Young elected business manager of IBEW #48
Flores, New face
runoff for vice
president’s post
Gary Young, a 24-year member of
International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers (IBEW) Local 48, won elec-
tion to a full three-year term as the
union’s business manager. In mail bal-
lots counted June 24, Young received
646 votes, Nancy Cary 402, and John
Wilson 186.
Young, 52, was appointed April 8 to
succeed Clif Davis, who resigned as
business manager to take a job at the
international union as business devel-
opment representative for IBEW’s 8th
and 9th districts.
Members also chose 13 other union
officers from among 35 candidates.
Erik Richardson was re-elected presi-
dent, turning back
challenger Dennis
Ward. For vice presi-
dent, Armando Flores
will face Paul New in
a July 15 runoff elec-
tion; the two outpolled
a third candidate, Jodi
G ARY Y OUNG Tillinghast. Kathy
Duncan was reelected
recording secretary,
outpolling challenger Cory Wyatt. For
treasurer, incumbent John Sargent ran
unopposed.
Four candidates ran for and were
elected to four positions on the Exam-
ining Board, which evaluates candi-
dates for membership in the local: Ray
Lister, Oscar Merida, Terry Reigle, and
Forrest Chapman.
And six seats on the Executive
Board were filled by the top vote-get-
ters among 23 candidates: Members re-
turned incumbents Rod Belisle, Paul
Behrman, Marjorie Ramirez, Christina
Daniels, and added newcomers Bruce
Barnes and Topher Edwards.
Voter turnout was 29.8 percent of
the membership.
Newly elected officers will take the
oath of office at Local 48’s July 24
meeting. All terms are three years.
The Portland-based union repre-
sents construction electricians and
sound and communications technicians
in an area that encompasses Northwest
Oregon and Southwest Washington.
The local’s approximately 4,200
members work under 25 different con-
tracts, the biggest of which is its agree-
ment covering inside wiremen electri-
cians in commercial and industrial
construction employed by members of
the National Electrical Contractors As-
sociation. Local 48 members also have
a presence in residential construction,
Supreme Court overturns DOMA,
LGBT working families celebrate
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a 5-4
decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled
that the Defense of Marriage Act
(DOMA) is unconstitutional, paving
the way for the federal recognition of
same-sex marriages. In a separate 5-4
ruling, the court dismissed an appeal by
opponents of marriage equality of a
lower court decision that found Cali-
fornia’s Prop. 8 ban on same-sex mar-
riage was unconstitutional. The dis-
missal of the appeal means that
same-sex couples in California can be-
gin getting married again and that the
states without equal marriage laws
have some work to do to make sure
everyone is receiving the full federal
benefits that marriage brings, but that
domestic partnerships do not.
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all couples with respect, but it also has
major financial and legal impacts that
will allow more same-sex couples to
more effectively support their fami-
lies,” Phelps said. “We will continue ef-
forts to win marriage equality in more
states, but there are also vital issues re-
maining for the LGBT community —
our lives are about more than mar-
riage.”
The Oregon AFL-CIO is among
200 coalition partners working to qual-
ify the Freedom to Marry and Reli-
gious Protection Initiative for the No-
vember 2014 ballot. The initiative
would make marriage legal for Ore-
gon’s same-sex couples.
The Oregon AFL-CIO says union
members will be essential to getting the
ballot measure passed in Oregon.
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The Court’s ruling says that couples
who are legally married are entitled to
equal treatment under federal law. That
allows all legally married couples to re-
ceive the same income tax and Social
Security benefits, among other federal
benefits.
“For LGBT workers, the decision
means married couples must be treated
as married in accordance with the laws
in their state,” said Darren Phelps, ex-
ecutive director of Pride at Work, a
constituency group of the AFL-CIO
that organizes mutual support between
the labor movement and the LGBT
community for social and economic
justice. Pride at Work has more than 20
chapters nationwide, including Oregon.
“Marriage equality is about treating
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work as material handlers at industrial
and commercial facilities, or are em-
ployed by local broadcasters and gov-
ernment entities.
Young said one of his top priorities
will be increasing market share, partic-
ularly as the Intel expansion winds
down in about a year. The project cur-
rently employs about 1,300 union elec-
tricians.
“The future is bright,” Young said,
“and we will take every opportunity we
can to move things forward.”
Young said he will also work to en-
sure enforcement of standards in the
electrical industry, to continue Local
48’s tradition of volunteerism and com-
munity involvement, and to build unity
within the wider labor movement. Lo-
cal 48 will be locking arms with other
unions,Young said, to defend the union
movement against attacks like a pro-
posed “right-to-work” ballot measure
aimed at public sector unions.
‘Labor: A Working
History’ opens July
11 in Vancouver
VANCOUVER, Wash. — “Labor:
A Working History,” will be on exhibit
at the Clark County Historical Society
and Museum July 11 through Dec. 31,
2014.
An opening reception will be held at
5 p.m. Thursday, July 11.
Following the reception, author and
University of Washington professor Dr.
Michael Honey will present a special
Second Thursday lecture entitled,
“Links on the Chain: Labor and Civil
Rights in Story and Song.” Refresh-
ments will be provided by The Grant
House Restaurant.
Historical society members, military
veterans, and active duty military per-
sonnel and their families all receive free
admission to the museum; otherwise,
regular admission rates apply. It is $4
for adults, $3 for seniors/students, $2
for children, and $10 for families.
The Clark County Historical Society
& Museum is located at 1511 Main St.,
Vancouver, Washington.
Oregon AFL-CIO confab
in Bend Sept. 27-29
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BEND — Union leaders and ac-
tivists, mark your calendars for Sept.
27-29 and the 53rd biennial Oregon
AFL-CIO Convention. The convention
will be held at The Riverhouse Hotel
and Convention Center: 3075 N Busi-
ness 97, Bend.
Registration opens Friday, Sept. 27.
That evening a Welcome Party will be
held. Convention business gets under
way Saturday morning, Sept. 28.
The popular Union Label Show is
scheduled Saturday evening.
For more information, call the Ore-
gon AFL-CIO at 503-224-3169, or
from Salem call 503-585-6320.
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NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
SW Washington
Labor Council
endorsements for
August primary
VANCOUVER, Wash. — The
Southwest Washington Central Labor
Council has issued endorsements for
the Aug. 6 primary election in the
state of Washington.
Ballots are in the mail starting July
17.
The labor council endorsed the re-
election of Tim Leavitt for mayor of
Vancouver and the re-election of Jack
Burkman for Vancouver City Council,
Position 1.
Leavitt is being challenged by city
councilor Bill Turlay.
Burkman faces three challengers
in the primary. The top two vote get-
ters move on to the general election
Nov. 5.
Union delegates issued dual en-
dorsements for two separate Vancou-
ver City Council races.
For Position 2, the labor council is
backing political newcomers Alisha
Topper and Ty Stober. They are chal-
lenging incumbent Jeanne E. Stewart.
For Position 3, the labor council
has endorsed Anne McEnerny Ogle
and Galina Burley. They are among
four candidates trying to unseat in-
cumbent Jeanne M. Harris.
...Bargaining
continues at
City of Portland
(From Page 1)
as a true assault on core union values,”
said Local 483 spokesperson Megan
Hise.
Under the existing contract, the City
has to notify affected union members if
their work is going to contracted out. It
also must demonstrate that contracting
out will save the City money, and that
the savings won’t be based solely on
lowering wages and benefits. It’s a prac-
tice that puts the reputed “magic” of pri-
vate sector efficiency to the test.
“We feel that [the contracting out
clause is] not only good for job security
for our members, but it’s a good protec-
tion for the taxpayer as well,” said AF-
SCME staff representative and DCTU
chief negotiator Rob Wheaton. “We’re
able to watchdog that it actually saves
the City money.”
The City is proposing wage in-
creases, but City negotiators are saying
the raises won’t be retroactive to the
June 30 expiration of the previous con-
tract. One City negotiator told union
bargainers the City will save $4,000 for
every day longer that it takes to resolve
the contract.
The next bargaining session is
scheduled for July 10.
PAGE 9
