NWLP Nov. 21, 2008:NWLP
11/18/08
9:43 AM
Page 2
Contractor fined $13,500 for crane mishap
OR-OSHA has fined Gray Purcell
$13,500 for three serious violations fol-
lowing a tower crane mishap in June in
which a nonunion operator damaged a
transmission line at Southeast 28th and
Ankeny in Portland, knocking out
power to about 8,000 residences and
destroying the crane’s electrical system.
The operator was shocked, but oth-
erwise uninjured.
Gray Purcell is the general contrac-
tor on a four-story mixed use condo
project at the location.
OR-OSHA issued three “serious”
citations: a $5,000 fine for not having
“properly trained” employees operating
the tower crane; a $5,000 fine for not
properly instructing and supervising
employees; and a $3,500 fine for not
maintaining the minimum distance
from the 57 Kv power line.
OR-OSHA determined that the ap-
prentice operator had less than one hour
of seat time and was working the tower
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crane near high-voltage lines with no
visual supervision.
According to the OSHA citation,
“The operator, approximately 93-feet
below the cab on the ground and super-
vising the trainee, could not see the
controls of the crane to ensure proper
function by the trainee.”
OR-OSHA requires that a crane op-
erator have 1,500 hours of experience
before running a crane solo.
Two days before the June 26 crane
accident, Jim Anderson, a field repre-
sentative for Operating Engineers Lo-
cal 701, had been by to see how well
the crane was being run, and could tell
the operator was inexperienced.
He spoke with the operator about
the potential safety hazard posed by the
nearby power lines.
Much of the work on the project is
being done by nonunion subcontrac-
tors, including workers provided by
LaborReady. Carpenters have picketed
the the site several times claiming that
the employer doesn’t pay area standard
wages.
The OR-OSHA violations were is-
sued Oct. 16. The employer has 30
days to appeal.
Unions turn back right-to-work
ballot measure in Colorado
DENVER — A right-to-work
measure on the Colorado ballot was
soundly defeated by voters on Elec-
tion Day, 56 percent to 44 percent.
Measure 47 would have amended
the state constitution by prohibiting
unions from making membership a
condition of employment (known as
union shop, or closed shop). Under
right-to-work laws an employee need-
n’t join the union in order to enjoy the
benefits of a union contract.
Proponents of the measure in-
cluded a business coalition dubbed A
Better Colorado, backed by Jonathan
Coors of the Coors brewery family
and the state chamber of commerce.
Shortly after the right-to-work ini-
tiative was certified by the state, labor
unions countered with five initiatives
of their own. The union initiatives
dealt with regulating working condi-
tions and employee benefits.
Not wanting to see a ballot box
showdown between business and la-
bor, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, a De-
mocrat, intervened. He helped put to-
gether an alliance between major
business leaders and the Denver Metro
Chamber of Commerce, which agreed
to raise $3 million and play an active
role to defeat Measure 47 in exchange
for labor pulling its initiatives from the
ballot.
One hundred members of Portland-
based Teamsters Local 162 will lose
their jobs when delivery company
DHL Express discontinues its air and
ground operations Jan. 30, 2009.
Approximately 9,500 U.S. jobs will
be lost overall. This is on top of 5,400
layoffs since January. The company
will retain 3,000 to 4,000 U.S. Express
employees to handle international cus-
tomers.
DHL is owned by Deutsche Post
World Net. The closure announcement
was made from Bonn, Germany.
Teamsters locals have already lost
15 workers at Archway-Mothers
Cookies, and 74 workers at Gate
Gourmet. Both companies shut down.
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PAGE 2
Communications Workers of Amer-
ica Local 7901 will lose nearly 100
members following job cuts at Qwest
(50 workers) and US Dex (37 jobs).
‘Holiday Party’
Dec. 8 in Salem
SALEM —The 68th annual “Holi-
day Party for Children” will be held at
10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Elsi-
nore Theatre, 170 High St. SE, Salem.
The free event, sponsored by the
Marion, Polk, Yamhill Counties Labor
Council, will feature holiday songs by
Patrick Lamb, a showing of the movie
King Fu Panda, a visit from Santa
Claus, and a free goody bag. Lamb is
a popular musician in Oregon and is a
member of Musicians Local 99.
Doors open at 9:45 a.m.
(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.
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Lynn Russell
OR ML-4194WA 510-MB-30380
Our Legal Staff are Proud Members of UFCW Local 555
Associated Press is reporting that
Service Employees International
Union President Andy Stern is on
President-elect Barack Obama’s short-
list for secretary of labor.
Other names on the list include
Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chair-
man of House Education and Labor
Committee, and former Rep. David
Bonior, a member of Obama’s Transi-
tion Economic Advisory Board.
Labor unions are in general agree-
ment that anyone will be better than
current Labor Secretary Elaine Chao.
Additionally, Oregon Congress-
man Earl Blumenauer’s name has
been mentioned for a possible ap-
pointment as secretary of transporta-
tion, while former Oregon governor
John Kitzhaber is under consideration
for Health and Human Services or In-
terior secretary.
DHL closure impacts Teamsters in
Oregon; layoffs hurt other unions
We Work Hard for Hard-Working People!
111 SW Fifth Avenue, Suite 1650
Portland, Oregon 97204
(503) 227-4600
www.bennetthartman.com
SEIU’s Stern
on list for
cabinet posts
360-694-7272 or
1-866-684-7272
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
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NOVEMBER 21, 2008