera and son-in- law Ben Rivera; four grandchildren; and brothers Gary and Fred Anderson. A memorial service was held May 31 at the Sheet Metal Worker Local 16 Union Hall in Portland Oregon. Donations in Anderson’s name may be sent to the American Heart Associa- tion or the American Diabetes Associa- tion. Lung cancer claimed Michael Wayne Howard, a long-time mem- ber/activist of Service Employees In- ternational Union Local 49, who died April 26 at age 51. Howard worked as a lead janitor for American Building Maintenance at the Wells Fargo Center in downtown Port- land for 30 years. He was active in Lo- cal 49, serving as a chief steward, ser- geant-at-arms, as a member of the bargaining team for the citywide master janitorial agreement, and as a volunteer mem- ber organizer. Howard was a familiar face at rallies, marches, and picket lines to support fellow union members. He was a mentor to new stewards, helped hundreds of nonunion jani- tors join the union, and spent countless hours knocking on doors and making phone calls to help get pro-union can- didates elected. In 2003, he was the first recipient of the Emory F. Via Workers Education Award for outstanding achievement in activating co-workers and promoting social justice. The award was presented at the Oregon AFL-CIO convention in September 2003. Howard was born May 28, 1956, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His family moved to Portland when he was a child. He attended King and Sabin ele- mentary schools, and graduated from Benson High School in 1974. He met his wife, Lena Lewis, in 1981, and they were together for over 26 years. They married in 2007. Howard is survived by his wife; two sons, Michael Howard, Jr., and An- dre Avent; nine grandchildren; his fa- ther, the Rev. Felton Howard; three brothers; three sisters; and many nieces and nephews. Opened in March of 2002 L ABOR L EADERS IN THE P ORTLAND B UILDING T RADE M OVEMENT ORGANIZED THE U NION L ABOR R ETIREMENT A SSOCIATION IN 1962, WITH THE SOLE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY . “ We believe that everyone earns the right to retire, free from pressures of earlier years.” Kirkland Union Manors Marshall Union Manor 3530 SE 84th Ave. 2020 NW Northrup Portland 97266 Portland 97209 503•777•8101 • Federal Rent Subsidies Available (M UST Q UALIFY ) IN MEMORIAM 503•225•0677 WWW . THEUNIONMANORS . 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