Former Labor Press editor helped
pass workers’ comp law in Oregon
Former Oregon Labor Press Editor
William A. Marshall was considered “the
godfather” of Oregon’s workers’ compensa-
tion law. A member of the Multnomah Typo-
graphical Union No. 58, Marshall helped
push through a law to provide compensation
to injured workers and widows and orphans
of those fatally hurt.
In 1912, Gov. Oswald West appointed
Marshall to the first State Industrial Accident
Commission, where he served until 1927. In
that job he became known nationally as an WILLIAM MARSHALL
authority on what at that time was referred to
as “workermen’s compensation.”
Later, he was appointed an administrator in Seattle of the federal job-
injury compensation program for longshoremen and harbor workers.
William Marshall died in Seattle in 1963 at age 88.
McDonald’s agrees to trim pesticide use
Thanks in part to the national AFL-
CIO, McDonald’s Corp. has agreed to
measures that will reduce pesticide
use in its U.S. potato supply chain.
McDonald’s is the largest buyer of
potatoes in the United States, so the
move could improve the environment,
public health, and the health of farm
workers.
The decision was the result of a
shareholder resolution introduced by
the AFL-CIO Reserve Fund, New-
ground Social Investment, and the
Bard College Endowment. The fact
that the AFL-CIO fund owns 1,000
shares of McDonald’s stock entitled it
to raise the issue at the company’s an-
nual board meeting. To avoid unfavor-
able publicity, the company agreed to
survey its suppliers and promote pesti-
NECA-IBEW, other unionized businesses
acknowledged at Oregon safety forum
Thirteen leaders in safety and health
— many with union ties — were spot-
lighted March 11 at the Oregon Gover-
nor’s Occupational Safety and Health
(GOSH) Conference.
A panel of industry professionals
judges the awards, which honor ex-
traordinary contributions to the field of
workplace safety and health. The cate-
gories include outstanding safety com-
mittees, employers, and individuals.
Among the award recipients was
the NECA-IBEW Local 48 Joint
Safety Committee. The safety commit-
tee — made up of 16 members repre-
senting both the labor and management
side of the electrical industry — has of-
fered training programs including a
safety “boot camp” for new appren-
tices. Safety talk topics are distributed
to the 100-plus signatory contractors,
along with turn-key programs to better
address asbestos exposure, vehicle
safety, the handling of mercury and
PCBs and other hazardous materials.
Each contractor integrates the infor-
mation into their own safety programs.
Safety committees from MacLaren
Youth Correctional Facility in Wood-
burn and Roseburg Forest Products in
Dillard also received awards.
Although not mentioned at the
awards luncheon, MacLaren employ-
ees are members of Service Employ-
ees International Union, the Oregon
School Employees Association, and
the Oregon Education Association,
while Roseburg Forest Product em-
ployees are represented by Carpenters
Industrial Council Local 2949.
The MacLaren safety committee
coordinates on-site safety fairs, holds
safety training, and conducts emer-
gency drills with local fire officials.
At Roseburg FP, the 32-member
safety committee uses recognition pro-
grams and barbecues as ways to honor
achieved safety goals and to stay on
top of safety issues.
Three signatory union contractors
also received awards: Arctic Sheet
APRIL 17, 2009
Metal, whose employees are members
of Sheet Metal Workers Local 16;
Reese Electric of North Bend, whose
work crew are members of IBEW Lo-
cal 932; and Portland general contrac-
tor Stacy and Witbeck, which is signa-
tory with several construction unions.
Stacy and Witbeck awards “safety
bucks” to employees for safe behavior
observed on its projects, which include
the Wilsonville-Beaverton commuter
rail project for TriMet. It also holds
regular barbecues and weekly all-
hands safety meetings.
At Arctic Sheet Metal, 98 percent of
the 110-person workforce has had ad-
vanced training in safety and health,
CPR and first aid.
Reese Electric holds an annual ban-
quet to recognize safety achievements
and conducts mandatory safety meet-
ings each month.
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
cide use reduction. In return, AFL-
CIO and the others agreed to with-
draw the resolution.
“Consumers, workers and our envi-
ronment all suffer from over-use of
pesticides,” said AFL-CIO President
John Sweeney. “As investors, we
knew McDonald’s could take an im-
portant first step, and we’re ready to
work with the company to change and
Q
grow.”
Through the agreement, McDon-
ald’s committed to survey its current
U.S. potato suppliers; compile a list of
best practices in pesticide reduction
that will be recommended to the com-
pany’s global suppliers; and commu-
nicate findings to shareholders, and in
the company’s annual corporate social
responsibility report.
Quest
Investment
Management, Inc.
• } Serving
Serving Multi-Employer
Multi-Employer
Trusts for for
Twenty
Years
Trusts
Over
Twenty
Years
Greg
Sherwood
Adrian
Hamilton
Cam Johnson
Greg Sherwood
Adrian
Hamilton
Monte
Johnson
Monte Johnson
Doug Goebel
Doug Goebel
Bill Worley
Zenk
Garth
Nisbet
Pat
Cam Johnson
One SW Columbia St., Suite
Suite 1100,
1100 Portland, OR 97258
503-221-0158
www.QuestInvestment.com
www.QuestInvestment.com
PAGE 3