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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (July 18, 2008)
Mike Lappier re-elected to lead Iron Workers Shopmen’s #516 Michael Lappier was re-elected fi- nancial secretary-treasurer/business manager of Iron Workers Shopmen’s Local 516. He outpolled Bruce Bun- nell and Michael Damm in a three- person race. In a two-person race for president, Tony Butkovich Jr. of Oregon Iron Works/Clackamas defeated Mark Craig. Four candidates ran for an open seat for vice president. Taylor Lappier of Columbia Wire defeated Gordan Eckert, Steven Dorton, and Darrell Tompkins Jr. Bill Stinde of Oregon Iron Works ran unopposed for recording secretary and David Bell of Oregon Iron Works defeated Andy Gunter for sergeant-at- arms/conductor. Business manager is the only full- time position in the 800-member local based in Northeast Portland. Elected to the local’s Executive Committee were Duane Blackmore of Columbia Wire; Rex Thornton of Oregon Supreme Court upholds unions’ case against Sizemore MIKE LAPPIER Pella Vinyl; Gale Bernard of Oregon Iron Works, and David Payne of The Western Group. Two candidates — Cecil Pflegl of Fought and Ricky Wambold of Oregon Iron Works — tied. They have agreed to determine the winner in a coin flip to be held at the union’s next meeting July 24. Elected trustees were Ken Malicoat of Oregon Iron Works, Carl Fossi of The Western Group, and Larry Gerads of Fought. Michael and Taylor Lappier, and Butkovich were elected delegates to the Iron Workers District Council. Terms of office are three years. SALEM — The Oregon Supreme Court ruled July 3 that two teachers unions were within their rights to use an organized crime law in a lawsuit against two groups run by anti-union activist Bill Sizemore. The court upheld the 2002 jury ver- dict in the suit filed by Oregon Educa- tion Association (OEA) and American Federation of Teachers-Oregon against Sizemore’s Oregon Taxpayers United Educational Foundation and Political Action Committee. The jury found that Sizemore’s groups used fraud and forgery to qual- ify two ballot measures that the unions had to spend money fighting. That in- cluded forged signatures on the initial “qualifying” petitions that are submit- ted to the state before major signature gathering begins, illegal use of charita- ble contributions for political purposes, and fraud in charitable reports to the state. The reports failed to reveal donors, or the extent of political activity of Sizemore’s charitable organization. In 2006, the Oregon Court of Ap- peals affirmed that Sizemore’s organi- zation engaged in a “calculated course of criminal conduct” and “cynical, criminal manipulation of the demo- cratic process.” Sizemore had appealed that verdict on several grounds, arguing that since the groups could easily have gotten the required 25 genuine signatures on the qualifying petitions, the forgeries did- n’t make that much difference. Also, the fraud on the charitable filings didn’t directly cause the unions to have to spend money, Sizemore argued through attorney Gregory Byrne. But the Oregon Supreme Court re- jected those and other arguments, and agreed that the jury’s conclusion was reasonable: That the purpose of the bal- lot measures was to bleed the unions of money, and that Sizemore’s ballot measure campaigns engaged in a pat- tern of criminal activity. “The Supreme Court has the final word,” said OEA President Larry Wolf in a press statement. “They have con- firmed what we’ve known for years – Bill Sizemore is a racketeer who uses fraud and forgery to manipulate Ore- gon’s initiative system. Oregon voters should be very suspicious of any meas- ure he puts forward now and in the fu- ture.” One of the two measures in the law- suit will be on the ballot again this year — an initiative to prohibit public em- ployee union members from using pay- check deduction to contribute to their unions’ political campaigns. And at least three other measures sponsored by Sizemore will be on this November’s ballot. Sizemore’s organizations remain li- able for a $2.5 million dollar jury award owed to the unions, and the unions plan to ask the courts to hold Sizemore per- sonally liable for the judgment, which is so far largely unpaid. AFSCME’s Oswalt returns to work at Portland Police Bureau Angela Oswalt returned to her job as a police desk clerk for the Portland Police Bureau July 7 after almost 15 months of paid administrative leave. The suspension came after Oswalt, an officer of AFSCME Local 189, re- fused to answer questions related to union business. AFSCME filed an un- fair labor practice complaint and the Oregon Employment Relations Board ruled that the Bureau could not investi- gate or discipline her for protected ac- tivities in her role as a union steward for Local 189. The Bureau subsequently dropped its proposed termination of Oswalt and Could a REVERSE MORTGAGE Work for You? Imagine a Payment Free, Financially-Secure Retirement. • Supplement Your Retirement Income. • No Debt Passes to Your Heirs. • You Maintain Ownership and Title. T URN Y OUR H OME E QUITY I NTO C ASH , L INE OF C REDIT , M ONTHLY I NCOME OR A C OMBINATION OF P LANS . Talk with Lynn or Julie, the Reverse Mortgage Specialists at: agreed to return her to work. “I am pleased that the situation has been resolved,” Oswalt said. “I simply wish to go back to work and do a good job for the citizens of Portland; that’s all I’ve wanted to do for many months. I would like to thank friends, col- leagues and my union for standing be- hind me, but now I just want to turn the page and go to work.” Local 189 Union Representative James Hester said he was happy that Oswalt was returned to work, although he chastised the Bureau and City of Portland for dragging out the case for over a year. (Editor’s Note: In April 2006, Os- walt accused former Police Chief Der- rick Foxworth of abuse of power and sexual misconduct, which led to his de- motion.) (International Standard Serial Number 0894-444X) Established in 1900 at Portland, Oregon as a voice of the labor movement. 4275 NE Halsey St., P.O. Box 13150, Portland, Ore. 97213 Telephone: (503) 288-3311 Editor: Michael Gutwig Staff: Don McIntosh, Cheri Rice Published on a semi-monthly basis on the first and third Fridays of each month by the Oregon Labor Press Publishing Co. Inc., a non- profit corporation owned by 20 unions and councils including the Oregon AFL-CIO. Serving more than 120 union organizations in Ore- gon and SW Washington. Subscriptions $13.75 per year for union members. Group rates available to trade union organizations. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT PORTLAND, OREGON. 360-694-7272 or CHANGE OF ADDRESS NOTICE: Three weeks are required for a change of address. When ordering a change, please give your old and new addresses and the name and number of your local union. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS, P.O. BOX 13150, PORTLAND, OR 97213-0150 OR ML-4194WA 510-MB-30380 205 East 11th Street, Suite 104, Vancouver, Washington PAGE 2 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS JULY 18, 2008
