June 3, 2011_nWLP 5/31/11 10:21 aM Page 10
Senators Murray and Merkley to NLRB:
Don’t cave to GOP political pressure
Rep. Wu also weighs
in on Machinists
dispute with Boeing
U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)
and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) have
joined eight other U.S. senators in writ-
ing a letter to the National Labor Rela-
tions Board (NLRB) asking it to ignore
political pressure it is receiving follow-
ing its complaint against the Boeing Co.
Moreover, Oregon Congressman
David Wu sent a letter to the Machinists
Union strongly supporting its petition to
retain production of the Boeing 787
Dreamliner in the Pacific Northwest.
In April, the NLRB’s general coun-
sel accused Boeing of illegally retaliat-
ing against union members for previous
strikes in Washington and Oregon when
it picked South Carolina for the second
787 production line. The Board is seek-
ing a court order requiring the airplane
maker to operate the second line in the
Puget Sound.
Boeing has denied the allegation.
An NLRB hearing is scheduled June
14 in Seattle.
The complaint against Boeing set off
a barrage of near hysterical criticism
from Republicans. Several members of
Congress, state governors, and state at-
torneys general called for the labor
board to drop the complaint, then threat-
ened to block future presidential nomi-
nees to the NLRB if it didn’t.
Some GOP members of the Health,
Education, Labor and Pension Commit-
tee demanded the NLRB reveal the de-
tails of its legal arguments and strategy
in the complaint against Boeing.
Merkley, Murray and eight members
of the Health, Education, Labor and
Pension Committee responded in a
May 19 letter to the NLRB, saying that
caving to political pressure would un-
dermine the Board’s decision.
“The question at issue is a critically
important one: whether workers who
exercised their rights under the law
Gradine ‘Grady’ Storms
equity group
P rinciPal B roker
Low interest rates have ‘Home Affordability’
closer than most realize. First time buyers are
people who have not owned in the last 3 years. If
you don’t know your purchasing power, it’s time
to find out, for free!
Call me for more information.
• Call/Text; 503-784-8326
Grady@GradyStorms.com
faced illegal discrimination and retalia-
tion. This is a charge of serious miscon-
duct that affects the rights of thousands
of hardworking people,” the senators
wrote. “We do not write to express any
opinion about the proper outcome of this
case. However, we do feel strongly both
parties have the right for this important
issue to be decided in the due course of
the administration of justice. This case
should be determined based on the facts
and the law, not based on politics.”
Further, the senators wrote: “We be-
lieve it would be inappropriate for the
general counsel’s office to compromise
its litigating position by detailing its le-
gal strategy in this manner.”
In addition to Merkley and Murray,
the letter was signed by Democratic
Senators Tom Harkin of Iowa, Barbara
Mikulski of Maryland, Jeff Bingaman
of New Mexico, Bernard Sanders of
Vermont, Robert Casey Jr. of Pennsyl-
vania, Al Franken of Minnesota, Shel-
don Whitehouse of Rhode Island, and
Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.
Wu’s letter to the Machinists Union
asserted that Boeing’s transfer of pro-
duction to South Carolina, a right-to-
work state, was indeed a violation of the
National Labor Relations Act.
“There is extremely clear evidence
that Boeing’s plan ... is solely motivated
by a desire to avoid complying with fed-
eral labor laws,” Wu wrote. “I applaud
the NLRB’s investigation of this unfair
labor practice complaint ... I will
strongly encourage that (the) Board or-
der Boeing to comply with the remedies
recommended in the NLRB complaint.”
EE
R
F
BARGAIN COUNTER
Free classified ads to subscribers
DEADLINE: Friday prior to publication
Published 1st and 3rd Fridays
Now accepting e-mails
Send to: Michael492@comcast.net
Mail to: NWLP, PO Box 13150, Portland OR 97213
(Please include union affiliation)
• 15-20 words • No commercial or business ads • 1 ad per issue
• All lower case (NO CAPITAL LETTERS, PLEASE) •
Ads MUST include area code or they will not be published
A UTOMOTIVE
’72 chevy suburban, 350 v8, auto, 2
WD, new tires, shocks, brakes, radiator,
123,00 miles, $5,000 obo. 503-246-1276
’89 aerOsTar DeLIvery van, 105k
miles, passed emissions, runs very good,
sturdy ladder racks, $1,100. 360-892-8530
H OUSING
rOcKaWay ocean front 503-777-5076
http://home.comcast.net/~rockaway.beach
5 bdrms, 2 bath, call for summer rentals
LIncOLn cITy vacation rental, 3 bdrms, 2
bath, $115/night, slps 8, wi-fi, 2 blocks to
beach, 4 blocks to casino. 503-804-7976
rOcKaWay beach rental, 3 bed, 2 bath,
sleeps 10, Jacuzzi, 5 min to beach/shops.
vacationhomerentals.com/43026.
gOLf anyOne? bandon, Or vacation
rental, 3 bdrms, 2 bath, 2 blocks to beach,
wifi, full kitchen, $150/night. 541-391-9918
se POrTLanD home, 1,096 sqft, 3 bdrm,
1½ bath, w/w over hdwd, upgraded doors,
windows, air, $137,500 503-390-9433
...EEOC lawsuit
(From Page 9)
two Yakima County farms —Green
Acres Farms and Valley Fruit Orchards.
EEOC is seeking back pay, compen-
satory and punitive damages, as well as
federal court orders to prevent further
abuses.
EEOC’s mission is enforcement of
Title 7 of the Civil Rights Act, which
bans employers from treating workers
differently on the basis of race, national
origin, or other factors, said Justine S.
Lisser, Senior Attorney-Advisor in
EEOC’s Office of Communications.
“What’s different in these cases is the
magnitude of abuse,” Lisser told the La-
bor Press.
PAGE 10
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
TWO – 200 acre parcels, take all or half,
$775 per acre, terms. 1-541-468-2961
vancOuver reMODeLeD ranch, 7409
ne 57th st., 3 bdrms, 2 bath, near mall
and I-205, contract possible, $148,500.
503-654-3045
yuMa arIZOna mobile home, 55+ park,
$15,000, monthly space rental $300. 360-
256-1449
M ISCELLANEOUS
bLuecrOP bLueberry bushes, ap-
prox 20 yrs old, approx 5-6' tall, weigh 150
lbs, dug and tied w/burlap. 503-312-1518
DeLcO eLecTrIc motor w/3” dia ad-
justable v pulley, $15; hwd oscillating fan,
3 spd, $10 obo. 503-753-1714
S PORTING G OODS
42' vIc franK Trawler, sgl, ds, coastal
cruiser, radar, gPs, a-P, health forces
sale, $37,500 obo. 503-723-9197
PaIr eXTensIOn mirrors for truck or
trailer, $25. 503-253-3330
’01 sKyLIne nOMan, 30’, ac, micro,
bath/shower, full tilt, full awning, well main-
tained, $16,850. 503-474-4670
W ANTED
OLD WOODWOrKIng tools, planes, lev-
els, chisels, handsaws, slicks, adzes,
wrenches, folding rulers, leather tools, tool
chests. 503-659-0009
cOLLecTOr Pays cash for older and
unique items. 503 703-5952
sILver cOIns, us and canadian, 1964
and older dimes, quarters, half-dollars and
dollars for top silver prices. 503-806-6287
MOTOrcycLes, quads, scooters, boats,
riding lawn mowers, cash paid, will pick up
503-880-8183
LIfeLOng union man and coin collector
wants us and World coins to add to col-
lection, paying fairly, any amount welcome.
503-939-8835
haM raDIO and short wave radio equip-
ment, particularly older 1950s/60s equip-
ment that uses tubes, 503-823-4577
JUNE 3, 2011