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Fishing Derby to benefit
Guide Dogs of America
The inaugural Salmon Fishing
Derby fundraiser for Guide Dogs of
America will be held Saturday, April 2,
at the Red Lion Hotel on the River —
Jantzen Beach.
The fishing derby is sponsored by
the International Association of Ma-
chinists District Lodge W24.
Guide Dogs of America was
founded in 1948 by the Machinists
Union to train and provide guide dogs
B ENJAMIN L AWVER
Lawver to join
AFL-CIO as
Western field
representative
Benjamin Lawver, political director
for the Washington State Labor Coun-
cil, has resigned from the Council ef-
fective Jan. 31 to join the national AFL-
CIO staff as senior field representative
for the Western Region, a position for-
merly held by Janet Conner.
As senior field representative,
Lawver, 33, will represent the interests
of the national AFL-CIO with state fed-
erations, central labor councils, local
union affiliates and constituency groups
in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. His
primary responsibility will be to help
build state and local labor federation
structures that will strengthen and grow
the labor movement.
“I see myself as a humble servant,
willing to do whatever I can to help
out,” Lawver said. “I’m excited about
the opportunity.”
Lawver was raised in Kettle Falls in
Northeast Washington. Since joining
the WSLC staff in May 2006, he has
helped to build the labor federation’s
Labor Neighbor grassroots political
program, establish DIME (Don’t Invest
in More Excuses) political action com-
mittee, and revise the Council’s legisla-
tive voting record and assessment
process.
He is a member of Office and Pro-
fessional Employees Local 9.
Lawver will travel extensively
throughout the region, but will be based
in Seattle. He can be reached at 206-
419-7287.
PAGE 8
for the visually impaired.
The Machinists also host an annual
golf tournament fundraiser in late sum-
mer.
Registration for the Salmon Derby is
$200 per person and includes an expe-
rienced guide service, bait, tackle and
lunch. The limit is four persons per
boat. Prizes for biggest fish will be
awarded.
Sponsorships are available starting at
$100 for a bronze all the way up to
$1,500 for a diamond. Sponsors will be
recognized at the event and in a special
ad in the Northwest Labor Press.
Registration deadline is Feb. 15. For
more information, call Dan Sass at 503-
238-5550, extension 117, or e-mail him
at dan@iamdl24.org.
All proceeds benefit Guide Dogs of
America.
Oregon AFL-CIO
forms group for
the unemployed
The Oregon AFL-CIO is forming a
new group for unemployed workers,
Oregon Wants to Work. The group is
part of a national AFL-CIO effort to or-
ganize unemployed workers, not in a
traditional union sense, but along the
lines of the AFL-CIO’s community af-
filiate, Working America. But unlike
Working America, Oregon Wants to
Work is expected to meet monthly to
serve as a support network for unem-
ployed workers to share resources, tips,
and ideas. The group will also serve as
a collective voice to advocate politi-
cally for jobs, and unemployment ben-
efits.
Oregon AFL-CIO spokesperson
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Elana Guiney said the intent is to create
a movement of out-of-work union and
nonunion workers — to re-create com-
munity, and to testify at the legislature
any time lawmakers discuss issues of
employment and unemployment.
Oregon Wants to Work will have its
founding meeting 5:30 to 7 p.m.,
Wednesday, Feb. 16, at the PCC Work-
force Center, 5600 NE 42nd Avenue
(42nd and Killingsworth) in Portland.
The Northwest Oregon Labor Council,
Labor’s Community Service Agency,
and Working America are also taking
part.
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Bud Williams, Russ Garnett, James Barrett, Kelly King and Vance Ricks — out-of-work members of Roofers Local
49 — hold an informational picket line Jan. 26 at the Fred Meyer store under construction in Wilsonville. The roofing
contract was awarded to nonunion Mountain States Roofing of Idaho, even though several local roofing contractors
bid on the job. Garnett said Mountain States Roofing pays its workers about $15 an hour, about half of what a local
union roofer earns, not including fringe benefits. The 12-man nonunion crew is expected to be on the project for more
than a month. “We could certainly use the work,” Garnett said. Local 49 represents about 450 workers in Oregon and
Southwest Washington. It is experiencing nearly 35 percent unemployment. Roofers are handing out fliers at the busy
corner of Southwest Boones Ferry and Wilsonville roads informing residents of the out-of-state contractor. The union
is asking union members to call the Kroger-owned Fred Meyer and let them know they are unhappy with its use of
out-of state contractors and workers. The phone number is 503-232-8844. The general contractor is CSI Oregon.
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NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
FEBRUARY 4, 2011
