City of Portland contract in mediation
Nearly a month after the June 30
expiration of the contract between the
City of Portland and the District
Council of Trade Unions (DCTU) —
and despite weekly meetings — the
two sides appear no closer to reaching
agreement. Terms of the expired con-
tract remain in force until a new deal is
reached or an impasse is declared.
For the 1,600 union members in
the seven-union DCTU, the biggest
item holding up agreement is a City
proposal that would eliminate protec-
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tion against contracting out and pave
the way for increased privatization.
The City is proposing to gut Article
6 of the contract, “Job Security and
Outside Contracting.” Article 6 de-
clares that work performed by bar-
gaining unit employees won’t be con-
tracted out unless it results in reduced
costs, and those lower costs can’t
come from lower wages, health care
or pension costs. The City also agrees
not to lay off bargaining unit members
because their work was contracted
out. And if the City is considering con-
tracting out, it must notify the union
and give the union a chance to discuss
alternate methods of doing the work.
Instead, the City is proposing to no-
tify the unions in advance of contract-
ing out only if it results in layoff.
There would be no restriction against
contracting out bargaining unit work,
except that the city would be obliged
to bargain over the contracting out, if
the unions request it within two
weeks.
Union officials said the City also
refuses to agree to retroactive cost-of-
living increases, insisting that any
wage hikes take effect the day the new
contract is ratified. Union workers,
collectively, stand to lose $4,000 for
every day a settlement is delayed.
“Never before has the City denied
union workers a retroactive COLA
settlement. This is a dramatic incen-
tive for the City not to bargain in good
faith and reach a timely agreement,”
DCTU said in a statement on its web-
site.
The seven unions are getting ready
to take their case to the public with a
rally Aug. 14 at 4 p.m. at Chapman
Square, SW 3rd Ave. and Main St.,
near City Hall.
A mediated bargaining session was
held July 30, after this issue went to
press.
CLC’s choices for Aug. 6 primary
VANCOUVER, Wash. — The
Southwest Washington Central Labor
Council has issued endorsements for
the Aug. 6 primary election in the state
of Washington.
Ballots were mailed 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 getters
move on to the general election Nov. 5.
Union delegates issued dual en-
dorsements for two separate Vancouver
City Council races.
For Position 2, the labor council is
backing political newcomers Alishia
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 incumbent
Jeanne M. Harris.
IN MEMORIAM
T OM G ATES , a
leader in the National
Association of Letter
Carriers (NALC), died
at his home along the
Mohawk River in
Springfield, Oregon,
July 2. He was 69.
Gates had a 35-year
postal career. He was a past president
of NALC Branch 916 in Eugene, and
served as education director for the
Oregon State Association of Letter Car-
riers.
T HOMAS E UGENE G ATES was born
Dec. 5, 1943, in Corvallis, Oregon. A
graduate of North Eugene High
School, Gates served in the U.S. Navy
from 1961-1963. He received a bache-
lor of science degree in 1970 from the
University of Oregon, where he later
earned his master’s degree in business
administration.
Prior to working for the Post Office,
Gates was a supervisor for Ore-Ida
Foods in the early 1970s.
Gates was hired as a letter carrier in
1978.
“Tom was a great NALC leader/
mentor/ advocate, a generous and car-
ing friend, a successful rancher, and a
stubborn crusader for justice for those
unjustly treated,” said Mary Martinez,
Region 2 national business agent’s lead
assistant for the NALC.
Gates is survived by his wife, Jan,
of 33 years; daughter Kristine Johnson
of Tigard, Oregon; son, Jeff; three
grandchildren; and brother William
Gates of Eugene. His son, Randy Dix,
pre-deceased him.
A memorial service and pig roast
were held July 14 at his ranch outside
Springfield.
Donations may be made in memory
of Gates in care of NALC Branch 916
at: NALC Branch 916, 931 River
Road, Eugene, Oregon 97404.
AFL-CIO Summer School
Aug. 9-11 at UO in Eugene
EUGENE — The annual AFL-CIO
Summer School will be held Aug. 9-11
at the University of Oregon in Eugene.
The weekend event, coordinated by
the Labor Education and Research
Center (LERC) of the UO, offers
classes on labor history, labor issues
and strategies, health care reform laws,
stopping workplace discrimination, and
more.
Participants also will have lots of
opportunities to connect with union
members from around the state to share
insights and ideas. There will be a book
exchange, labor film fest, a solidarity
picnic, and music.
Summer school courses and work-
shops qualify for a maximum of eight
hours toward LERC’s Union Leader-
ship Education and Development (U-
LEAD) certificate.
For more information or to register,
go online to http://pages.uoregon.edu/
lerc/
Stamper tribute
Aug. 10 in Eugene
EUGENE — A celebration of the
musical and literary legacy of ac-
claimed songwriter, folksinger, long-
shoreman, and community and labor
activist Harry S. Stamper Jr. will be
held Saturday, Aug. 10, at 7:30 p.m., at
the Wesley Center, 1236 Kincaid St., on
the University of Oregon campus in Eu-
gene.
The event will feature a screening of
“We Just Come to Work Here: The Mu-
sic of Harry Stamper,” a short docu-
mentary film by Nathan Moore, and
performances of Stamper’s songs by lo-
cal musicians David Rogers, Late For
Dinner, and Low Tide Drifters.
The event marks the opening and ex-
hibit of the Harry S. Stamper Jr. Papers,
recently acquired by the University of
Oregon’s Special Collections and Uni-
versity Archives, housed in Knight Li-
brary. Stamper hailed from Coos Bay,
Oregon.
For more information, go to:
http://library.uoregon.edu/node/3593.
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AUGUST 2, 2013
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
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