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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (April 17, 2009)
...Wage standards aren’t tied to Oregon’s energy tax credits (From Page 2) ect. In 2008, the Legislature doubled the limit for solar manufacturers, which can now get up to $22 million in tax breaks per project. For its Hillsboro factory, Solar- World was approved for an $11 mil- lion tax credit under the program. As the Portland Tribune reported April 9, since SolarWorld doesn’t pay corpo- rate income tax, it sold the credit at a discount to WalMart. [Under the state’s “pass through” rule, the tax break, known as Business Energy Tax Credit, can be sold.] SolarWorld will also get $19.45 million of tax credits for its investment in a new 210,000- square-foot logistics, distribution and production center next to its existing Hillsboro factory. About 150 to 200 union building trades workers will be employed on the expansion, due for completion in November. But the Oregon AFL-CIO is pushing lawmakers in Salem to tweak the Business Energy Tax Credit and enterprise zone tax break to better ensure that tax-break-subsidized jobs are good jobs. The Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council is push- ing a proposal to require that compa- nies getting enterprise zone tax breaks on large projects of more than $5 mil- lion be required to pay area standard wages and benefits to the construction workers. “If local residents are losing tax in- come off the property, they ought to at least have prevailing wage require- ments to protect local workers,” said Clif Davis, business manager of Inter- national Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 48. When lawmakers expanded the Business Energy Tax Credit in 2007 and 2008, the state budget was in good shape. Now, a recession is sap- ping state revenues, and with compa- nies lining up to seek over $100 mil- lion a year in business energy tax breaks, lawmakers are taking a sec- ond look. “[The Business Energy Tax Credit] is talked about as an economic devel- opment tool,” said Oregon AFL-CIO Political Director Duke Shepard at a Feb. 19 hearing, “but it has none of the standards typically associated with an economic development pro- gram. There aren’t wage standards. There’s no cost-per-job standard.” And it’s not at all clear that the credits are necessary for some kinds of renewable energy investment to take place. Wind farms, for instance, were given a guaranteed market in 2007 when the Legislature required private utilities to massively increase the amount of renewable power they buy — and pass on extra costs to ratepayers. Solar manufacturers have lots of other reasons to locate in Oregon’s “silicon forest.” Solar cells and com- puter chips use the same foundation —silicon wafers — and a similar ba- sic technology. Oregon is a good lo- cation for wafer making because it has very pure water, relatively cheap electricity, and an experienced silicon manufacturing workforce. Judging by employment ads, SolarWorld isn’t even looking at applicants with less than two years in silicon chip manu- facturing. If it’s not clear the credits are even causing the investment, at least they ought to be ensuring decent wages, says labor ally Chuck Sheketoff of the Oregon Center for Public Policy. Lawmakers appear to be listening. The Oregon Legislature is consider- ing lowering the credit from its cur- rent $10 million to $5 million per project for projects that generate en- ergy like wind farms, solar arrays, and methane digesters. For solar manufacturers, the maxi- mum credit would remain $20 million — and that amount would be made available to electric vehicle manufac- turers as well, if any should choose to locate in Oregon. Lawmakers are also considering requiring recipients stay in operation for at least five years, and giving the Oregon Department of Energy the au- thority to consider job creation, where the power will be sold, and whether the credit is necessary for the project to go forward — before credits are approved. As State Sen. Ginny Burdick put it, “the money we spend on this credit is money that’s not being spent on health care, schools, and public safety.” Broadway Floral for the BEST flowers call 503-288-5537 1638 NE Broadway, Portland Local Motion March 2009 Union certifications and decertifications in Oregon and Southwest Washington, as reported by the National Labor Relations Board and the Oregon Employment Relations Board Recognition elections Name of employer Date Name of union Results: Location Union Union Yes No Petermann Northwest ( DECERTIFICATION ) 3/5 Teamsters Local 58 Battle Ground 82 73 Aramark Uniform & Career Apparel 3/6 Teamsters Local 962 Medford 9 3 ProTec Fire Services 3/11 Teamsters Local 962 5 0 17 24 4 0 Medford Safeway 3/12 UFCW Local 555 Tuality Healthcare 3/23 Oregon Nurses Assn. Burns Hillsboro Requests for recognition election Name of employer Name of union Albertsons (coffee bar clerks) United Food & Commercial Workers Local 555 APRIL 17, 2009 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS Location Number of employees West Linn 7 Mercy Flights, Inc. ( DECERTIFICATION ) Teamsters Local 962 Medford 61 REpower USA (windmill maintenance techs) IBEW Local 125 Portland 5 PAGE 5
