March. 20, 2009:NWLP
3/17/09
9:51 AM
Page 8
Business/labor group says energy projects will boost economy
SALEM — A coalition of business
and labor leaders blitzed the State Capi-
tol March 5-6 in an appeal to Gov. Ted
Kulongoski and lawmakers to end state
regulatory opposition to new energy in-
frastructure for Oregon, such as the pro-
posed natural gas terminals and
pipelines now under review.
At a press conference March 5,
speakers suggested that the state needs
to change the conversation about energy
policy so that current needs are consid-
ered as much as the desired long-term
goal of clean, green energy.
“We are here today to signal the
growing concern of business and labor
that our energy ‘present’ is at risk,” said
Edward Finklea, executive director of
Energy Action Northwest, a coalition of
business and labor unions and sponsor
of the event. “Too much focus on our
energy ‘tomorrow’ has marginalized the
prudent attention necessary to assure
that our current and near-term energy
future is adequate and assured.”
Finklea reviewed published projec-
Local Motion
tions showing a dramatic growth in the
need for natural gas and for electricity
over the next 20 years that energy ex-
perts agree will be required to perfect
alternative sources of clean energy. He
also cited projections of decreased nat-
ural gas supply from Canada as well as
insufficient pipeline infrastructure —
“something that must be remedied to
ensure that Oregon can compete with
eastern states for other sources of natu-
ral gas,” he said.
“Our energy infrastructure is inade-
quate to the task of meeting near-term
demand,” Finklea said. “Too many par-
ticipants in the energy debate seem to
have leapt to an incorrect — and dan-
gerous — conclusion that we can afford
to block, delay and otherwise interdict
the development of this needed infra-
structure as we wait for the promise of
clean and green energy to become a re-
ality. To do so will put the economic
health of our state at risk.”
Attending the press conference with
Finklea were Oregon State Rep. Mike
Schaufler (D-Happy Valley); John
Mohlis, executive secretary-treasurer of
the Columbia Pacific Building and
Construction Trades Council; Joe Es-
monde, renewable energy political liai-
son for IBEW Local 48; John Endicott,
business manager of Plumbers and Fit-
ters Local 290; and Elana Guiney of the
Oregon AFL-CIO.
On March 6, several unions set up
booths and handed out fliers in the gal-
leria of the State Capitol illustrating the
economic boost the infrastructure proj-
ects — including the Bradwood Land-
ing liquefied natural gas terminal along
the Columbia River near Astoria and
the Palomar Pipeline to connect the ter-
minal to the Northwest interstate gas
pipeline system in Washington —
would have. Together, union officials
said, these privately-financed projects
would create close to 1,000 jobs and in-
ject over $1.5 billion into the economy.
Kulongoski and state energy offi-
cials have challenged the federal deci-
sion approving the Bradwood Landing
project.
On Sunday, March 8, Energy Action
Northwest purchased a full-page “Help
Wanted” advertisement in the Oregon-
ian newspaper carrier the same “jobs”
message and urging the governor and
lawmakers to support the natural gas in-
frastructure projects.
February 2009
Union certifications and decertifications in Oregon and Southwest
Washington, as reported by the National Labor Relations Board and
the Oregon Employment Relations Board
A bi-state council overseeing the
Columbia River Crossing project voted
unanimously March 6 in support of the
12-lane bridge option to replace the In-
terstate 5 Bridge over the Columbia
River between Portland and Vancouver.
Organized labor endorsed the 12-
lane option several years ago and has
been lobbying for it since.
The proposed replacement bridge
would provide six lanes in each direc-
tion, a light rail line, and lanes for bicy-
cles and pedestrians. Anticipated cost is
between $3.1 billion to $4.2 billion —
which also includes work on six nearby
Recognition elections
Results:
Name of employer
Date
Name of union
Union Union
Yes No
Location
Sodexho America
23/10
2/9
SEIU/UNITE HERE vs OSEA Medford
Lile Moving & Storage
2/10
Teamsters Local 162
Bread Song Bakery
2/12
Bakers Local 114
Tualatin
Lake Oswego
Providence St. Vincent
2/13
Oregon Nurses Association
First Student
2/25
Teamsters Local 206
Portland
Junction City
36
2
3
10
18
94
19
19
5
New Interstate 5 bridge will have 12 lanes
interchanges.
The Project Sponsors Council is
comprised of Portland Mayor Sam
Adams, Vancouver Mayor Royce Pol-
lard, Metro Council President David
Bragdon, TriMet General Manager
Fred Hansen, C-TRAN chairman Tim
Leavitt, Oregon Department of Trans-
portation Director Matthew Garrett,
Washington State Department of Trans-
portation Secretary Paula Hammond,
SW Washington Regional Transporta-
tion Vice Chair Steve Stuart, Oregon
Transportation Commission past chair-
man Henry Hewitt, ODOT CRC Proj-
ect Director Richard Brandman, and
Hal Dengerink, chancellor of Washing-
ton State University, Vancouver branch.
Now that the lane issue is out of the
way, a separate advisory — Mobility
Council — has been created to provide
recommendations to the state trans-
portation departments and transit agen-
cies on issues such as toll rate struc-
tures, travel and auxiliary lane uses,
transit management, and overall trans-
portation demand management.
The CRC Project Council will hold a
public discussion on tolling options at
its meeting set tentatively for June 5.
Recognition by card check
Name of employer
Date Name of union
Location
Number of employees
Terrebonne
4
Crooked River Ranch Fire Department
2/19 Fire Fighters Local 3650
Requests for recognition election
Name of employer
Name of union
Location
Number of employees
Rogue Valley Medical Center (technical employees)
Oregon AFSCME Council 75
Medford
180
Oak Harbor Freight Lines ( DECERTIFICATION )
Teamsters Local 962
Medford
14
Tuality Healthcare (pre-admission RNs)
Oregon Nurses Association
Hillsboro
6
Mercy Flights ( DECERTIFICATION ) (fixed wing pilots)
Teamsters Local 962
Medford
3
City of Yamhill Police Department
Yamhill Carlton Employees Association
Yamhill
2
City of Carlton Police Department
Yamhill Carlton Employees Association
Carlton
2
PAGE 8
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
MARCH 20, 2009