Washington State Labor Council
lays out agenda for Legislature
Who’s On Our Side?
By Tom Chamberlain
Livability has been a buzz word
of the last two decades. The ability
to encourage and accommodate
various forms of transportation de-
fines a city: buses, light rail, cars
and bikes. Maintaining green space,
while encouraging development
that increases population density,
has put Portland on the map as a
premier city. Magazines rank cities
by activities, museums, public art,
and great schools. Locally, Port-
landia, Grimm and various movies
and television programs have in-
creased our national profile and in-
creased the city’s reputation as a
great place to live, raise your family
and retire.
People are moving to Portland.
A recent report found that in 2013
more people moved to Oregon than
any other state. Those new Orego-
nians’ final destination more often
than not is the Portland Metro area.
By 2060, the Portland Metro area
population is projected to double.
In just 46 years the population in the
Portland area will be equivalent to
Oregon’s current population of 3.9
million.
With two rail lines, one on each
side of the Columbia, a deep-water
port, and two freeways, Portland is
often the gateway to Oregon, and,
more importantly, Oregon’s econ-
omy.
Often times that the City of Port-
land is so focused on improving
Portland’s national reputation that it
forgets its responsibility to plan and
grow our region, state and north-
west economy. We claim rightfully
deserved victories as small high
tech firms move to the Pearl Dis-
trict. But those small wins are not
enough to grow a middle class
economy. Portland’s ability to cre-
ate and maintain a thriving middle
class is tied to its history as a manu-
facturing city. Portland makes
things — from streetcars to trucks,
medical equipment to microchips,
solar panels, and aviation parts.
Most folks would be surprised to
find that Portland is Ford’s only
West Coast export facility to Asian
markets.
Meeting the challenges of a re-
gion that will see its population
double in the next half-century will
require long term planning and
leadership:
• Leadership that understands
that the gentrification of Portland’s
intercity neighborhoods has forced
communities of color and the work-
ing poor into the only affordable
housing that is left — east of 82nd
Avenue, far from services and jobs;
• Leadership that understands
that a middle class job is the answer
to the low-income housing shortage
and the path to a quality education
system;
• Leadership that knows a job
decreases the crime rate, and in-
creases revenue for the state and
city.
We cannot answer Portland’s,
Oregon’s or this country’s problems
until we increase employment, and
grow high-wage jobs.
Portland’s lack of leadership was
never as apparent as in its recent in-
ability to find reasonable solutions
to the development of West Hayden
Island after years of work. For
decades this area has been identified
as industrial land earmarked for
Port expansion. It is the only site
that the Port of Portland can de-
velop as a new deep-water facility.
The construction of the facility
would employ hundreds, perhaps
thousands, of workers, while the fa-
cility would employ 400 longshore-
men and others, not to mention jobs
created for truckers, railroad work-
ers, and service sector workers.
The expansion of the Port would
not only add jobs but give farmers
and manufacturers access to a port
that keeps up with their expanding
needs.
A good job is the real key to liv-
ability. Portland lacks the leadership
to continue our race to be the most
livable city in the country.
Yes, we have great parks, lo-
cally-made streetcars, and a won-
derful view of mountains and rivers
and of the city itself. But without
long-term planning for the creation
of middle-class jobs, we are creat-
ing a city where working people
have poverty with a view.
That just doesn’t work for our
side.
Tom Chamberlain is president of
the Oregon AFL-CIO.
OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Wash-
ington State Labor Council is calling
on lawmakers to step up to the plate
and pass pro-worker legislation In the
2014 session of the Washington Legis-
lature.
There’s no significant budget
crunch this year, so fewer defensive
fights are anticipated during the short,
90-day session that opened Jan. 13. In-
stead, the state labor federation is pro-
moting what it’s calling a “Shared
Prosperity Agenda to Rebuild the Mid-
dle Class,” a proactive list of policies
to advance the interests of working
people in the Evergreen State.
Some of the many proposals WSLC
has on the list:
• Passing a uniform statewide paid
sick leave standard, taking as a starting
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A UTOMOTIVE
H OUSING
Randy Carmony elected to top post at
Elevator Constructors Local 23 in run-off
agreement runs through July
Randy Carmony has
8, 2017.
been elected business repre-
Local 23 represents 215
sentative of Portland-based
members with jurisdiction in
Elevator Constructors Local
all of Oregon plus six south-
23. He defeated Dave
west Washington counties.
Tremain in a run-off elec-
Carmony 49, got his start
tion. Ballots were counted
in the trade in 1982 as an ap-
Jan. 9.
prentice in Seattle Local 19.
Carmony, who previ-
A native of Sandy, Oregon,
ously served as president of
RANDY
he returned to the state and
Local 23, succeeds Mike Bo-
dendorfer, who retired. (See CARMONY joined Elevator Constructors
Local 23 in 1986.
NW Labor Press ‘Runoff for
He has served Local 23 as a trustee,
top officer at Elevator Constructors,’
Dec. 20, 2013.) Tremain left his post on the Executive Board, and as presi-
as vice presient of the local to run for dent.
“I’m one of those people who does-
business manager.
Elevator construction is a special- n’t like to sit back and complain. I’m
ized trade building and maintaining el- willing to step in and try to be a part of
evators, escalators, moving walkways, the solution,” Carmony said.
Outside of the union Carmony
and dumbwaiters. Local 23 members
work under a nationwide labor agree- serves as chair of the Oregon Trail
ment with the National Elevator Indus- School Board. He has been on the
try, Inc. employer group. The master school board for seven years.
PAGE 6
“Four generations of my family
have gone through Sandy. The school
district, like my union, have done so
much for me and my family. It’s time
to return the favor and give something
back.”
Carmony said the local is in good
shape and th work is strong.
“I look forward to a productive
year,” he said.
Carmony was installed into office
on Jan. 9, along with other officers.
Business representative, a full-time
paid position, was the only contested
race in the officer elections held Dec.
9.
Also sworn in on Jan 9 were: pres-
ident, Dan Coyle; vice president, Scott
Augst; treasurer, Bob Pyne; recording
secretary, Dan Garrett; warden, Gene
Stratton; correspondent, Dan Coyle;
Executive Board members Lance Mar-
tin and Lonnie Mathews; and trustee,
Les Johns.
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
point the sick leave ordinance Seattle
passed in 2012.
• Raising the minimum wage to a
“living wage” of $15 an hour within
three years.
• Allow courts to triple damages for
wage theft.
• Passing a comprehensive trans-
portation funding package to reduce
traffic congestion and create jobs;
• Giving state employees a long-
overdue cost-of-living increase.
Though the Senate is still in Repub-
lican hands thanks to the 2012 defec-
tion of two Democrats, the House is
led by Democrats, and WSLC wants to
see on-the-record votes so that union
members can see who’s with and
who’s against working people.
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