NOV. 7, 2008
:NWLP
11/5/08
10:04 AM
Page 9
Second group of child care
workers joins Laborers #320
Labor Agency
suspends ‘Helping
Hands’ program
For the second time this year, La-
bor’s Community Service Agency has
suspended its “Helping Hands” emer-
gency assistance program.
During the month of October,
LCSA distributed more than $8,000 in
rent and housing assistance, utilities,
food, clothing, and essential needs on
behalf of dozens of Helping Hands ap-
plicants.
“Typically, such a high-volume of
need is temporary. However we do not
foresee an immediate slowdown to
what, over the last few months, has
grown into an unprecedented level of
requests for assistance,” said LCSA
Executive Director Glenn Shuck.
Shuck said the agency doesn’t have
the resources to operate the Helping
Hands program at the level it is at.
He said that until the agency is able
to resume assistance, union members
and people in need should contact
United Way’s “2-1-1 Guide Line” in-
formation and referral hotline. To ac-
cess the hotline, simply dial 2-1-1.
Guide Line serves as an informational
clearinghouse for all social services in
the Columbia-Willamette region.
Labor History
Month to feature
stories of veterans
The Northwest Oregon Labor
Council (NOLC) is sponsoring a
Veteran’s Day forum to honor those
who served in the military and now
as fellow workers.
“Veteran Workers Tell Their
Story: Our Living History” will be
held Tuesday, Nov. 11, from 2 to 7
p.m. at the Multnomah County Cen-
tral Library, U.S. Bank Room, 801
SW 10th Avenue, Portland.
The event is free and open to the
public. Space is limited and seating
is available on a first-come, first
serve basis.
There will be scheduled speakers
and, as time permits, an opportunity
for others to speak.
Since 1991, November is cele-
brated as Labor History Month in
Oregon. “This is an opportunity to
recognize and honor Oregon’s veter-
ans and their experience in the work-
force,” said NOLC Executive Secre-
tary-Treasurer Judy O’Connor. “We
will hear about current experiences
returning to the workforce. We en-
courage family members attending
to share stories and memories.”
Additionally, excerpts will be
read from the recently published
book, “Voices of Vets: A Bridge
Back to the World.”
For more information, contact
NOLC History Committee Chair
Jim Cook at 503-703-1693, or the
NOLC office at 503-235-9444.
Employees from the Oregon Child Development Coalition’s Multnomah
County unit in Gresham celebrate after a National Labor Relations Board
election victory. The workers voted to join Laborers Local 320 by a vote of 45-
9. Attending the victory party were Local 320 Business Manager Dave Tischer
(back row center), Laborers Organizer Ben Guzman (far right); and Laborers
International Union Organizer Connie Rodriguez (far left).
Portland passes first ‘sweatshop free’
ordinance in the Pacific Northwest
The Portland City Council voted 4-
0 on Oct. 15 in favor of a “sweatshop
free” ordinance that establishes a code
of conduct for garment workers who
make uniforms for city police, fire-
fighters and other uniform-wearing
public employees.
The ordinance requires the city to
purchase uniforms and other apparel
only from suppliers that disclose the
locations of their manufacturing facil-
ities and that have established mini-
mum labor standards, including work-
ing hours, child labor and humane
treatment, and wages.
Portland spends nearly $2 million a
year on such apparel.
“Whether it is responding to emer-
gencies or working to prevent them,
we are committed to public safety,”
said Portland firefighter Ed Hall, who
was a member of the Portland Sweat-
free Policy Drafting Committee. “So
it is important to me that the uniform I
wear is made by a company that
shares these values and is committed
to safe, decent working conditions
and fair wages.”
Portland is the first city in the Pa-
cific Northwest to adopt such a policy.
The policy has been promoted by
the Portland Sweatfree Campaign,
with strong support from organized
labor.
While the new policy covers only
Rain Forest Boots
Made in America!
apparel, City Commissioner and
Mayor-elect Sam Adams expressed
his intention to eventually expand the
policy to cover many other items the
city purchases. “This is a start,” he
said.
Commissioner Randy Leonard, a
former president of Fire Fighters Lo-
cal 43, expressed particular apprecia-
tion for the policy’s recognition of
workers’ rights to free association and
collective union bargaining.
Commissioners Nick Fish and Dan
Saltzman also supported the ordi-
nance. Mayor Tom Potter was absent.
James Coon
Portland Laborers Local 320 is on a
roll.
In July, the union organized 170
workers at the Oregon Child Develop-
ment Coalition in Washington County.
Last month, a group of workers at the
Oregon Child Development Coali-
tion’s Multnomah County unit in Gre-
sham voted 45-9 to join the union. The
Gresham operation helps children and
families in Multnomah and Washing-
ton counties.
“It’s definitely momentum from the
first election. Most of the issues were
the same. Only management fought us
a little harder this time,” said Local
320 organizer Ben Guzman, who
thanked union co-workers Bruce
Roller, Dave Ball, and Jodi Parker.
OCDC is a non-profit pre-school
childhood care and education network
that works primarily with families of
the state’s migrant farm workers.
Statewide, it employs 1,100 workers at
operations in 12 counties, serving
about 3,000 children and families.
The first round of bargaining for
the Washington County bargaining
unit is slated for Nov. 13. The unit
consists of teachers, teacher assistants,
cooks, bus drivers, custodians and
other workers at locations in Corne-
lius, Forest Grove and Banks, Oregon.
Local 320 Business Manager Dave
Tischer said the new Gresham unit
will bargain for much of the same is-
sues as the first unit. No bargaining
has been scheduled at press time.
Tischer said Local 320 has filed for
another election at OCDC in Marion
Raymond Thomas
Cynthia Newton
County. There are approximately 90
employees there. An election has not
been set for Dec. 3.
OCDC operates on a budget of al-
most $35 million a year. It gets fund-
ing from the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, U.S. De-
partment of Education, U.S. Depart-
ment of Agriculture, Oregon Depart-
ment of Education, Oregon Child Care
Division, various school districts, and
private donations.
Local 320 is headquartered in Port-
land. The union represents 1,100
workers in heavy and highway con-
struction, at industrial plants, as well
as in the public sector.
Tribute to Utah
Phillips slated in
Portland Nov. 14
The Portland area is keeping mem-
ory alive with a Utah Phillips Tribute
Concert at the Laurelthirst Public
House, 2958 N.E. Glisan, on Friday,
Nov. 14, starting at 9 p.m.
A $5 donation will benefit the Port-
land Industrial Workers of the World
(IWW).
Musicians include: Casey Neill,
Fast Rattler (with Utah’s son Brendan
Phillips); Dick Weissman, Melinda
Pittman, and General Strike.
For more information, contact Jim
Cook at 503-703-1693 or radrosepro
@gmail.com.
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Chris Frost
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Mon-Fri 10-7:30 Sat 10-5:30 Sun 12-6
NOVEMBER 7, 2008
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
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