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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (April 4, 2014)
Postal unions form alliance IAM’s Guide Dog program breaks ground on new education center SYLMAR, Calif. — International Association of Machinist-founded Guide Dogs of America (GDA) will break ground April 13 on a new 15,900-square-foot indoor/outdoor ed- ucation and visitor center at its 7.5-acre campus in northeast San Fernando Val- ley. The nonprofit charitable organiza- tion has been providing professionally- trained guide dogs to visually-impaired individuals since 1982. GDA services are provided at no charge, and the or- ganization receives no funding from government agencies. All donations come from individuals, businesses, foundations, clubs, and organizations as well as through wills and bequests. Much of the funding is raised at Machinist Union-related events throughout the country. For example, Gladstone, Oregon-based Machinists District W24 hosts an annual golf tour- nament, motorcycle “poker run,” and salmon fishing derby to raise money for GDA. “It’s through the continued generos- ity of supporters such as this and all the other donations that Guide Dogs of America receives, that we continue to provide the best benefit to those in need,” said Bob Petroff, assistant di- recting business representative of IAM District W24 and a member of the GDA board of directors. The cost to produce a qualified guide dog companion, train the guide dog and recipient as a team, and pro- vide the follow-up services that ensure safety and effectiveness throughout the team’s working life, is $42,000. Guide Dogs of America breeds its own spe- cially selected Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and German Shep- herds. Last year, 54 guide dog teams grad- uated from the school. It has graduated more than 3,200 Gradine Storms, Principal Broker Member of CWA Local 7901 7886 SE 13th, Portland, OR•Cell/Text 503-784-8326 gstorms@equitygroup.com Linkedin/GradyStorms Machinists Lodge 63 and IAM District W24 sponsor the Guide Dog Dash each year to help raise money for Guide Dogs of America. guide dog teams since its inception. The new education center will be named the Phil and Macki Singer Visi- tor and Education Center. The Singers have supported Guide Dogs of Amer- ica since 1994. When Phil passed away in 2004, a significant gift was dedicated to the school, which allowed for con- struction of the center. To learn more, call 818-362-5834 or go on line at www.guidedogsofamer- ica.org. Declaring that “the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is under unprece- dented attack,” the presidents of the na- tion’s four postal unions have formed a historic alliance to fight back. The Postal Union Alliance commits the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, and the National Rural Letter Carriers Associa- tion to work together to protect service and oppose the subcontracting of work and privatization of services. It also vows to expand service to include basic banking, notary, check-cashing and other services. The four union presidents — Mark Dimondstein of APWU, Fredric Rolando of NALC, John Hegarty of the Mail Handlers Union; and Jeanette Dwyer of the Rural Letter Carriers each signed a proclamation that reads in part: “A congressionally-manufactured financial crisis drains the USPS of vital resources. Six-day delivery is under constant threat of elimination. The re- duction of service standards and the elimination of half of the nation’s mail processing centers has slowed service and wiped out tens of thousands of good jobs. Post offices in cities and small towns are being sold or closed or having their hours cut back. “Our efforts will benefit all postal employees and the people of this coun- try who expect and deserve a vibrant, public Postal Service for generations to come. “Corporate privatizers seek to gain control over larger segments of postal operations — and to get their hands on the Postal Service’s $65 billion of an- nual revenue. The postmaster general’s policies of subcontracting and degrad- ing service are fueling the privatization drive,” the proclamation declares. Union vote scheduled for Portland park rangers This month, park rangers at the City of Portland will finally get what they asked for over a year ago: The right to join the union of their choice. On March 29, 2013, a majority of the 15 park rangers asked Mayor Char- lie Hales to recognize their choice to join Laborers Local 483. Instead, the City Attorney’s office filed a hodge- podge of legal objections with the state Employment Relations Board. The City lost, appealed, lost again, and was or- dered to get on with it. Now mail ballots will go out April 21. They’re due back May 5, and will be tallied May 6 at 10 a.m. If the ma- jority vote “Union Yes,” they’ll become members of 900-member Local 483, which is part of the seven-union coali- tion known as the District Council of Trade Unions. Your Local Union Dentist! Convenient locations throughout Washington and Oregon • ORTHODONTICS! For union members and their families receive 25% off Orthodontic or Invisalign services (not available at all locations). • NO INSURANCE/RETIRED? Receive 35% off for most dental procedures (25% off most specialties). • TIRED OF CORPORATE DENTISTRY? Come and try one of our quality and independently-owned locations! Over 50 locations to serve you in Oregon & Washington! Oregon and SW Washington Beaverton - 503.641.4207 Chehalis - 360.996.4075 NEW! Clackamas - 503.905.3380 Gresham - 503.253.4979 Longview - 360.578.9999 APRIL 4, 2014 NEW! NE Portland - 503.254.0888 NEW! Downtown Portland - 503.224.0133 Salem - 503.391.8920 Salmon Creek - 360.718.2355 NEW! Tigard - 503.906.8600 Western Washington Arlington - 360.658.3131 Auburn - 253.333.9500 Bellevue - 425.450.9500 Bellingham - 360.734.1999 Bonney Lake - 253.862.1015 Bothell - 425.806.0077 Carnation - 425.333.4101 Everett - 425.513.2000 Federal Way - 253.838.3232 Issaquah - 425.391.7645 Kent - 253.856.3384 Lakewood - 253.581.2888 Lynnwood - 425.744.1022 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS Maple Valley - 425.432.4131 Marysville - 360.651.1882 Monroe - 360.794.0717 Mount Vernon - 360.848.6777 Olympia - 360.866.7669 Poulsbo - 360.697.2777 Puyallup - 253.770.4342 Renton - 425.430.2029 Redmond - 206.953.5850 SeaTac - 206.243.7788 Seattle - 206.623.2666 Sequim - 360.797.1100 Shoreline - 206.542.4444 NEW! Silverdale - 360.915.5977 Snohomish - 425-374.8451 Tacoma - 253.759.9291 Tukwila - 425.291.9555 Eastern Washington Ellensburg - 509.790.0080 Kennewick - 509.737.8555 Pasco - 509.542.9981 Spokane - 509.536.9999 Spokane (North) - 509.468.0866 Spokane Valley - 509.924.0055 Wenatchee - 509.886.0500 Yakima - 509.457.5050 PAGE 7
