Northwest labor press., June 15, 2012, Page 8, Image 8

Retired Portland letter carrier
announces hunger strike in D.C.
antee next-day de-
Retired Portland letter
livery for regular
carrier and union activist
first class mail that
Jamie Partridge is heading
stays in the local
to Washington, D.C., for a
area. And in nearly
four-day hunger strike. The
half the post offices
action begins June 25, in
in America, hours
protest of massive cuts to
of operation will be
the U.S. Postal Service
cut from 25 percent
(USPS).
to 75 percent.
Partridge — a long-time
The growth of
member of Portland-based
online bill payment
National Association of
has sapped USPS
Letter Carriers Branch 82
revenues, but the
— will be joined by seven
activists say Con-
other activists from around
the country for the fast,
Retired Portland letter gress is to blame for
which will coincide with
carrier Jamie Partridge the USPS cuts.
rallies outside the U.S.
(right) will take part in a They argue that
Capitol, at USPS head-
four-day hunger strike to Congress could
quarters, and at the Wash-
protest massive cuts to “stop starving the
ington Post. Caravans are
the U.S. Post Office. In Postal Service” —
planned from Baltimore
the photo above, he is by eliminating an
and New York City for the leading a protest march unusual require-
final day of the protest,
through the streets of ment that USPS
“pre-fund” health
where there will also be
downtown Portland.
benefits for future
solidarity demonstrations
retirees, and by refunding money they
in half a dozen cities.
say USPS overpaid into the federal
The postmaster general has an-
workers pension system.
nounced that half of all mail process-
The hunger strike and protests are
ing facilities will close over the next
being organized by Communities and
two years, with closures starting July
Postal Workers United, a newly-
1. As a result, tens of thousands of
formed national grassroots network of
USPS workers will lose their jobs,
union and community activists.
and the USPS won’t be able to guar-
PAGE 8
2012 Labor Appreciation Night honorees
Kudos were flying June 2 at the
Labor Appreciation and Recogni-
tion Night dinner sponsored by the
Northwest Oregon Labor Council
(NOLC). Now in its 15th year, the
dinner recognizes people for their
commitment to helping better the
lives of workers. It also serves as a
fundraiser for Labor’s Community
Service Agency (LCSA). This
year’s event raised $2,707.05.
Top recognition is the Del Ricks
Community Service Award in honor
of the late Del Ricks, who was
LCSA’s executive director for 17
years. The 2012 recipients were Lee
and Kathy Duncan for their volun-
teer work with the Unions for Kids
motorcycle poker run. In 10 years
the event has raised $326,000 for
Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
The Duncans, both members of In-
ternational Brotherhood of Electri-
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
cal Workers (IBEW) Local 48, were
instrumental in founding the non-
profit organization.
The labor council’s “Heritage
Award” was presented to Nellie Fox
Edwards and Verna Porter. Fox Ed-
wards is a retired political coordina-
tor of the Oregon AFL-CIO and
business rep for the Retail Clerks
(now United Food and Commercial
Workers). Porter is a past president
of the Oregon Alliance for Retired
Americans and secretary-treasurer
of the International Longshore and
Warehouse Union’s Columbia River
Pensioners. Both remain active in
causes focusing on health care, sen-
iors, and the disabled.
A “Business Appreciation” award
went to Machinists Lodge 63 for its
longstanding role promoting and
raising money for Guide Dogs of
America.
Recognition awards went to:
Scott Blau, president of the Oregon
Alliance for Retired Americans and
National Association of Letter Car-
riers (NALC) Branch 82 retiree;
Deborah Burbank and Betty Nash
of Branch 82; Eryn Byram of
LCSA; IBEW Local 48 Business
Manager Clif Davis and Political
Coordinator Joe Esmonde; Donna
Hammond, president of the Local
48 Electrical Workers Minority
Caucus; Rita Loucks of Bakers Lo-
cal 364; Mark MacPherson of
Teamsters Joint Council No 37; Al
Marino, retired Teamsters and head
of the NOLC Retirees Council; for-
mer state rep Mike Schaufler; Kevin
Stampflee of Laborers Local 483;
Claudella Walland, a retiree of the
American Federation of Teachers;
and Roben White, president of
Painters Local 10.
JUNE 15, 2012