When the 2011 National Football
League season kicks off, the players on
the field will again be members of the
AFL-CIO. After negotiating a new con-
tract and reconstituting their union, the
National Football League Players Asso-
ciation rejoined the federation. The
NFLPA renounced its status as a union
in March so the players could take ad-
vantage of legal anti-trust action against
the owners’ lockout.
“It was the steadfast unity of our
players and support from millions that
allowed us to reach a fair deal,” said
NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice
Smith. “We have a renewed sense of
unity that we’re excited to bring to our
reaffiliation with the AFL-CIO.”
Labor Day is a special day set aside for workers.
We offer best wishes for safe and prosperous
times to our many friends in the labor movement.
Columbia Pacific Building
& Construction Trades Council
Paul Riggs, Executive Secretary-treasurer
3535 SE 86th Portland, Ore. 97266
503 774-0546
Kaiser’s new Westside hospital
helping to create union jobs
Construction of the new
Kaiser Permanente Westside
Medical Center in Hillsboro
has been a shot in the arm to
union workers in the Portland
metro area.
During a topping out cele-
bration last March, Kaiser Per-
manente Regional President
Andy McCulloch described it
as “our own little stimulus
project here to help the econ-
omy.”
As of Labor Day, the Med-
ical Center is two-thirds com-
plete — ahead of schedule and
under budget. Since breaking
ground in June 2009, union
members have logged over
818,154 hours of work. That
equates to roughly $43 million in wages to local workers —
money that ripples out into Portland’s economy. When
completed in 2013, the $344 million project will have gen-
erated over 2,000 construction jobs, and will create 1,000
new permanent, family wage jobs.
The project currently has approximately 550 construc-
tion workers on site each day.
“The union labor forces collectively bring professional-
ism and strong sense of pride to their work, helping us build
at the highest quality level,” said Travis Baker, project di-
rector for general contractor Andersen Construction.
“As a part of our strong commitment to organized labor,
we require every on-site worker at any of our construction
projects to be a union member,” said Kaiser Permanente
Project Manager Matthew Miller.
Many of Kaiser Permanente’s regular employees are
union members, too, represented by a variety of unions, in-
cluding Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Profes-
sionals, the Oregon Nurses Association, Service Employees
International Union, United Food and Commercial Work-
ers, and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.
The Medical Center will open with 126 beds, but has
room to grow to up to 240 beds. The hospital will offer
emergency, general medical, maternity, and surgical care.
Photos by Steve Cridland
NFL Players Association
rejoins national AFL-CIO
Have a Great
Labor Day Weekend!
PAGE 16
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
SEPTEMBER 2, 2011