...Unions split in race for
Multnomah County chair
(From Page 4
don’t pay living wages. Francesconi
disavowed those promises when
Willamette Week asked about them,
but later called the newspaper back to
say he would stand by them.
“It’s not what you promise, it’s what
you do,” Kafoury says in her television
ad. Kafoury has a jobs plan, too, but it
starts with the County doing its job, for
example helping homeless families get
permanent housing. Kafoury wants the
County to prioritize homeless services.
She wants to achieve greater efficiency
by reducing the County’s manager-to-
staff ratio.
Francesconi is endorsed by Operat-
ing Engineers Local 701 and Pacific
Northwest Regional Council of Car-
penters (though Carpenters Local 156,
which is part of the regional council, is
endorsing Kafoury). He also has the
endorsement of Carpenters Local 146,
which represents exterior/interior spe-
cialists, Portland Association of Teach-
ers, and SEIU Locals 49 and 503. And,
significantly, Francesconi has the en-
dorsement of AFSCME Local 88,
which represents County employees.
Local 88’s endorsement decision
was made by members following a
PAGE 6
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
candidates forum, after its political
committee split down the middle over
who to endorse. As of late April,
Francesconi’s campaign had raised
$225,000, including $10,000 from AF-
SCME and $5,000 from the Regional
Council of Carpenters. He also has sig-
nificant support from minority contrac-
tors.
Kafoury, meanwhile, has the en-
dorsement of the Northwest Oregon
Labor Council; Columbia Pacific
Building and Construction Trades
Council; Communications Workers of
America Local 7901; IBEW Local 48;
International Longshore and Ware-
house Union; Iron Workers Local 29;
Oregon Nurses Association; Plumbers
and Steamfitters Local 290; United
Food and Commercial Workers Local
555; and the Oregon Working Families
Party, a union-backed third party.
Her campaign has raised close to
$350,000 so far, including $5,000 con-
tributions from Oregon Nurses Associ-
ation and United Food & Commercial
Workers Local 555 and $3,000 from
IBEW Local 48.
County Chair is a non-partisan race.
Ballots were mailed April 30 and are
due May 20.
MAY 2, 2014