NWLP-03-18-11:NWLP
3/15/11
10:16 AM
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Actions nationwide defend
workers and the American Dream
By JAMES PARKS
National AFL-CIO
Last weekend, more than 100,000 people jammed into the square sur-
rounding the Wisconsin state Capitol for an all-day series of rallies that sent
a message to Republican legislators and Gov. Scott Walker that the assault
on working people will not stand and their struggle is far from over.
Meanwhile, several organizations joined together to hold rallies nation-
wide March 15 (after this issue went to press) as part of the “Defend the
American Dream” event to defend public services and the workers that de-
liver them. One such event was held in downtown Portland at Terry Schrunk
Plaza sponsored by the Oregon AFL-CIO, Northwest Oregon Labor Coun-
cil and Jobs with Justice.
In Madison, Wisconsin, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler joined
the crowd, which gave a heroes’ welcome to the 14 Democratic state Sen-
ate members who left the state to prevent the body from considering
Walker’s proposal to cut off public employees’ bargaining rights. The leg-
islators then rigged a vote to pass the bill in the middle of the night.
Saturday, March 12, was the 27th straight day of protests in Madison.
Another highlight of the rally was a “tractorcade” by Wisconsin farmers to
support state workers and protest Walker’s budget, which will hurt rural
communities. During that rally, farmer Tony Schultz made a passionate
statement of support for public employees.
“Public workers are our friends, neighbors and family members, and we
stand in solidarity with them,” he said. “We’re all in this together. We all go
up together or we all go down together.”
Upcoming rallies in the Pacific Northwest
• An International Solidarity rally is slated Saturday, April 2, at
Peace Arch Park in Blaine, Washington. The rally will bring together
unionists, students, and activists from Canada, Washington, and Ore-
gon to extend hands across the border in solidarity with all workers.
The event is co-sponsored by the British Columbia Federation of
Labour; the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO; and the
Oregon AFL-CIO. The Oregon AFL-CIO will charter buses to take
participants to the rally and back. Cost is $30 and breakfast and lunch
will be provided. Contact Chris Hewitt at chris@aflcio.org or 503-
287-3114 to book a spot on the bus.
• “Keep Dr. King’s Dream Alive” rally Monday, April 4, starting
at 5:30 p.m. in a Portland location that had not been determined at
press time. Carl Wolfson, comedian and talk show host will emcee
the event.
LEGISLATIVE
UPDATE
Oregon Legislature one third of the way through
SALEM — One third of the way
through this year’s five-month Oregon
legislative session, several bills backed
by organized labor are progressing
through the legislative process. Others
are still at the starting line.
To become law, bills must be ap-
proved by both the House and Senate
and be signed by the governor. That’s a
little harder to do this year, because the
Oregon House is divided 30-30 along
party lines. But it doesn’t mean organ-
ized labor won’t keep trying. The way it
works, a bill is referred to a committee,
and the committee must hold a hearing
and vote to approve it before the bill can
be voted on by the full House or Sen-
ate. So hearings and committee passage
are milestones on the way to a bill be-
coming law.
Bills that could help people get back
to work are labor’s big focus this year.
• House Bill 2700 would let devel-
opers of gas, water, and electric trans-
mission lines get a conditional permit
before obtaining permission from
landowners. The bill is backed by the
Oregon State Building and Construc-
tion Trades Council and the Oregon
AFL-CIO and opposed by environmen-
tal groups. On March 2, it passed the
House 40-18 with the support of most
Republicans and about half the Democ-
rats. It’s now being taken up by the Sen-
ate Business, Transportation and Eco-
nomic Development Committee headed
by Lee Beyer (D-Salem).
• House Bill 2960 would finance en-
ergy-efficiency projects at public
schools across the state, which would
create jobs in the construction industry
and save school districts money on the
future utility bills. It’s backed by a coali-
tion of business, environmental, labor,
school, and other groups. A hearing was
held Feb. 21.
• House Bill 3349, a “Buy America”
bill introduced by Rep. Mike Schaufler
(D-Happy Valley), got a hearing March
11. The bill would prohibit government
agencies from awarding public works
contracts unless the iron, steel, wood
products and manufactured goods used
are produced within the United States.
“It’s about putting Oregonians to work
with Oregonians’tax dollars,” says Iron
Workers Local 29 Business Manager
Kevin Jensen, who testified at the hear-
ing. Why should construction materials
be imported from China on public
works projects, Jensen asks, when
union-represented firms like Fought &
Co., Oregon Ironworks, and GT Metal-
fab are making them in Oregon? Asso-
ciated General Contractors opposes the
measure.
• House Bill 2352, which would re-
quire cities and counties that reduce
prime industrial land to replace it with
equivalent land, had a hearing Feb. 23.
And Senate Bill 766, which had a hear-
ing March 10, would ensure that indus-
trial land is available and can move
from the planning stages to breaking
ground quickly.
Some union-backed bills have not
yet had a hearing in the House Business
and Labor Committee, which is co-
chaired by Schaufler and Bill Ken-
nemer (R-Oregon City):
• House Bill 2355 would create a
short-term disability insurance program
to pay up to a year of benefits at 55 per-
cent of an employee’s wage.
• House Bill 2966 would ensure that
public contracts for services are not
awarded to companies who will perform
the work outside of the United States.
• House Bill 2586 would require
companies that benefit from Enterprise
Zone property tax exemptions to pay
prevailing wage on construction proj-
ects in the zones.
• “Portland Rising” rally and march for jobs will take place Sat-
urday, April 16, at noon at Pioneer Courthouse Square.
Union leaders vow that as long as attacks on workers continue,
so will actions in solidarity with workers across the country.
MARCH 18, 2011
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
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