NOV. 7, 2008
:NWLP
11/5/08
10:04 AM
Page 5
Gov. Kulongoski reveals ...Elevator Constructors #23 turns 100
climate change agenda
(From Page 3)
SALEM — Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski announced Oct. 27 a se-
ries of climate change bills that he will bring to the Legislature when
it convenes in January 2009.
The governor’s climate change agenda centers around four key ar-
eas: greenhouse gas reductions; energy conservation and efficiency; re-
newable energy; and sustainable transportation.
Each area contains concepts that reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
encourages alternative power and vehicle use, drives new energy tech-
nology development, provides energy efficiency information to con-
sumers and protects low income energy users.
“We have made great progress in the fight against climate change
over the last five years, but that was just the beginning,” the Democratic
governor said. “This next session we must be bolder, more strategic
and even more visionary if we want to reach our greenhouse reduction
goals and truly pull ahead of the pack, leading our country and the
globe on green living and green working.”
The major elements of the governor’s climate change agenda in-
clude developing net-zero energy use building codes, expanding the
Business Energy Tax Credit to new more efficient vehicles, develop-
ment of energy performance certificates for homebuyers, and a re-
gional “cap and trade” program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Kulongoski announced his legislative plan at the Center for Health
and Healing at Oregon Health and Science University. With him were
Peggy Fowler, CEO of Portland General Electric, and Mark Edlen of
Gerding Edlen Developers.
For a complete description of the governor’s 2009 climate
changes agenda, go to: http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/pdf/climage_
change_agenda_1008.pdf.
peace over the years: The last nation-
wide strike was in 1972. Locals some-
times wage walkouts over local issues,
but there have been none in Portland in
at least 30 years.
Like in other building trades crafts,
IUEC-signatory contractors hire and
lay off workers as they win and com-
plete bids. So the union operates a hir-
ing hall to keep members on the job
regardless of which company is doing
the work.
Though the national economy is
looking grim, so far, local work has
held up, said Local 23 business repre-
sentative Frank Regalado, but if the
economy slows further, members
could be headed for hardship.
Old-timers remember the boom-
and-bust construction cycles of the
’80s and ’90s. When recessions hit, it’s
a good time to have saved up some re-
serves. And a bad recession can actu-
ally take wages backward: Regalado
said in the worst of the ’80s downturn,
IUEC, like other building trades
unions, took wage cuts to stay compet-
itive. The last two five-year contracts
have seen decent gains, however, Re-
galado said.
When work does slow, IUEC mem-
bers apply for unemployment benefits
like other workers, or they hit the road
to work as travelers in the jurisdictions
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NOVEMBER 7, 2008
Local 23 retiree Earl Hickman (left)
receives a 50-year pin from IUEC
Assistant General President James
Higgins. A quick poll of retirees
present determined that Hickman is
the Local 23 member of longest
standing. Behind them is Local 23
member George Scheck.
of other locals where there may be
work.
Local 23’s jurisdiction covers
Southwest Washington all of Oregon
except four northeastern counties, but
it didn’t grow beyond 75 members for
50 years. It was the late 1950s before it
hired its first full-time business agent.
That was John Webb, and he set up an
office in the now-defunct Labor Tem-
ple, which was located on Southwest
Fourth Avenue in downtown Portland.
Today, Local 23 has 285 members,
and is part of an international union of
close to 29,000 members. Its offices
are at 12779 N.E. Whitaker Way, Port-
land.
Local 23’s 100 birthday bash drew
a congratulatory proclamation from
Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski, a guest
appearance from state Labor Commis-
sioner Brad Avakian, and words of
praise from U.S. Senator Ron Wyden’s
office, delivered by labor liaison Al
Panek. Two of the international
union’s top three officials also at-
tended the Oct. 25 event — General
Secretary-Treasurer Kevin Stringer
and Assistant General President Jim
Higgins — and helped officiate as
honors were given out to some of the
local’s longest-serving members.
And a team of instructors — Bob
Pyne, Dave Tremain, Mike Bodendor-
fer, Dave Hyde, Dale Taylor, Don
Springer, and Steve King — is mold-
ing the generation that will start off
Local 23’s next 100 years. IUEC ap-
prenticeship combines mechanical and
electrical training, both on-the-job and
in a classroom at the union hall. Right
now, 70 apprentices are learning the
ropes. About two-thirds typically
make it through. It takes five years, but
IUEC apprentices know that if they
make journeyman, they have a chal-
lenging and rewarding career ahead of
them.
UNITE HERE seeks City’s help
dealing with Vancouver Hilton
W ESTMORELAND ’ S U NION M ANOR
Opened in October of 1966
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 Plaza
Marshall
Union Manor
1414 Kauffman Ave. 2020 NW Northrup
Vancouver 98660
Portland 97209
360•694•4314
503•225•0677
WWW . THEUNIONMANORS . ORG
TDD 503•771•0912
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
VANCOUVER — Union employ-
ees of the Hilton Vancouver Washing-
ton are asking for help from the City
of Vancouver to improve their health
coverage.
The hotel and adjoining Vancouver
Convention Center are owned by the
City and managed by the Hilton Ho-
tels Corporation. About 140 hotel and
convention center workers belong to
UNITE HERE Local 9.
Their first union contract, ratified
in June, has a wage and benefit “re-
opener” clause, meaning that the two
sides will reopen bargaining to deter-
mine the wages and benefits for the fi-
nal years of the contract.
In a letter to the council, the union
said currently 54 members of the bar-
gaining unit make the state minimum
wage and get no help with health in-
surance. Under the contract, the
Hilton will offer a bare-bones em-
ployee-only Kaiser health plan start-
ing in January to workers who pay
$40 a month. The union argues that’s
substandard compared with other
unionized hotel workers in the region,
who pay as little as $35 a month for
full-family coverage that costs their
employers $605 a month. And the
City’s own employees have a compre-
hensive benefits package, including
family and domestic partner medical,
dental and vision benefits, with a
choice of Regence Blue Cross Blue
Shield or Kaiser Permanente.
Local 9 says involvement by the
Vancouver City Council could make a
difference. The union is asking the
Council to make funds available
through the budgetary process, if nec-
essary, to achieve affordable health
care for the hotel workers, or to re-
quire the Hilton to adjust current
spending.
The Vancouver City Council is
now working on its budget, and is an-
ticipating tough times ahead thanks to
a deepening recession. But the union
plans to make its case at a Nov. 10
public hearing on the budget.
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