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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (May 21, 2010)
May 21,2010:NWLP 5/18/10 10:16 AM Page 9 In a roll-call vote Pridemore nabs AFL-CIO endorsement for Congress SEATTLE — State Sen. Craig Pride- more of Vancouver, a candidate for the open seat in Washington’s 3rd Congres- sional District, was endorsed in a roll- call vote by the Washington State Labor Council at its May 15 Committee on Po- litical Education (COPE) convention. Pridemore, (49th District), is running against Denny Heck, a former state House Majority Leader and chief of staff to Gov. Booth Gardner, in the Democratic primary. Democratic incumbent Brian Baird is not seeking re-election. Pridemore came to the statewide COPE meeting with the backing of the Clark, Skamania, West Klickitat Coun- ties Labor Council. Heck was endorsed by the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Counties Labor Council and the Thurston-Lewis- Mason Counties Labor Council. At the convention, a voice vote in fa- vor of Pridemore was challenged on the floor, which resulted in a roll-call vote. A two-thirds majority is required for en- dorsement. Pridemore captured 96,086 Glass Workers #139B strikes plant for a week votes to Heck’s 41,576, said Shannon Walker, president of the Vancouver- based Clark, Skamania, West Klickitat Counties Labor Council. A motion from the floor for a dual endorsement was defeated. Cheryl Crist is the third Democrat in the race, along with four Republicans Under Washington’s “top two” pri- mary, the two candidates with the most votes — whether Democrat or Republi- can — qualify for the general election. In Southwest Washington races, WSLC endorsed the re-election of Rep. Jim Moeller in the 49th District, Posi- tion 2; Washington Education Associa- tion member Monica Stonier running in the 17th District, Position 2; and Dennis Kampe in the18th District, Position 1. Efforts by the Clark, Skamania, West Klickitat Counties Labor Council to en- dorse the re-election of State Rep. Tim Probst in the 17th District and State Rep. Jim Jacks in the 49th District, were unsuccessful. Walker said some public employee union delegates blocked the COPE en- dorsements because of votes those law- makers (and many other Democrats) took on state budget cuts that resulted in layoffs and furloughs. Probst, Jacks and others will have a second shot at obtaining a primary elec- tion endorsement when delegates re- convene at the WSLC’s Constitutional Convention in August. The primary is a vote by mail election, with ballots due Tuesday, Aug. 17. For more on WSLC’s primary en- dorsements, go online to www. wslc.org. VANCOUVER — About 85 mem- bers of Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers (GMP) Local 139B waged a week-long strike May 8-14 at Vancouver Iron and Steel, a truck parts foundry. The workers, had been with- out a contract since March 1. The May 7 strike vote was 61 to 12. Negotiations over a new three-year contract broke down over numerous proposed changes to contract language. The company wanted to end time-and- a-half pay for work on Saturdays, it pro- posed to restrict conversations with shop stewards on work time, and to of- fer lower health benefits for new hires. The company reportedly recruited about a dozen strikebreakers, hired off the street and through a temp agency. Ten members of the union crossed the picket line. After the two sides met again May14, members voted to accept the offer they had rejected the week before. Zachary Zabinsky • Social Security • SSI - Disability Claims Personal Attention To Every Case Working For Disability Rights Since 1983 NO FEE WITHOUT RECOVERY 621 SW Morrison, Portland 503-223-8517 MAY 21, 2010 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS PAGE 9
