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August 21, 2009:NWLP 8/19/09 11:26 AM Page 2 ...Oregon BCTC lauds Schaufler, Metsger, Kopel-Bailey (From Page 1) monies from the $960 million Jobs and Transportation Act passed by the 2009 Legislature to fix the state’s crumbling infrastructure should start being re- leased Oct. 1. Revenues of $300 million a year will be raised through increases in vehicle registration and title fees, and a 6-cents-a-gallon gas tax that will start in 2011. Revenues from the Jobs and Trans- portation Act are expected to create 4,000 to 5,000 jobs on an annual basis over the next 10 years, Garrett said. State Sen. Rick Metsger (D-Mt. Hood), chair of the Business and Trans- portation Committee and an architect of the bill, warned union leaders that a group of conservatives has begun circu- lating a ballot initiative to overturn it. Metsger doesn’t believe the group has enough financial support to be suc- cessful, saying, “We worked really hard to get consensus on this bill and busi- ness doesn’t want to put money to over- turn something that is a job creator.” Still, he asked union leaders to be aware of the recall effort and to be ready to take action should it make the ballot. Garrett said that when passing the transportation package lawmakers spec- ified 37 projects they wanted funded. Those projects are spread throughout the state. However, the massive Columbia River Crossing (CRC) bridge project is- n’t among them. Garrett doesn’t foresee construction on a bridge until 2012 — and that’s only if everything falls into place as anticipated. “It’s a very complex, very noisy process that will take a very long time,” he said. Garrett said agencies involved in the CRC are working to secure $750 to is an issue of community choice. I’m not locked in either way.” Later, with an edge in his voice, Wu told delegates that he will oppose the Gorge casino “to my dying day, be- cause I think it is the wrong thing for Oregon. It is the wrong thing for the crown jewel of our natural her- itage.” The six-term congressman said there are plenty of con- struction proj- ects that he does support and has supported. “We can build at OHSU Health R EP . D AVID W U (Oregon and Science University), we can build at Pio- neer Courthouse Square, we can get the Columbia Crossing done,” he said. “I stood up for community college proj- ects all around the state when it was not popular to pass bond measures. I will continue to do that because I think it is the right thing to do.” “I told you, I’m happy to represent majority opinion on LNG. Please go out there and change folks’ minds. And if you can’t, then put it in your own back- yard.” In other convention business, OS- BCTC named State Rep. Mike Schau- fler, (D-Happy Valley), its “Legislator of the Year” and gave Sen. Metsger its “Oregon’s Chief Job Builder Award.” State Rep. Jules Kopel-Bailey, (D-Port- land), received the Focused Energy Award. Delegates passed three resolutions. One continues a $2 per member per month assessment to fund Oregonians to Maintain Community Standards to promote union construction workers and lobby for and against legislation and ballot measures that protect or harm cal 88 President Becky Steward and union workers. Another resolutions prohibits a Vice President Michael Hanna. “Your union local or joint council from affili- recent decision to approve raises for two of your staff members … is a break in faith with Local 88 and all employ- ees who took a wage freeze.” Steward told the Labor Press she doesn’t regret making the deal — 80 to 90 jobs have been saved because of the (International Standard Serial Number 0894-444X) Established in 1900 at Portland, Oregon wage freeze. Her only regret is that as a voice of the labor movement. Wheeler didn’t stick to it, and she’s 4275 NE Halsey St., P.O. Box 13150, hoping he’ll make it right. Portland, Ore. 97213 $800 million specific to the transit side, and $400 million on the highway side. “And we’re going to toll the bridge,” he acknowledged. “Without tolls, you don’t have a bridge. The math does not work.” Two large private projects that the building trades coun- cil supports again got push-back from Congressman David Wu. The projects are the proposed Warm Springs tribal casino in the Columbia Gorge, and the pro- posed liquefied natu- ral gas terminal at Bradwood Landing on the Columbia River near Astoria. U.S. Construction trades unions already have a project labor agree- ment in place for the casino work, and would likely obtain a work agreement for the LNG terminal. “If I thought it (LNG) was an eco- nomic savior and had no safety con- cerns, I’d be for it,” Wu explained. “If I thought it was a really dangerous public health or public safety concern, I’d be against it. I don’t see it as either one of those. There’s legitimate positions on either side of the issue.” Wu said he is basing his opposition on a September 2008 measure in which Clatsop County residents voted by a 68 percent margin to prohibit gas pipelines from running through county land zoned for parks, recreation and open space. “If you can change the folks’ minds of Clatsop County, I would be happy to help build that facility,” Wu said. “This ‘I will oppose the Gorge casino to my dying day, because I think it is the wrong thing for Oregon.’ Management raises at Multnomah County irks AFSCME Local 88 So much for shared sacrifice. In March, Multnomah County workers represented by AFSCME Local 88 agreed to freeze their own wages in or- der to prevent cuts in services and lay- offs to their coworkers. Other unions followed suit. As part of the deal, county leaders agreed that manage- ment would get no raises either. But on July 1, two of Multnomah County chair Ted Wheeler’s own staff got raises: chief of staff Tom Rinehart got an $8,000-a-year raise, to $93,000, and chief of operations Janna McClellan got a $10,000-a- year raise, to $120,000. When word got out, union members — and other managers — were pretty unhappy. Local 88 published an open letter to Wheeler, calling on him to retract the salary increases and apologize to work- ers. “Local 88 members supported the freeze based on the understanding that this was a shared sacrifice,” wrote Lo- ating with the OSBCTC unless that lo- cal’s international union is affiliated with the National Building and Con- struction Trades Department. The third resolution calls on the En- vironmental Protection Agency to cre- ate a sub-category for operations that rely on limestone containing naturally high levels of mercury. The resolution is aimed at protecting Ash Grove Ce- ment Company, a union employer in Durkee, which could be forced to close because the limestone it extracts to make portland cement has mercury emission levels higher than currently al- lowed under the federal Clean Air Act. Ash Grove is the largest private em- ployer in Baker County. Creating the sub-category would result in compli- ance under the act and, according to the resolution, “avoids sending American jobs off shore to countries with little or no concern for mercury emissions.” Delegates re-elected John Endicott of Plumbers and Fitters Local 290 as president of the council, and Bob Shiprack of IBEW Local 48, as execu- tive secretary. Also re-elected were: Vice President Calvin McKinnis of Plasterers Local 82; Guard Clif Davis b h m k of IBEW Local 48; Conductor Bud Bartunek of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 5; Trustees Kevin Jensen, Iron Workers Local 29; Len Phillips, Sheet Metal Workers Local 16; Stan Danielson, Insulators Local 36; Keith Wright, Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1; Brett Hinsley, Cement Masons Local 555; Mike Thompson, Roofers Local 49; and Jeff Gritz, Laborers Local 121. Elected to the Executive Board were Pat Smith of Lane, Coos, Curry, Douglas BCTC; Mike Klem of Southern Oregon BCTC; John Mohlis of Columbia Pacific BCTC; Dale Dickson of Central Ore- gon BCTC; Joe Bowers of Salem BCTC; and Bob Vandecar of Pendleton BCTC. A $750 scholarship funded by Fer- guson Wellman Capital Management went to Elaine Deatley, daughter of Ce- ment Masons Local 555 member Craig Deatley of Portland. Elaine will attend the University of Puget Sound. A $500 scholarship went to Sam King of Cottage Grove. He is the son of Michael King, a member of Plumb-ers and Fitters Local 290. Sam is a fresh- man at Stanford University. Bennett Hartman Morris & Kaplan, llp Attorneys at Law Oregon’s Full Service Union Law Firm Representing Workers Since 1960 Serious Injury and Death Cases • Construction Injuries • Automobile Accidents • Medical, Dental, and Legal Malpractice • Bicycle and Motorcycle Accidents • Pedestrian Accidents • Premises Liability (injuries on premises) • Workers’ Compensation Injuries • Social Security Claims Telephone: (503) 288-3311 Rain Forest Boots Made in America! Try a pair on, youʼll like them. Tough boots for the Northwest. 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. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT PORTLAND, OREGON. 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 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS, P.O. BOX 13150, PORTLAND, OR 97213-0150 ALʼS SHOES We Work Hard for Hard-Working People! 111 SW Fifth Avenue, Suite 1650 Portland, Oregon 97204 (503) 227-4600 www.bennetthartman.com Our Legal Staff are Proud Members of UFCW Local 555 5811 SE 82nd, Portland 503-771-2130 Mon-Fri 10-7:30 Sat 10-5:30 Sun 12-6 PAGE 2 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS AUGUST 21, 2009
