In Clackamas County
Resolution prioritizes living wage, local jobs in contracts
The Clackamas County board of
commissioners unanimously passed a
resolution Jan. 12 pledging to prioritize
the use of local source hiring of work-
ers, materials, and expertise that pro-
vide family wage jobs whenever it puts
out for bid public construction projects
and/or personal and professional serv-
ice contracts.
The resolution, submitted by
County Chair Charlotte Lehan, says
the county “will place as a priority the
selection of projects that result in jobs
that pay living wages to skilled and ed-
ucated workers with high productivity,
provide health care benefits, encourage
the longevity of workers in their posi-
tions, promote safety, advance the cer-
tifications of workers, and provide the
opportunity for a pension.”
The resolution further states that
“using local sources for workers, ma-
terials, and expertise is recognized as
the method producing the most imme-
diate economic benefit to the workers
and businesses of Clackamas County”
Clackamas County Chair Charlotte Lehan (center) signs a resolution that calls on the county to prioritize local source
hiring and family wage jobs when letting contracts. With her at the Jan. 12 signing ceremony at Machinists District
W 24 in Gladstone are Commissioners Jim Bernard (left), Jamie Damon, and local union officials.
and that commissioners will “observe
at all times the requirements for bid-
ding on public improvement contracts
and the prevailing wage law that pro-
vides a living wage for workers” as set
out in state regulations.
A few hours after the 5-0 vote, a
signing ceremony was held at the Ma-
chinists District W 24 hall in Gladstone
with labor officials from construction
unions, Machinists and Woodworkers
locals, Teamsters, AFSCME and the
Northwest Oregon Labor Council,
Lehan and Clackamas County Com-
missioners Jim Bernard and Jamie Da-
mon.
“Local hire is the most important
part of this resolution,” Bernard said.
“We want local businesses to get the
business.”
“This proclamation solidifies our
commitment to living wage jobs,” Da-
mon added.
Lehan said the unanimous vote
“makes this proclamation a much more
powerful statement.”
Troutdale City Council gets earful from IBEW Local 48 members
The International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 48
and allies in East Multnomah County
protested before the Troutdale City
Council Jan. 10 the awarding of a con-
tract to an out-of-state, nonunion elec-
trical contractor on a new police station
currently under construction.
Local 48 and its training center are
located a few miles west of Troutdale
and many of the union’s members live
in Troutdale. Last year voters approved
a $7.5 million bond to build the police
station. Local 48 endorsed the bond
measure and most of its members liv-
ing in Troutdale voted for it.
P & C Construction was awarded
the general contract, and it in turn
awarded the electrical portion of the job
to nonunion Prairie Electric of Vancou-
ver, Washington.
Local 48 Business Manager Clif
...Shropshire takes helm at #290
business manager Matt Wal-
(From Page 3)
ters. In more than 15 years in
Waits representing Plumbers;
that job he covered pipeline
Randal Nelson Jr. and Ramon
and gas distribution; mem-
Ramon outpolled three other
bers in east Portland through
candidates to represent Pipefit-
the Columbia Gorge to Mor-
ters; and Eric Fanning and Erv
row County and Southwest
Garrison topped two other
Washington; and for a short
candidates to represent ACR.
A L
time
the Portland shipyard.
Local 290 represents 4,200
S HROPSHIRE
He has served on Local
members working in all
290’s joint apprenticeship
branches of the piping industry in con-
training
committee
and he’s been a
struction, industrial, and at shipyards
journeyman
instructor
at the training
in Oregon, Southwest Washington, and
center.
four counties in Northern California.
“My favorite part of working as a
Shropshire, 58, is a 37-year mem-
business
agent was enforcing our mas-
ber of the union. He started his career
ter
labor
agreement, fighting for our
as a pipefitter in 1973 working in ship
repair at the Portland shipyards. In jurisdiction, and most of all standing
1979 he passed the pipefitters exam for up for members on the job,” he said.
In 2008, Shropshire ran unsuccess-
building trades construction and sub-
fully
for business manager. He re-
sequently worked on commercial and
turned to work in the field in early
industrial jobs.
Shropshire comes from a pipe 2009, and retired in November that
trades family. His grandfather, father, same year. He was drawing a pension
brother, wife, and two sons are all check when de decided to run again for
union pipefitters — the latter three are the union’s top post.
Shropshire and all other officers
members of Local 290.
were
installed Jan. 20. All terms are for
Shropshire was hired as a business
three
years.
agent for the union in 1993 by the late
PAGE 8
Davis told the Labor Press that Prairie
Electric was up against three nonunion
and one union contractor for the job.
Davis said the initial union bid by Heil
Electric wasn’t the lowest, but it was
$20,000 lower than Prairie’s bid.
“The construction manager cited
‘non-responsive bidder’ issues as the
reason for the decision, but has failed
to show us the basis for this claim,”
Davis said. “They will be profiting
from a project paid for in part by our
members due to the fact that the con-
struction manager chose to exclude the
union bid for reasons that have not been
explained.”
Davis told city councilors the deci-
sion to use an out of state contractor
could cost the city millions in lost rev-
enue. “Governments always talk about
the ripple effect of public works proj-
ects where a million dollars turns into
as much as four million dollars to the
local community due to wages, taxes
and other spending related to the jobs
created. So Troutdale is choosing to
send millions across the river.”
Additionally, several members of
Local 48 who live in Troutdale pointed
out to city councilors the donated work,
supplies, and money they and their
union have contributed to the commu-
nity. Those donations include, in part,
the installation of electrical services,
outlets and modifications of the street
lamps that are along the Historic Co-
lumbia River Highway in downtown
Troutdale, and a scoreboard for the lo-
cal high school.
“This was at zero cost to the City of
Troutdale. The City requested this of us
and we willingly donated it to them,”
Davis told the Labor Press. “Yet the
project was awarded to a company with
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
absolutely no community ties or any
history of community involvement.”
Troutdale Mayor Jim Kight directed
the city staff to prepare a response to
the issues brought up by the electri-
cians. “We will take your comments to
heart and see what we can do for the fu-
ture,” he said.
Local Motion
December 2011
A list of Oregon and Southwest Washington workplaces deciding
whether to be union-represented – as reported by the National
Labor Relations Board and the Oregon Employment Relations Board.
Voting in union elections
Date Workplace (Location) Union
Yes
No
56
40
12/20 Pacific Coast Camera and Crewing (Boring) IATSE
51
9
12/28 Comcast SportsNet Northwest (Portland) IATSE
11
15
12/2 Parry Center for Children (Portland) SEIU Local 503
DECERT
Unionizing by majority sign-up
Date Workplace (Location) Union
Number of workers in unit
12/21 Metro seasonal parks and environmental workers (Portland) Laborers Local 483
5
Requesting a union election
Workplace (Location) Union
Number of workers in unit
Ochoco Manufacturing water truck maker (Prineville) Iron Workers Local 516
DECERT
5
L EGEND
: workers will be union-represented
DECERT :
: workers will be on their own
A decertification election occurs when some union-represented workers declare
that the union no longer has majority support. A ‘yes’ vote is a vote for the union.
JANUARY 21, 2012