A call for an ‘independent
labor movement’ goes out
at Washington conclave
By DAVID GROVES
WENATCHEE, Wash. — AFL-CIO
Executive Vice President Arlene Holt
Baker brought her contagious enthusi-
asm and optimism to the Washington
State Labor Council 2012 Convention
Aug. 7. She also brought what’s be-
come a familiar message from the AFL-
CIO this year: the need to build an in-
dependent labor movement that
supports only its true champions.
“It is important to put our resources
into our own PACs (political action
committees) and programs instead of
any political party,” she said. “It’s been
a long time coming, but we finally get
it. Only with an independent labor
movement can we campaign day-in and
day-out for working people.”
That doesn’t mean withdrawing
from the political process, Holt Baker
said. On the contrary, it means targeting
labor’s efforts — and making them
even more intense — on behalf of those
individual elected officials who have
demonstrated their support for strength-
ening the middle class, protecting the
right to have a voice at work, and op-
posing right-wing efforts to suppress
the vote among minorities and low-in-
come Americans.
“This political season we have every
reason to go the extra mile,” she said.
“We’re building a grassroots movement
like America hasn’t seen in generations.
We’ll struggle to keep democracy
strong in America so every one that has
a right to cast a vote can cast that vote
and have it counted.”
(Editor’s Note: David Groves is
communications director of the Wash-
ington State Labor Council.)
ATPA
Sheet Metal Workers Local 16
Members, Officers & Staff
Wish All Workers in Oregon and Washington
a Safe and Happy Labor Day
Officers
Staff
JOHN CANDIOTO, Business Manager/FST
DELBERT BROWN, Business Representative
WILLY MYERS, Business Representative
RUSS BENTON, Business Representative
DENNIS DOVER, Business Representative
JOE HARRIS, Business Development
SHARON ALLEN, Office Manager
ROBERTA LUNDQUIST, Secretary
EMMY KEEVER, Secretary
RIC OLANDER, President
ART HIMM, Vice-President
MATT O’NEILL, Recording Secretary
RON HERGENRADER, Warden
Executive Board
Trustees
Darrell Alcorn
Devin Hasking
Joel Hutchinson
Charlie Johnson
Seth Kerner
James Ramos
William Willman
Ed Dawes
Tom Harding
Jim Philley
Administrators of
Employee Benefit Plans
Wishing all our
Friends in the
Labor Community
a Safe and Happy
Labor Day
7600 SW Mohawk St.
Tualatin, OR 97062
503 454-3800
2379 NE 178th Avenue, Suite 16, Portland, Oregon 97230
• 503-254-0123 • Fax: 503-254-0157 www.smw16.org
Pati Piro-Bosley
Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor This Labor Day!
PAGE 4
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
ATPA
AUGUST 17, 2012