Northwest labor press., August 15, 2008, Page 10, Image 10

LaborDay-08-(1-14):NWLP
8/12/08
10:03 AM
Page 10
ATPA
Administrators of
Employee Benefit Plans
Joins in the
Celebration of Labor’s Day
1305 S.W. 12th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97201
(503) 274-1600
PETER HERRLING
PATI PIRO-BOSLEY
A T P A
T h i s
L a b o r D a y W e e k e n d
...Union workers do better
(From Page 1)
benefits. And besides the wholly un-
employed, as of June, there were
about 5 million involuntary part-
timers (workers who want but can’t
find full-time work). Because so many
workers are part-time, the average
workweek is 33.6 hours. [In manufac-
turing the average is 41 hours.]
The U.S. trade deficit appears to
have stopped growing, falling to $700
billion in 2007 from an all-time record
of $753 billion the year before. Im-
ports of foreign goods still increased,
but exports grew faster. Thus far this
year, the deficit is on track to match
last year’s.
Prices for most things have begun
to rise again. Overall, as of June the
prices of items tracked in the Con-
sumer Price Index had risen 5 percent
from the year before. But not all
goods are rising equally. Clothing
prices have been falling for years, but
energy costs are on track to rise 29
percent this year, transportation costs
11.9 percent, and food 6.6 percent.
Medical cost increases have slowed
this year, however, to about the overall
rate of inflation.
Meanwhile, the Dow Jones, NAS-
DAQ, and the S&P 500 stock indexes
have all lost about 10 percent of their
value since 2008 began. And that’s not
good news for workers’ retirement se-
curity or for the Taft-Hartley trust bal-
ances that union workers rely on.
U NION WORKERS
STILL WELL AHEAD
Despite all the bad news, unions
Celebrate our freedom to form unions
and bargain for better wages, benefits
and working conditions.
M ONICA A. S MITH
utive secretary-treasurer of the Co-
lumbia Pacific Building and Construc-
tion Trades Council.
“I don’t know that we’re bullet-
proof,” Mohlis said, “but we’re weath-
ering it better than other parts of coun-
try.”
Mohlis notes that there’s been a
slowing of construction in the condo
market, but an uptick in work else-
where: roads and bridges, schools, al-
ternative energy projects, and airport
and hospital construction. One worri-
some sign is that bankers are slowing
down lending money on private devel-
opment projects. Still, union building
trades members aren’t staying very
long on hiring hall out-of-work lists.
Mohlis said that’s a big contrast to the
recession of four or five years ago,
when local building trades employ-
ment took a hit.
remain a relative island of stability
and job security. In the private sector,
union workers made $3.97 per hour
more than nonunion workers, on aver-
age, as of March 2008. Union workers
averaged $22.46 an hour, while non-
union workers averaged $18.49.
Benefits widen the difference.
Union employers pay $3.95 an hour
for health benefits, compared to $1.68
an hour for nonunion employers. And
employer retirement contributions av-
erage $2.49 an hour for union work-
ers, and just 78 cents an hour for non-
union workers.
As of March 2008, 86 percent of
union workers were participating in
some kind of employer-sponsored re-
tirement plan, compared to 51 percent
of nonunion workers. And among
workers with employer-provided
health coverage, the employee share
of monthly premiums was half as
much for union workers: For single
coverage, on average union workers
picked up 9 percent of the premium,
compared to 20 percent for nonunion
workers; for family coverage, union
workers paid 15 percent, and non-
union workers 33 percent. Union
workers have an average of 10 paid
holidays a year, two more than non-
union workers. And union workers
have more vacation days and sick
leave, and earn more overtime and
shift-differential pay.
U NION TRENDS
While unions may be holding on to
gains, the labor movement is chang-
ing.
There’s now a stark difference in
unionization rates between the public-
and private-sector work force. The
typical union worker is now more
likely to be a teacher, firefighter, or
postal employee than a construction
or factory worker.
Then there are demographics. Over
40 percent of union members are over
the age of 45, notes LERC director
Bussel.
L OCAL CONDITIONS BETTER
So far the nationwide construction
downturn hasn’t hit local building
trades unions, says John Mohlis, exec-
B ARBARA J. D IAMOND
(Turn to Page 11)
M ARGARET S. O LNEY
The attorneys formerly known as
S MITH , D IAMOND & O LNEY
OREGON AFL-CIO
The officers, executive board
and staff extend to all Union Members
Labor Day
Greetings!
‘Working Together for Oregon’s Working Families’
T OM C HAMBERLAIN , President
B ARBARA B YRD , Secretary-Treasurer
D UKE S HEPARD , Campaign/Political Director
R EBEKAH O RR , Research & Communications Director
S TEVE L ANNING , Field Rep; E LANA G UINEY , Organizing Coordinator
G RAHAM T RAINOR , Unity Team Organizer; B OB T ACKETT , WIA Labor Liaison;
K ATHRYN G ROVER , Campaign Logistics Coordinator;
S UE H ARRISON , Secretary; T AMMY A NDERSON , Bookkeeper
Salem 503-585-6320
PAGE 10
announce the dissolution of their law firm effective August 31, 2008,
due to the retirement of Monica Smith from the private practice of law.
Barbara and Margaret congratulate Monica on 26 years of excellent service
to the labor community and thank her for her friendship, leadership, and loyalty.
We are, and always will be, sisters.
Barbara and Margaret are continuing to represent labor unions
and individual employees at the addresses below:
Barbara J. Diamond
Attorney at Law
1500 NE Irving Street, Suite 370
Portland, OR 97232
503-229-0400 (phone)
503-229-0614 (fax)
Portland 503-224-3169
Margaret S. Olney
Of Counsel
McKanna, Bishop, Joffe & Arms
1635 NW Johnson St.
Portland, OR 97209
503-226-6111 (phone)
503-226-6121 (fax)
New addresses effective September 1, 2008
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
AUGUST 15, 2008