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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (April 19, 2013)
Building trades sign project labor agreement on proposed coal export plant in Longview Pact encourages local source hiring of construction workers LONGVIEW, Wash. — The Longview-Kelso Building and Con- struction Trades Council (BCTC) has signed a project labor agreement with Millennium Bulk Terminals- Longview, LLC, for the construction of a proposed $643 million coal export facility here. As for a timeline, company spokes- person Aaron Toro said “construction will begin as soon as we have our per- mits lined up to proceed. Scoping be- gins this summer for the Environmen- tal Impact Statement and we hope to complete the entire EIS process in 18 months following.” If approved — and there is no guar- antee that it will be, as environmental groups are opposed to coal terminals — initial construction is two to three years away. Building the facility would support 1,350 direct jobs and $70 million in di- State lawmakers to get a visit from building trades Oregon State Building and Con- struction Trades Council is organizing a Lobby Day April 29, bringing union members to the State Capitol in Salem to meet their legislators and push for laws that would protect construction jobs and wages. The group will also set up a “vir- tual” training station in the Capitol gallery — showcasing the work they do, and giving legislators and their staff a chance to try their hand at a skilled trade without having to change into work clothes. One station simulates welding. The other is a virtual paint sprayer, in which participants wear a partial face mask and are rated by a computer on how evenly they spray “paint” across the screen. Participating building trades union members will meet with their own state representatives and state senators, and also gather for a group session, giving legislators a chance to address the broader group. The Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council is made up of all unions in the building trades except for Carpenters and Operating Engineers. One top issue this year is a bill to re- quire prevailing wage for construction workers on land owned by the Oregon University System, regardless of whether the state or a private donor is footing the bill. Another priority is a bill to require use of American-made steel and iron on state-funded projects. APRIL 19, 2013 rect wages, with an additional 1,300 indirect and induced jobs in the local, regional, and state economies, result- ing in another $65 million in wages, company officials said. “This agreement goes well beyond jobs for our members; it is for the en- tire community,” said Jeff Washburn, president of the Longview-Kelso BCTC. “With so much money injected into the local economy providing liv- ing wage jobs and preferences for local sourcing of materials — like tools, welding supplies, electrical and plumb- ing supplies, steel and concrete, Mil- lennium will help to get our local econ- omy back on track.” Mike Bridges, a business represen- tative for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 48, said construction projects of this size and duration “offer great opportunities for our building trades members in the community, and will create much- needed entry-level career opportunities throughout the trades apprenticeship programs.” “(We) are very pleased to have the skilled union workers on board to build our coal export facility,” said Ken Miller, Millennium’s president and chief executive officer. The agreement is signed by Millen- nium, Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary Dave Myers; Longview- Kelso BCTC President Jeff Washburn; and 13 affiliated building trades locals. Union members help out at Klineline Fish-in Dustin Hysmith (crouched wearing vest) and Joe Harris (wearing baseball cap behind him), members of Sheet Metal Workers Local 16, spent a Saturday baiting hooks, untangling fishing lines, and reeling in fish, all part of the 14th annual Klineline Kids Fish-in April 14 at Salmon Creek Park in Vancouver. More than two dozen union members from various locals volunteered to help more than 3,000 kids ages 5 to 14 learn to fish. Several unions also donated money to the event. For a $5 registration fee, each child received a fishing rod and reel and a T-shirt with sponsor logos. Trophies were awarded for biggest and smallest fish caught, and there were raffles throughout the day for bikes. Two days before the event, Klineline Pond was closed to the public and stocked with more than 11,000 trout. “Just preparing for this event takes thousands of hours,” said Hysmith, who is secretary of the Klineline Kids Fish Non- Profit. Initially the fish-in was sponsored by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, but budget cuts to the agency forced them to give it up. The community stepped up to keep it going. Unions helping out this year included Local 16, IBEW Local 48, Cement Masons Local 555, Laborers Local 296, Bakers Local 114, Fire Fighters Local 1805, as well as the Signatory Painting Contractors Organization, and Vancouver Roofing and Sheet Metal. WANTED: ‘Tools of the Trade’ for labor history exhibit VANCOUVER — The Southwest Washington Central Labor Council is teaming up with the Clark County His- torical Museum and Washington State University-Vancouver, to develop a public exhibition on the history of the Southwest Washington labor move- ment. The exhibit is tentatively titled, “Tools of the Trade: A History of La- bor in Southwest Washington.” Plans are to open in July, prior to the conven- tion of the Washington State Labor Council (WSLC), which is slated July 25-27 at the Vancouver Hilton & Con- vention Center. The exhibit will run for approxi- mately 18 months. The labor council is planning an open house at the museum during the week of the WSLC convention. The labor council says cash dona- tions and historical memorabilia are still needed. “We need financial contributions to help fund the exhibit and to comple- ment grant funding,” said Roben White of Painters Local 10. “We need histori- cal items, memorabilia from your lo- cals. These would be loaner items that would be cataloged and given back when the exhibit concludes.” The labor council also is looking for photographs, tools, ledger books, dues books, scrapbooks, pins, banners, and other memorabilia, as well as recom- Trades fair will focus on careers for women Women and teenage girls can learn more about possible careers in con- struction, mechanical, utility, and other trades at the 21st Annual Women in Trades Career Fair, sponsored by Ore- gon Tradeswomen Inc. This year’s fair will be held Thurs- day, May 16, through Saturday, May 18, at the NECA/IBEW Electrical Training Center, 16021 NE Airport Way, Portland. Employers and successful trades- women will be on hand to lead work- shops and to talk about job opportuni- ties, paid training programs, and more. Past workshops have included: Con- crete Stepping Stones, Wind Power, Wire a Light and Switch, Building Bird Feeders, Highway Transportation, Climb a Utility Pole, Operate a Jack- hammer, Make Sheetmetal Flower Pots, and much more. Admission is free. On-site child- care and a shuttle service from the Gateway Transit Center also is avail- able. Saturday, May 18 is “Careers For Women Day,” and will be open to the general public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. At 1 p.m., a special workshop for dads NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS and daughters will take place. Coffee and refreshments will be served and the first 20 daughters attending with an adult will receive a free gift. On Thursday, May 16, middle- school students will tour the fair, and May 17 is reserved for high school stu- dents. An estimated 1,100 students from more than 50 middle and high schools across Oregon and Southwest Washington are expected to partici- pate. For more information, call 503- 335-8200, or go to their Web site at www.tradeswomen.net. mendations of long-time members who can be interviewed about the history of their organizations and work in South- west Washington. Items are needed as soon as possi- ble. “Although once a stronghold of the labor movement in Washington state, many Clark County residents today do not realize the significance of workers and their unions in building the com- munity and sustaining families for over a century,” said the museum’s executive director, Susan Tissot. “This exhibit project will help document that hidden history and showcase some of the arti- facts, oral histories, and other materials related to the labor movement and the development of the work force in Clark County.” If you have memorabilia or a mem- ber to refer for interview, contact Tissot at 360-993-5679 or email her at tis- sots@pacifier.com. Donations can be made to: Clark County Historical Museum Labor Exhibit Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main Street, Vancouver, Wash., 98660 PAGE 11
