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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2011)
July 1, 2011_nWLP 6/28/11 10:10 AM Page 5 AFL-CIO affiliate AFGE wins runoff election to represent airport screeners Gay Pride, Union Pride Pride at Work, the newly-chartered Oregon AFL-CIO group for gay and lesbian trade unionists, came out June 19 with a float at the Portland Pride Parade. The massive and joyful parade had over 100 entries, and drew tens of thousands of spectators to downtown Portland. Pride at Work’s entry consisted of a float festooned with a rainbow made of balloons, which was followed by marchers holding signs and chanting slogans like “Union pride, gay pride!” Participants modeled labor unity, with contingents from the different unions and labor federations marching together. Unions with a strong presence included AFSCME, marching with green T-shirts and balloons behind an “AFSCME Pride” banner; SEIU with its “Lavender Labor” caucus; and UNITE HERE, which has a nationwide “Sleep With the Right People” campaign, which targets hotels that fight unions and discriminate against gay employees. “The difference between try and triumph is a little umph.” Anonymous WASHINGTON, D.C. (PAI) — The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) won a run-off elec- tion to represent the nation’s 43,000 air- port screeners employed by the Trans- portation Security Administration (TSA). In balloting counted June 23, AFGE, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, outpolled the independent National Treasury Em- ployees Union 8,903 to 8,447. The results were announced by the Federal Labor Relations Authority, which runs labor-management relations for federal workers. Transportation security officers (TSOs) screen passengers at 450 air- ports nationwide. AFGE Local 1127 is the union local for workers in Oregon, and Local 1121 represents workers in Washington and Alaska. The TSA was created after airport security was federalized in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Screeners have been trying to organize a union since then, but the anti-union Bush Administration banned unions for the screeners on alleged national secu- rity grounds. After Barack Obama was elected president, TSA Administrator John Pis- tole approved collective bargaining rights for the workers. That led to an election earlier in April 2011, where the two unions combined won more than 80 percent of the vote. Neither union obtained a majority, resulting in a run- off election. “We are obviously thrilled with the results, but more importantly are de- lighted the transportation security offi- cers now will have the full union repre- sentation they rightly deserve,” said AFGE President John Gage. Gage said the union will reach out to TSOs nationwide for input on contract details, while remembering needs of screeners at small and large airports Laborers #483 re-elects Beetle further gains for a group In mail ballots counted of seasonal maintenance June 15, Richard “Buz” Bee- workers employed by the tle was elected to a third Portland Parks Bureau. three-year term as business Local 483 has waged a manager of Laborers Local multi-year fight to organ- 483, outpolling challenger ize the low-wage unit, Ron McKinney 173 to 134. which currently consists Business manager is the of about 160 temporary only full-time elected office employees, Beetle said. at Local 483, which is a pub- McKinney, the other lic-sector local of the Labor- ers International Union of R ICHARD B EETLE candidate for business manager, is a sewer repair North America (LIUNA). The local represents 846 public sector worker at the Portland Department of workers, including about 600 at the Transportation and was Local 483’s City of Portland, plus workers at the president. His former office will now Oregon Zoo, maintenance workers at be filled by former vice president Scott Portland International Airport and the Gibson, who ran unopposed. Also Port of Portland shipping terminals, elected unopposed were: Kevin landscapers at non-profit Portland Ha- Stampflee, vice president; Thomas bilitation Center, and municipal em- Gannon Sorg, secretary-treasurer; ployees in Mt. Angel, Silverton, and Mark Lewis, sergeant-at-arms, and Mike Murphy and Wesley Buchholz, Gervais. Beetle, 63, said his agenda for the at-large members of the Executive third term will include improving the Board. Gibson and Buchholz also out- polled Paul LaCroix to win two spots image of public employees. “With the attacks we see on public as delegates to the international con- employees going on across the country, vention. “This is a very exciting time to be in we feel it’s more important now than ever before that public employees organized labor,” Beetle told the Labor make a stronger connection to the com- Press. “There’s a lot of fear and anxi- munity,” Beetle said. “We need to be ety, but there’s a lot of opportunity, as well, to be part of a regeneration of the seen as a resource, not a liability.” Another priority will be winning labor movement.” 7LUHG RI %HHVRQ&KLURSUDFWLF :RUNLQJ LQ 3$,1" 0RVW,QVXUDQFH 3ODQV$FFHSWHG 3 528'/< 6 (59,1* 3 257/$1' : 25.(56 ) 25 2 9(5 < ($56 JULY 1, 2011 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS may differ. “With one nationwide contract, it is essential that we cover all the bases,” Gage said. “TSOs care about the work they do, and AFGE is here to make sure that they have the tools and support to accomplish that mission. Only a profes- sional and highly motivated workforce can provide the security this country needs.” KHOSVEULQJWKH UHOLHI\RXQHHG 7UHDWPHQWIRUSDLQGXHWR RYHUXVHDQGUHSHWLWLYHPRWLRQ &KLURSUDFWLFDGMXVWPHQWV 7UHDWPHQWIRUDFFLGHQWDQG VSRUWVUHODWHGLQMXULHV 5HKDELOLWDWLRQH[HUFLVHV 7KHUDSHXWLFPDVVDJH ,QWHUQDOGLDJQRVLVDQGWUHDWPHQW /DEWHVWVDQG[UD\V 'U'DQ%HHVRQ&KLURSUDFWRU 6(7KLUWHHQWK$YHLQ6HOOZRRG &$// PAGE 5
