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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 2011)
...NOLC endorses school, safety levies (From Page 2) in the unincorporated portion of the county. “If 3-386 passes, it would function- ally eliminate the use of urban renewal in unincorporated Clackamas County,” Lininger said. “How could one win (or even fund) a countywide campaign to use an arcane finance tool to improve a neighborhood most voters likely have never visited?” NOLC’s Executive Board voted to actively oppose Ballot Measure 3-386. If both ballot measures pass in No- vember, the measure with the most votes will be declared the winner. NOLC also supports Ballot Meas- ure 3-378, the renewal of a public safety levy first passed by Clackamas County residents in 2006. The 2006 levy costs homeowners 24.8 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. “That will not change under Meas- ure 3-378, it’s simply a continuation of that levy,” said Steve Thorough- man, marine patrol supervisor for Clackamas County. Thoroughman said renewal of the levy will help re- duce the early release of inmates, maintain or increase sheriff patrols, and help fight drug crimes. ...Health care insurance (From Page 1) premium increase for family coverage, but it wouldn’t explain the 8 percent in- crease in premiums for employee-only coverage. The survey also found that union employers were significantly more likely to offer health benefits: 83 per- cent of firms that have at least some union workers offer health benefits, compared to 58 percent of firms with no union employees. And large firms with union workers were more than twice as likely to offer retiree health benefits than large firms without union workers – 44 percent versus 20 per- cent. Benefits were more costly, on aver- age, at unionized firms: For family coverage, the cost averaged $15,610 at unionized firms versus $14,780 at non- union firms; employee-only coverage is $5,615 at unionized firms, and $5,330 at non-union. The survey did- n’t say whether that was because the union firms had more generous benefit levels, or employed older workers, or both. Union and non-union workers paid about the same percentage of the pre- mium for employee-only coverage (17 vs. 18 percent.) But employers picked up more of the tab for family coverage at unionized firms (79 percent versus 68 percent at non-union firms). The survey was conducted between January and May of 2011 and included 3,184 randomly selected, non-federal public and private employers with three or more employees. More details are available at http://ehbs.kff.org. In West Linn, the labor council supports Ballot Measure 3-377, a bond measure to raise $8.5 million to build a new police station. The current police station was built in 1936 and is falling apart. Last May residents re- jected a bond measure seeking $10.8 million. The city came back with a lower bond after finding a cheaper piece of property. The cost to home- owners is about 16 cents per every $1,000 of assessed value over the next 20 years. NOLC’s endorsement came with a condition that any construction of a new police station must have a project labor agreement with unions from the building trades. In Beaverton, the labor council en- dorsed Ballot Measure 34-193, a 5- year local option levy proposed by the Beaverton School District to help off- set reductions in teachers and educa- tional programs. The levy would be $1 per $1,000 of assessed home value. If passed, it would raise approximately $14 million per year for the next five years. The election is Nov. 8. Ballots will be in mailboxes starting Oct. 21. (Editor’s Note: The NOLC Execu- tive Board also opposes Initiative Peti- tion 3. The petition is currently on the street seeking enough signatures to qualify for the 2012 ballot. It is sup- ported by friends of union foe Bill Size- more. The initiative would prohibit public employees from making volun- tary contributions to their union’s polit- ical activities or to charities through payroll deduction. NOLC is asking union members, their families, and friends not to sign the petition.) N OV . 8 G ENERAL E LECTION Endorsements of the SW W ASHINGTON C ENTRAL L ABOR C OUNCIL City of Vancouver City Council, Position 4: B ART H ANSEN City Council, Position 5: L ARRY S MITH City Council, Position 6: A NNE M C E NERNY -O GLE City of LaCenter Mayor: J IM I RISH City of Washougal City Council, Position 4: J OYCE L INDSAY Local Ballot Measures Support: Proposition 1 (Approve 0.2 percent sales tax increase (2 cents on a $10 purchase) to preserve C-TRAN local fixed routes and connector service.) W ASHINGTON S TATE L ABOR C OUNCIL E NDORSEMENTS Washington House of Representatives District 49, Position 1: S HARON W ILEY Statewide Ballot Measures Oppose: Initiative 1125 (Defunding highway and transportation projects) Support: Initiative 1163 (Training for long-term care workers) Oppose: Initiative 1183 : (Privatization of liquor sales and distribution) (Authorized and paid for by the SW Washington Central Labor Council P.O Box 61929· Vancouver, WA 98666-1929) OCTOBER 21, 2011 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS PAGE 5
