E
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FR
Who’s On Our Side?
By Tom Chamberlain
T
housands of Oregonians who
believe in the message of the
99% flooded downtown Portland
Saturday and Sunday in support of
maintaining the Occupy Portland en-
campment.
For many, the camp itself was the
movement. For others, the camp was
an important symbol of a larger
movement that has captured the
imagination and the promise of hope
for Americans who believe that their
government has failed them, who
lost confidence in elected officials
when they close their eyes to the
lack of jobs and the loss of homes, in
favor of deep-pocketed supporters
from Wall Street.
For others, the closure of the
camp is positive, unshackling the
movement from the camp that had
become a magnet for the homeless,
mentally ill, and those in the grip of
alcohol and drugs — the people
most failed by the system the 99% is
protesting but, unfortunately, also
those whose presence brought a
growing need for services and grow-
ing public safety concerns.
Over several weeks I have met
with various members of the en-
campment’s committees. They all
had the symptoms of weariness
about their eyes, but all were fear-
less, and have a true belief in their
message and mission of social and
economic justice.
Pundits have tried to define the
99ers as a political movement. They
are not, and they may not evolve into
one. Remember — in large part,
these are the folks who dove into the
2008 election of change and ex-
pected a new America, where we all
shared in wealth and prosperity. In-
stead, they have witnessed more
wealth transferred to the über-rich.
They are disenfranchised from the
political system and believe that
change can only occur from social
activism.
The strength of the 99% is not in
their political ambitions, and it is not
dependent on an encampment.
Physically occupying a park
long-term isn’t sustainable. But
such a strategy was essential, bring-
ing attention and focus to the move-
ment and the problems inherent with
an economic and social system that
has forgotten about the vast majority
of Americans.
For the 99% — at least in Port-
land — to survive will require it to
evolve into a sustainable movement.
To do so they must maintain their
unique identity. They must continue
to deny any group the power to co-
opt them.
As union leaders we need to un-
derstand that while we are part of the
movement, we are not the leaders of
the movement. Much like the rela-
tionship between the Civil Rights
and union movements, our move-
ments will often complement each
other.
We have similar goals and objec-
tives, and we can fight shoulder-to-
shoulder to restore American social
and economic justice. But we must
treat the 99% leadership, whether it
is the general assembly or commit-
tees, a new governance structure or a
continuing evolution of leadership,
as equals.
Our best chance for change in
America is ensuring that the 99%
movement survives and evolves —
beyond the park encampments —
and into the future. They will need
funds, supplies and support. We will
need to develop a relationship with
them where we all listen and respect
each other’s ideas and perspectives.
The 99% is on our side. It is a
moment in history that will not be
repeated for generations. We must
continue to be on their side. Let’s
not waste this moment.
Tom Chamberlain is president of
the Oregon AFL-CIO.
BARGAIN COUNTER
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A utomotivE
ford 351-w gt heads, complete, big
valves, potted, converted to 3/8 studs,
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’52 ford 4dr, $2,500; ’91 ford pickup ¾,
$1,750. 503-289-0066 (ed)
’04 toyota camry, clean, ac, ps, pd,
58,900 miles, $12,000. 503-658-8788
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bath, $100/night, slps 8, wi-fi, 2 blocks to
beach, 4 blocks to casino. 503-804-7976
rockaway ocean front, 503-777-5076,
5 bdrms/2 ba, call for fisherman’s special
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rockaway beach rental, 3 bdrm, 2 bath,
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vacationhomerentals.com/43026, ocean front avail
3 bdrm, 2 bth duplex, 214 e 20th st, vancou-
ver/arnada area, no smoke/pets, $1,195/mo,
view at craigslist.org posting id 2696026305,
then call 503-803-0118.
m iscEllAnEous
CWA #7901’s Elder to co-chair group
promoting greater access to broadband
Citing broadband’s ability to spur
economic growth and improve the qual-
ity of life among many communities, a
coalition of busi-
nesses, unions, and
non-profit groups
have formed an
Oregon chapter of
the Internet Innova-
tion Alliance (IIA)
to promote broad-
M ADELYN
band access and
E LDER
adoption through-
out the state.
IIA is a national coalition that in-
cludes companies such as AT&T,
OneEconomy, and Connected Nation.
“Broadband drives opportunity in
everything, from our economy to edu-
cation and entrepreneurship to health
care,” said Madelyn Elder, president of
Communications Workers of America
(CWA) Local 7901. Elder recently was
named co-chair of Oregon IIA, along
with Brad Hicks, CEO of the Med-
ford/Jackson County Chamber of
Commerce.
“High-speed Internet helps busi-
nesses connect to new markets and stu-
dents connect to classrooms anywhere
in the world. Those opportunities
PAGE 6
should be available to every family and
business person in the state, no matter
where they live,” Elder said.
Oregon IIA will spend the coming
months educating state leaders and oth-
ers about the importance of mobile
broadband and its many benefits. The
state ranks 27th in the country in Inter-
net access, according to the National
Broadband Map.
The Internet Innovation Alliance
supports reforming the Universal Serv-
ice Fund to include broadband. It also
supports the more efficient use of spec-
trum, as well as the proposed merger of
AT&T and T-Mobile, which it says is a
key way to achieve broadband avail-
ability to more than 97 percent of the
U.S. population. For more about IIA,
go to www.internetinnovation.org.
IBEW Local 970 in Longview
merges with Portland-based #48
Two local affiliates of the Interna-
tional Brotherhood of Electrical Work-
ers (IBEW) have merged as of Nov. 1
— 191-member IBEW Local 970,
based in Longview, Washington, will
now be part of Portland-headquartered
IBEW Local 48, which had 3,647
members prior to the merger.
Members of both unions approved
the merger in voting held in September.
Local 970’s business manager and
president become members of the Lo-
cal 48 Executive Board.
Wages and benefits are slightly
lower in Local 970’s jurisdiction —
Washington’s Cowlitz and Wahkiakum
counties — but those are slated to in-
crease incrementally until Jan. 1, 2014,
when they will equal Local 48’s wage
and benefit package. Members who
were on Local 970’s out-of-work lists
were added into Local 48’s lists based
on the date they registered.
Local 970 business manager Mike
Bridges joins Local 48’s staff as a busi-
ness representative for Southwest
Washington, and Local 970 office ad-
ministrator Sue Harris will join Local
48’s staff in a similar capacity.
The Local 970 business office will
maintain office hours until January, and
will be closed thereafter.
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
solid wooden rocking airplane, perfect. $50.
503-771-1570
vintage drag saw built in portland in 1927
by vaughan motor works, needs work, asking
$300. 503-730-0604
matte black, never used, $125. 503-493-
7413
w AntEd
old woodworking tools, planes,
levels, chisels, handsaws, slicks, adzes,
wrenches, folding rulers, leather tools,
tool chests. 503-659-0009
motorcycles, scooters, quads, run-
ning or not, riding lawnmowers,vws, trac-
tors, cash paid, will pick up. 503-880-8183
collector pays cash for older toys,
older oil paintings and older american art
pottery. 503 703-5952
collector wants u.s., german, &
japanese military items, hats, helmets,
uniforms, flags, swords, bayonets, rifles,
pistols, etc. 503-852-6791
silver coins, us and canadian, 1964
and older dimes, quarters, half-dollars and
dollars for top silver prices. 503-806-6287
lifelong collector buying us and
world coins to add to collection, paying
fairly, any amount welcome. 503-939-
8835
F or thE h omE
s Porting g oods
mini 14 clips, 30-40 rd, new $15, $20/
astra a-100 9mm nickel, new in box,
sell or trade. 503-949-9314
rifle scope, bushnell elite 3200, 2x7,
Rain Forest Boots
Made in America!
try a pair on, you’ll like them.
tough boots for the northwest.
al’s shoes
5811 sE 82nd, Portland 503-771-2130
Mon-Fri 10-7:30 Sat 10-5:30 Sun 12-6
Broadway Floral
for the BEST flowers call
503-288-5537
1638 NE Broadway, Portland
NOVEMBER 18, 2011