Carpenters Local 247 taps Bruce Dennis president United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local 247 held officer elections at its June 10 general membership meeting in Portland. Members returned incumbent President Bruce Dennis to office for a sixth term. Dennis outpolled challenger Jason Sheckler. Joe Baron was re-elected financial secretary. Elected vice president was Mike An- derson, who had been appointed to the position by the Executive Board after it was vacated by the resignation of Gene Lawhorn. Running unopposed were: Darell Duffy, treasurer; Ben Basom, recording secretary; Mike Couch, warden; Pete Savage, conductor; and Kevin Stokes, trustee. Local 247 members also elected 14 delegates to the Pacific Northwest Re- gional Council of Carpenters. They are: Mike Anderson, Joe Baron, Ben Ba- som, Bruce Dennis, Darrell Duffy, Krista Farmer, John Hahn, Christie Kern, Gene Lawhorn, Richard Petrich, Pete Savage, Jason Shekler, Kevin Stokes, and Joe Whitney. Dave Oury, Gene Picariello, and Tom Sowa were elected alternate delegates. All the offices have three-year terms. Dennis’ said topmost on his agenda for Local 247 will be pulling together member unity. About half the local’s 1,200 mem- bers are covered under a master agree- ment with Associated General Contrac- tors, which expires next year. Dennis, 57, is also seeking re-elec- tion this year as president of the Re- gional Council, which covers five states. Beetle re-elected business manager of Laborers #483 In mail-in ballots counted June 13, Richard “Buz” Beetle, 60, was elected to a second three-year term as business manager of Laborers Local 483. Local 483 is an 825-member munic- ipal employees local of the Laborers In- ternational Union of North America. Beetle’s challenger in the race was Local 483 President Troy Hogeland. The office of president will now be held by Bruce Easley, who outpolled fellow union member Gannon Sorg. Beetle, a long-time city wastewater treatment operator, is a 32-year mem- ber of Local 483 and has served 19 years on its Executive Board. For his next term, Beetle said he plans to con- tinue trying to increase member in- volvement; hire an organizer to bring in new members; and modernize the union office. Besides the general membership meeting that is required by the union charter, Local 483 has been holding monthly meetings right after work at major worksites, at which members can talk about issues particular to those units. Beetle also said he wants to in- crease the number of stewards to 75, up from the current 40. In other results, Ron McKinney bested Tim Sessler for the office of sec- retary-treasurer, and Mark Lewis out- polled Kevin Stampflee to become ser- geant-at-arms. Running unopposed were Scott Gibson, vice president; and Jeb Barsh, recording secretary. Three candidates ran for two at-large Executive Board positions. Mike Mur- phy and Terry Wade got the most votes, but Wade resigned the office after elec- tion to take a management position. Beetle said the Executive Board was likely at its July 1 meeting to appoint the third candidate, Shawn Janis, to the position. Local 483 also elected Paul LaCroix as a delegate to the Laborers District Council. Beetle and Easley will also be delegates by virtue of their offices. Local 483 represents some classifi- cations of workers at the Oregon Zoo and the Portland International Airport, and about 650 City of Portland workers in the bureaus responsible for parks, road maintenance, water, and sewage treatment. The contract covering city workers expires in 2010. IBEW Local 125 announces election results Crane strikes power line, causing havoc Two days after union rep Jim Ander- son warned a nonunion crane operator to beware of a nearby power line, a crane at a project in Southeast Portland damaged a transmission line at South- east 28th and Ankeny June 26, knock- ing out power to about 8,000 Portland General Electric customers for about an hour and closing the street for the after- noon. A PGE crew, members of Interna- tional Brotherhood of Electrical Work- ers Local 125, patched the damaged line and restored power. The operator of the leased crane was reportedly shocked but uninjured, but the accident fried the crane’s electrical system, destroyed the motor, and frayed the cable holding up the block. Once the power was turned off, firefighters helped the operator get out of the crane, and a worker climbed out on the jib to secure the block. The 50-foot crane was being used to construct a four-story mixed use condo project. The general contractor on the project is Gray Purcell. Much of the work is being done by nonunion sub- contractors, including workers provided by LaborReady. Carpenters have put up pickets at the site saying that the em- ployer doesn’t pay area standard wages. Representative of the union filed a com- plaint with the Oregon-Occupational Safety and Health Administration after observing a Bobcat with forks attached being used to lift materials to the sec- ond floor. Two days before the crane accident, Anderson, a field representative for Op- HEMORRHOIDS Zachary Zabinsky The Non-Surgical Treatment We specialize in the non-surgical treatment of hemorrhoids. For over 40 years people throughout the region have turned to the Sandy Blvd. Clinic for fast and effective relief. For more information, FREE consultation and/or a FREE informative booklet call: Write or call for a FREE information booklet and/or a FREE consultation. PAGE 8 (503) 232-7609 THE SANDY BLVD. RECTAL CLINIC PORTLAND Steven G. Cranford, DC, ND FORMERLY THE BEAL-OLIVER CLINIC CHIROPRACTIC/NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS 2026 NE SANDY BLVD., PORTLAND, OR 97232 erating Engineers Local 701, had been by to see how well the crane was being run, and could tell the operator was in- experienced. He spoke with the opera- tor about the potential safety hazard posed by the nearby power lines. OSHA requires that a crane operator have 1,500 hours of experience before running a crane solo. The operator An- derson spoke with had less than that, and in any case was on the ground when the accident occurred, while an even less-experienced trainee ran the crane. Another Gray Purcell crane operator had previously joined the union to get more training, Anderson said, after complaining of unsafe working condi- tions. • Social Security • SSI - Disability Claims Personal Attention To Every Case Working For Disability Rights Since 1983 NO FEE WITHOUT RECOVERY Insurance accepted/pre authorization required. 621 SW Morrison, Portland 223-8517 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS International Brotherhood of Elec- trical Workers Local 125 announced the results of its officer election June 27. Headquartered in Portland, the union has about 3,500 members, mostly in utilities. Travis Eri, running unopposed, was elected to a second term as busi- ness manager and financial secretary. Larry Browning, an employee of Portland General Electric, outpolled Walter Banker of Bonneville Power Administration to win re-election to the office of president. Brian Williams (PGE) bested incumbent Paul Diet- rich (Pacific Power) for vice presi- dent. Also running unopposed were Raymond Cowell (Pacific Power), recording secretary; and Douglas Shaffer (PGE), treasurer. All the above officers serve on the Local 125 Executive Board, which also has four at-large positions. Nine members ran for the four at- large positions. Those elected were: Patrick Winter (Pacific Power), Jim Sweet (PGE), Troy Anderson (BPA), and Joseph Gass (PGE). All but Gass were incumbents. Five members were elected to the Examining Board, out of 11 candi- dates. The Examining Board tests ap- plicants and apprentices. Those elected were: Bill Young (PGE), Ron Rodgers (PGE), Ryan Hagel (PGE), Gary Schwartz (PGE), and Lee Cole (Pacific Power). Young and Cole are incumbents. All the terms of office are three years. Business manager is the only elected office that is a full-time paid position. Eri, 37, said his priorities for his second term include improving mem- ber education and increasing member involvement, particularly in contract negotiations. The local’s largest unit is PGE, which has a contract expiring March 2009. Negotiations will begin in Sep- tember. Apprenticeship Opening Masonry Trades Union Tile, Terrazzo, Brick & Tile Finisher Must be at least 18 years old at time of application. Applications being taken Tuesday, July 29 through Thursday, July 31 from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 12812 NE Marx St. Portland, Ore. 97230 JULY 4, 2008