NWLP Nov. 21, 2008:NWLP
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Volume 109
Number 22
November 21, 2008
Portland, Oregon
New stimulus package needs cash for infrastructure
Organized labor was pushing lawmakers hard
to enact a second stimulus package when the
110th Congress returned for its lame-duck ses-
sion that started Nov. 17.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and feder-
ation Legislative Director Bill Samuel said a
“Stimulus II” bill should include extending fed-
eral jobless benefits from their current 26 weeks
to 39 weeks, billions of dollars in spending for in-
frastructure projects — rebuilding highways, wa-
terways, bridges and so on that could quickly
provide high-paying construction jobs, and ex-
tending aid to states to deal with rising costs of
Medicaid.
Oregon U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden agrees with that
plan. Wyden told some Portland union members
and local politicians during a post-Election Day
tour of the state that a second stimulus package is
his top priority.
“Good roads create good jobs in the short term
and make commerce hum over the long term,” he
said at stops in Portland, Bend, Medford and Eu-
gene. “Oregonians are struggling, and Congress
now has a new beginning and an opportunity to
invest in people, right here in America.”
In Portland on Nov. 6, Wyden was joined by
Sen.-elect Jeff Merkley, Mayor-elect Sam
Adams, City Commissioner Randy Leonard, and
Portland Mayor-elect Sam Adams (at podium) introduces, from left, City Commissioner Randy
Leonard, U.S. Sen.-elect Jeff Merkley and U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden at a Portland press conference
promoting a second federal stimulus package that would include money to shore up a crumbling
infrastructure. In the background are union construction workers. Wyden toured the state after
Election Day to help promote the stimulus package.
Labor’s Election Day scorecard: A+
Organized labor enjoyed one of its
biggest election night victories in
decades.
The Oregon AFL-CIO took action
in 65 federal, state, legislative races,
and ballot measures in the general
election — and 94 percent emerged as
the winner (or loser, in the case of bal-
lot measures the labor federation op-
posed).
The Change to Win labor federa-
tion of Oregon did not issue endorse-
ments as an organization, but its affili-
ates endorsed most, if not all, of the
same candidates as the AFL-CIO.
“One year ago — maybe even
months ago — no one would have
dared to dream of the kind of change
we have experienced this election cy-
cle,” said Oregon AFL-CIO President
Tom Chamberlain. “The results are
proof positive of the power of working
people to bring change to Oregon and
change to our country when the poli-
cies of Washington have left them be-
hind.”
At the top of the list, of course, was
the historic election of the first
African-American — Barack Obama
— as president of the United States.
Next was the election of Jeff
Merkley to the U.S. Senate. Merkley
defeated two-term Republican incum-
bent Gordon Smith. Smith spent
nearly $12 million — much of it on
negative television advertising — try-
ing to hold on to his seat. Merkley is
the first challenger to unseat an in-
cumbent U.S. senator in Oregon since
1968, when Republican Bob Pack-
wood defeated Democratic Sen.
Wayne Morse.
Merkley was among at least six la-
bor-friendly senators nationwide to
win election. The outcome of races in
Alaska, Minnesota and Georgia were
still undetermined at press time.
When the 111th Congress con-
venes in January 2009, Democrats
will hold at least 55 seats in the Sen-
ate, with two Independents — Joe
Lieberman and Bernie Sanders —
caucusing with them.
Democrats also increased their ma-
jority in the U.S. House of Represen-
tatives to 259-176 — the largest ma-
jority in that chamber in 15 years.
Kurt Schrader in Oregon’s 5th Dis-
trict will be one of the new members
in the House. He soundly defeated Re-
publican Mike Erickson in the race to
succeed Democrat Darlene Hooley,
who is retiring.
Labor-endorsed Democrats won
every statewide race in Oregon. They
included Kate Brown, secretary of
state; John Kroger, attorney general;
Ben Westlund, treasurer; and Brad
Avakian, labor commissioner.
Labor-friendly candidates also
were elected to the Oregon House and
Senate. Come January 2009, Democ-
rats will hold an 18-12 majority in the
Senate and a 36-24 edge in the House.
One of labor’s biggest legislative
victories was Greg Matthews in
House Dist. 50, where the president of
Fire Fighters Local 1062 defeated in-
cumbent Republican John Lim.
Matthews will be among eight new
labor-endorsed members of the Ore-
gon House. The others are Chris Gar-
rett, Dist. 38, Lake Oswego; Jules
(Turn to Page 3)
Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler at a press
conference promoting the infrastructure portion
of a stimulus package.
Adams said the City has put in a request for
$850 million in federal tax dollars to help fix
roads and infrastructure in Portland and Mult-
nomah County. He said there are eight “ready-to-
go projects” in the area that will immediately cre-
ate 312 local construction jobs — and more than
8,800 jobs over the next 18 months.
“We have been struggling with bailing wire
and used dental floss and some gum to keep the
local transportation system together, in addition
to our sewers and water systems,” Adams said.
Some of the projects Adams listed include
$435 million for replacement of the 100-year-old
water reservoirs, $75 million for a Portland
Streetcar eastside extension, $68 million in arte-
rial street paving, $22 million in bridge repairs,
and $86 million in parks and trails construction.
“These are all projects that need to be done.
They aren’t make-work jobs,” said City Commis-
sioner Randy Leonard, who was asked by Adams
to spearhead the federal money request.
Senator-elect Merkley “seconded” the strat-
egy, stating that “this sort of stimulus is the type
we need in America and we need here in Ore-
(Turn to Page 5)
Union members made
a difference Nov. 4
By DON McINTOSH
Associate Editor
In Oregon and around the nation, union staff, volunteers and members
made a difference Nov. 4.
The AFL-CIO spent an estimated $53 million on the election, and
member unions spent an additional $200 million. In the weeks prior to the
election, national union offices virtually closed down as staff headed out
to battleground states to do political work. About 4,000 paid staff worked
on the AFL-CIO mobilization nationwide to inform union members on is-
sues and candidates and getting them out to vote.
AFL-CIO union voters received 70 million phone calls, 10 million
door knocks, 57 million pieces of mail and 27 million worksite fliers, fo-
cusing on economic issues. And the AFL-CIO community affiliate, Work-
ing America, sent out as many as 1,000 full-time canvassers in 11 battle-
ground states to knock on more than 300,000 doors.
Nationwide, about 21 percent of voters were members of a union or
union household. According to a post-election analysis by the national
AFL-CIO, more than 80 percent of union members received union publi-
cations and union mail, 59 percent received live phone calls and 32 per-
cent received worksite fliers.
Those contacts made a difference. While voters overall went for
Barack Obama 52 percent compared to 45 percent for John McCain,
union voters supported Obama 67 percent to 30 percent. In battleground
(Turn to Page 6)