JUNE 19, 2009:NWLP
6/16/09
10:05 AM
Page 2
Oregon’s American Federation
of Teachers taps Rives president
David Rives, an instructor at Port-
land Community College and an or-
ganizer for Portland Community Col-
lege Federation of Faculty and
Academic Professionals Local 2277,
was elected president of American Fed-
eration of Teachers (AFT)-Oregon.
AFT-Oregon is an AFL-CIO affili-
ate comprised of 20 locals representing
more than 12,500 education and health
professionals in Oregon.
Rives defeated incumbent Mark
Schwebke and a third candidate, Phil
Gilmore, both from Portland Commu-
nity College Federation of Classified
Employees Local 3922.
Because of language in AFT’s con-
stitution relating to how many mem-
bers from one local can serve on the
Executive Council, Schwebke’s loss al-
lowed him to run for another position,
which he did.
He was nominated and elected ex-
ecutive vice president.
Linda Eby of PCC’s Federation of
Faculty and Academic Professionals
Local 2277 was elected secretary;
b h
m k
Mark Leymon of Graduate Teaching
Fellows Federation Local 3544 at the
University of Oregon was elected treas-
urer; and Louise Currin of Portland
Federation of Teachers and Classified
Employees Local 111 was elected vice
president political action.
Elected as vice presidents were: An-
gela Brandt and B.J. Walker, Coalition
of Graduate Employees Local 6069 at
Oregon State University; Kelly Cowan,
Portland State University Faculty As-
sociation Local 3571; Rodger Gam-
blin, Lane Community College Em-
ployees Federation Local 2417;
Deborah Hall, Portland Community
College Federation of Classified Em-
ployees Local 3922; Bernadette
Kapocias, Southwestern Oregon Com-
munity College Federation of Teachers
Local 3190; Emily Plec, Western Ore-
gon University Federation of Teachers
Local 2278; and Belinda Reagan, Port-
land Federation of Teachers and Clas-
sified Employees Local 111;
The new officers were installed
May 30. Terms are for two years.
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Hunt re-elected president of ATU #757
In ballots counted June 5, Jon Hunt
was elected to a second three-year
term as president of Portland-head-
quartered Amalgamated Transit Union
Local 757. Challenger Bruce Hansen
received 1,010 votes to Hunt’s 1,260.
The 4,300-member union repre-
sents employees of TriMet, C-TRAN
and other transit agencies, plus units of
school bus drivers and paratransit driv-
ers. President is the local’s top elected
office, and functions also as full-time
business manager.
Hunt, 38, said his goals for the sec-
ond term include continuing to reduce
the backlog in grievances; a new medi-
ation and arbitration process is short-
ening the process.
He also said he hopes to get more
young members involved. Hunt said
Caster, Frew in run-off for business
manager of IBEW #280 in Tangent
TANGENT — Members of Interna-
tional Brotherhood of Electrical Work-
ers Local 280 chose their union’s lead-
ership in mail-in ballots counted June 9.
The 1,265-member local, headquar-
tered in Tangent, Oregon just south of
Albany, represents construction electri-
cians and sound and communications
technicians in a jurisdiction that extends
to nine counties in the Willamette Val-
ley and Central Oregon: Linn, Benton,
Lane, Marion, Polk, Yamhill, De-
schutes, Jefferson and Crook.
Incumbent Business Manager Tim
Nicol lost a bid for a second term, plac-
ing third out of three candidates. A
runoff will be held between Dennis
Caster and Tim Frew, with ballots to be
counted June 30. Caster, who was busi-
ness manager the term before Nicol,
was the top vote-getter, with 157 votes
to Frew’s 152, and Nicol’s 142.
In races for other offices, Andrew
Lindsey outpolled John Close to win
the election for president. Mike Spade
PAGE 2
outpolled Eric Lulay for vice president.
Eric Davis won a close race with Ralph
Golf for recording secretary. And Tim
Miller was unopposed for treasurer.
Elected to the Executive Board were
Julie Emmett, Joe Evans, and Michael
Murphy, the top three vote-getters in a
field of six.
For Examining Board, the body
which reviews applicants for member-
ship, Larry Fisher, Susan Garstecki, and
Thomas Mann won election out of five
candidates.
And Thomas Bauman, Dan Camp-
bell, Tim Miller, Mike Spade, and
Wayne Lathrop were elected delegates
to the international convention.
All offices have three-year terms.
Business manager is the one elected of-
fice that is also a full-time paid position.
About 140 signatory contractors em-
ploy members of Local 280, but the lo-
cal has been hit hard by the downturn
in construction, with many members
out of work.
periences,” Hunt told the Labor Press.
Union values like solidarity and
brother- and sisterhood are more im-
portant than ever, Hunt said, as global
corporations try to drive down wages,
benefits and working conditions.
“We need to share [union values]
with our newest members so that they
can understand the sacrifices that have
gone into obtaining the wages and
benefits we currently enjoy, but could
lose at any time.”
Members returned incumbents to
Local 757’s two other full-time elected
positions. Vice President Sam Schwarz
won re-election 1,573 to 677, defeat-
ing Steve Voigt. And Financial Secre-
tary-Treasurer/Recording Secretary
Evette D. Farra ran unopposed.
Members also elected stewards, bar-
gaining unit chairs and liaison officers,
and 14 members of the union Execu-
tive Board. Elected to the Executive
Board were: Roy Jennings (C-TRAN);
Anna Tompte (First Student Services);
Brian C. Pasquali (Lane Transit Dis-
trict); Terry Howard (Portland Public
Schools); Ken Richins (Salem Area
Mass Transit District); Chad Mather
(TriMet Center Maintenance); Sandra
L. Guengerich (TriMet Center Trans-
portation); Michael T. Oliver (TriMet
Light Rail Transportation); Joe E. Ruf-
fin III (TriMet Light Rail Mainte-
nance); Jeffrey Ackerson (TriMet
Merlo Transportation); Jeff Hunt
(TriMet Merlo Maintenance); Bruce
Duncan (TriMet Monthly Rated Em-
ployees; Khris Alexander (TriMet
Powell Transportation); David R. Kay
(TriMet Powell Maintenance).
...Labor bill
(From Page 1)
federal law because it doesn’t ban the
meetings, as was proposed by a similar
bill the Oregon AFL-CIO fought for in
the 2007 legislative session.
“It’s a significant bill,” said State
Sen. Diane Rosenbaum, SB 519’s spon-
sor. “It will send a message to employ-
ers that if they want to hold these meet-
ings, they can do so, but they need to be
voluntary.”
(International Standard Serial Number 0894-444X)
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as a voice of the labor movement.
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Our Legal Staff are Proud Members of UFCW Local 555
he grew up in
a family
where the
union was
important:
His father,
Bill, spent 23
years on the
job repre-
sent-ed by
Local 757.
His brother,
Jeff, is on the
J ON H UNT
union’s Ex-
ecutive
Board and is married to Local 757 le-
gal assistant Catharine Alexander.
“We need to engage and educate
those among us that didn’t learn union
values growing up or in prior work ex-
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JUNE 5, 2009