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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 2012)
Inside MEETING NOTICES See Page 4 Volume 113 Number 24 December 21, 2012 Portland Unions make ‘season of giving’ last year-round Anyone who says the union movement is all about politics, or only cares about its own mem- bers — to put it mildly — doesn’t know what they’re talking about. The same spirit that moti- vates union members to stick up for co-workers or get involved in political campaigns also inspires direct service and charity in the community. Union members volunteer their labor, raise money for outside charities, and contribute to union-run aid efforts. Below we profile some examples of union ef- forts in Oregon — but you’ll find others every- where there’s a union hall. In voluntarism and charitable giving, union members are on the job. L ABOR ’ S C OMMUNITY S ERVICES A GENCY in a series of annual events: a golf and softball tournament, a lineman’s rodeo, and a casino night. F ULFILLING WISHES FOR NEEDY KIDS million ($315,000 this year) for children’s chari- ties since it started 22 years ago. Day one is an auction, and Day two is a golf tournament. With up to 470 participants, it’s the largest one-day golf event in Oregon, says organizer Ed Ellis. The ben- eficiaries are nine children’s charities, including four local children’s hospitals, groups like Special Olympics and March of Dimes, and lesser-known groups like Gales Creek Camp Foundation, which helps children with diabetes. For 15 years, Operating Engineers Local 701 has run its “Cheer-A-Child” campaign — donat- ing toys and clothes to Albertina Kerr Centers, a Portland charity that helps children and adults with developmental disabilities and mental health problems. Every year, Albertina kids and adults in foster care and group homes submit holiday wish lists. Local 701 takes 150 of the wishes and gets busy — buying and delivering toys, blankets, household goods, movie tickets, and books. If charity starts at home, Labor’s Community Service Agency (LCSA) is where it starts in the local house of labor. With funding from many lo- cal unions and in partnership with the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, LCSA is above all about helping working families in need. In its Helping Hands temporary hardship assistance program, out-of-work union members referred by their unions can get help paying rent or utility bills, and information about resources. Last year, 201 households were helped by the program. LCSA also works with dislocated workers to make sure they get all the benefits they’re entitled to, and it coordinates an annual Thanksgiving din- ner for the families of out-of-work union mem- bers. Together with the Northwest Oregon Labor Council, LCSA runs the annual “Presents from Partners” Toy Drive and holiday party for children of unemployed workers — both union and nonunion. Last year kids got four toys each through Presents from Partners, plus lunch and a picture with Santa Claus, who was able to take time out of his busy schedule to attend the event. Each year, the week after Labor Day, Portland- area union leaders together with vendors, em- ployers and trade associations that they have rela- tionships with turn out for the B.U.L.L. Session. The B.U.L.L. Session — which stands for Busi- ness Union, and Labor Leaders — has raised $4.6 Every second Saturday in May, the largest one- day food drive in the country takes place. In Na- tional Association of Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive, union letter carriers drop off bags at households and then return to pick up mil- lions of pounds of non-perishable donated food as they make their appointed rounds. This year, members of Portland-based National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 82 brought in over 277 tons of food. The food is sorted by union volun- teers at postal stations and taken to food banks for distribution to those in need. Nationwide, 1,417 local NALC branches are involved in the drive, which has brought in nearly 1.2 billion pounds of food since it began in 1993. International Brotherhood of Electrical Work- ers (IBEW) Local 48 union and the Oregon-Co- lumbia Chapter of the National Electrical Con- tractors Association (NECA) are frequent partners in volunteer efforts. Every year for the last 25 years, they’ve lit up the Grotto in its annual Christ- mas Festival of Lights. Local 48 has also funded and installed scoreboards, at $30,000 each, for Reynolds High School’s baseball field, Gresham High and Centennial High football fields, Parkrose High’s swimming facility, and Sam Barlow High’s basketball court. This year, they donated $17,370 worth of lighting installation & electrical work to install LED lights along the words “Gateway to the Gorge” at the top of the Centennial Arch at the entrance of downtown Troutdale. And members of IBEW Local 48 employed at West Side Electric replaced old fluorescent lighting fixtures at Par- rott Creek Ranch, a residential program in Oregon City for troubled teen boys. L ABOR B OWL FOR M USCULAR DYSTROPHY Muscular dystrophy is a hereditary condition marked by progressive weakening and wasting of U NIONS FOR K IDS S TATE - OF - THE - ART CARE FOR BURN VICTIMS B IG MONEY FOR CHILDREN ’ S CHARITIES L IGHTING UP THE COMMUNITY D OOR - TO - DOOR FOOD DRIVE G UIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND Guide Dogs of America — which provides guide dogs free of charge to the blind — was founded in 1948 by the International Association of Machinists. The group trains the dogs and pro- vides room and board at its campus in Sylmar, California, for the 28 days it takes to instruct re- cipients in their use. Its work is supported by Ma- chinist locals all over the country, with motorcycle poker runs, charity golf tournaments, auto shows and other fundraisers. In Portland, a Salmon Fish- ing Derby begun two years ago has raised $24,000 thus far. the muscles. For the last 23 years, Portland-area union members have raised money for the Mus- cular Dystrophy Association through the Muscu- lar Dystrophy Labor Bowl, an annual bowling fundraiser, raising $339,025 in that time. The money buys wheelchairs and braces for children, and funds research and summer camps. The Oregon Burn Center at Legacy Emanuel Hospital is a place high voltage electric linemen never want to have to use. But International Broth- erhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 125 wants state-of-the-art care to be there when burn victims need it. The Local has raised close to a million dollars for the center in the last 15 years. This year, Local 125 contributed $13,240, raised Since 2002, all-volunteer Unions for Kids has donated $326,000 to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland through an annual motorcycle raffle, poker run and chili cook-off. Recently the event has expanded to a Texas hold’em poker tour- nament and “Date Night” with live music. Those are just a few. There are so many more examples. Local unions sponsor sports teams, and award (Turn to Page 7)
