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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 5, 2014)
Official Notices Eugene area members meet 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8, at Best Western Grand Manor Inn, 971 Kruse Way, Springfield. Salem area members meet 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, at Candalaria Terrace, Suite 204, 2659 Commercial St. SE, Salem. B AKERY , C ONFECTIONERY , T OBACCO W ORKERS AND G RAIN M ILLERS 114 Executive Board meets 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10. Members meet 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11. Meetings are at 11145 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland. Executive Board meets 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, in the meeting room at 7931 NE Halsey, Suite 205, Portland. C EMENT M ASONS 555 Members meet 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, at 12812 NE Marx St., Portland. C ENTRAL O REGON L ABOR C OUNCIL Delegates meet 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 29, at the Social Justice Center, 155 NE Irving Ave., Bend. C OLUMBIA -P ACIFIC B UILDING T RADES Delegates meet 10 a.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 9 and Sept. 16, at Kirkland Union Manor II, 3535 SE 86th, Port- land. E LECTRICAL W ORKERS 48 Electrical Workers Minority Caucus meets 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, in the Executive Boardroom. Residential Unit meets 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, in the Executive Boardroom. Wasco Unit meets 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, at Northern Wasco County PUD, 2345 River Road, The Dalles. Sound and Communication Unit meets 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, in the Meeting Hall. Washington Unit Meeting meets at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, at the Longview Hall, 1145 Com- merce Ave, Longview, WA 98632. Bylaws Committee meets 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, in the Executive Boardroom. Executive Board Meeting meets 6:30 p.m. Wednes- day, Sept. 17, in the Executive Boardroom. Meetings are at 15937 NE Airport Way, Portland, unless otherwise noted. DEATH ASSESSMENTS: No. 2401, Maynard J. Johnson; No. 2402, Robert L. McCoy; No. 2403, Archie D. Smith; and No. 2404, Daniel Dwyer. The Sept. 2014 assessment is $1.50. E LEVATOR C ONSTRUCTORS 23 Members meet 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, preceded by 5 p.m. Executive Board meeting, at 12779 NE Whitaker Way, Portland. F IRE F IGHTERS 452 Members meet 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 2807 NW Fruit Valley Rd., Vancouver. F IRE F IGHTERS 1660 Members meet 8 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, at 4411 SW Sunset Dr., Lake Oswego. G LASS W ORKERS 740 I NSULATORS 36 I RON W ORKERS 29 Members meet 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 2, preceded by a 5:30 p.m. Executive Board meeting, at 11620 NE Ainsworth Cir., #200, Portland. I RON W ORKERS S HOPMEN 516 Executive Board meets 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11. Members meet 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25. Meetings are at 11620 NE Ainsworth Circle, Port- land, OR. L ABORERS 320 Members meet 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, at Joe Edgar Hall, Teamsters’ Complex, 1850 NE 162nd Ave., Portland. L ABORERS /V ANCOUVER 335 Members meet 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8, preceded by a 6:15 p.m. Executive Board meeting, at the Van- couver Labor Center, 2212 NE Andresen Rd., Vanc., Wash. PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE. Members meet 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, preceded by a 6:15 p.m. Executive Board meeting, at the Van- couver Labor Center, 2212 NE Andresen Rd., Vanc. L ABORERS 483 M UNICIPAL E MPLOYEES Members meet 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, at the Musicians Hall, 325 NE 20th Ave., Portland. L ANE C OUNTY L ABOR C OUNCIL M ARION -P OLK -Y AMHILL L ABOR C OUNCIL Executive Board meets 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, followed by a 7 p.m. General Meeting at 1400 Tan- dem, Salem. M ETAL T RADES C OUNCIL Executive Board meets 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 11. Delegates meet 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23. Meetings are at the IBEW Local 48 Hall, 15937 NE Airport Way, Portland. M ID -C OLUMBIA L ABOR C OUNCIL Delegates meet 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 3313 W. 2nd, The Dalles. M OLDERS 139B Members meet 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, pre- ceded by a 6 p.m. Executive Board meeting at the Car- penters Hall, 2205 N. Lombard, Portland. N ORTHWEST O REGON L ABOR C OUNCIL Delegates meet 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22, at IBEW Local 48 Hall, 15937 NE Airport Way, Portland. O FFICE AND P ROFESSIONAL E MPLOYEES L OCAL 11 Members meet 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the Lo- cal Union Office, 3815 Columbia St., Vancouver. P AINTERS & D RYWALL F INISHERS 10 Members meet 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 11105 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland. Website: www.iu- patlocal10.org P ORTLAND C ITY & M ETROPOLITAN E MPLOYEES 189 Delegates meet 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 1116 South A St., Springfield. Executive Board meets 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9. General membership meets 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23. Meetings are at 6025 E Burnside, Portland. L ANE , C OOS , C URRY & D OUGLAS B UILDING T RADES R OOFERS & W ATERPROOFERS 49 Delegates meet at noon Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the Springfield Training Center, 2861 Pierce Parkway, Springfield. L INN -B ENTON -L INCOLN L ABOR C OUNCIL Delegates meet 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, pre- ceded by a 6:30 p.m. Executive Board meeting, at 1400 Salem Ave., Albany. L INOLEUM L AYERS 1236 Portland area members meet 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at 11105 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland. Members meet 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11. Executive Board meets 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2. Meetings are at 5032 SE 26th Ave., Portland. (503 232-4807) S ALEM BCTC Delegates meet 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at the IBEW 280 Training Center, 33309 Hwy 99E, Tangent. S HEET M ETAL W ORKERS 16 Portland members meet 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the Sheet Metal Training Center, 2379 NE 178th Ave., Portland. Medford area members meet 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, at Wild River Pizza, 2684 N. Pacific Hwy., Medford. Eugene area members meet 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, at the Local 16 Hall, 1887 Laura St., Springfield. Coos Bay area members meet 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, Abby’s Pizza, 997 First St., Coos Bay. Women of Sheet Metal Workers Local 16 (WOSM) meet 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, at Beaulahland, 118 NE 28th Ave., Portland. Children are welcome. Portland area VOC meets 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the Sheet Metal Training Center, 2379 NE 178th Ave., Portland. S IGN P AINTERS & P AINT M AKERS 1094 Members meet 3:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, in the District Office, at 11105 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland. S OUTHEASTERN O REGON L ABOR C OUNCIL Delegates meet 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, at the Woodworkers Hall, 3836 Altamont Drive, Klamath Falls. S OUTHERN O REGON C ENTRAL L ABOR C OUNCIL Delegates meet 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the La- bor Temple, 4480 Rogue Valley Hwy. #3, Central Point. S OUTHWEST W ASHINGTON L ABOR C OUNCIL Delegates meet 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, preceded by an Executive Board meeting, at the Laborers hall, 2212 NE Andresen Rd., Vancouver, WA. U NITED A SSOCIATION 290 Portland area members meet 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, at 20210 SW Teton Ave., Tualatin. The fol- lowing locations will be able to participate remotely in the Regular Business Meeting at 7:30 on the 3rd Fri- day of every month: Bend, Eugene/Springfield, Eu- reka, Medford, and Salem. Astoria area members meet 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at the Astoria Labor Temple, 926 Duane, Astoria. Brookings area members meet 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23. Please contact Craig Spjut at 707-496-1767 for location information. Coos Bay area members meet 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, at the Coos Bay Training Center, 2nd & Kruse, Coos Bay. Klamath Falls area members meet 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 4816 S 6th St., Klamath Falls. The Dalles area members meet 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, at the United Steelworkers Local 9170 Union Hall, The Dalles. Retiree Meeting Notices A LLIANCE FOR R ETIRED A MERICANS O REGON C HAPTER Executive Board meets 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, followed by an 11 a.m. General membership meet- ing at 3645 SE 32nd, Portland. E LECTRICAL W ORKERS 48 Retirees, wives and friends meet 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, at Kings Omelets, 10711 NE Weidler, Port- land. For reservations and more in- formation, please contact Glenn Hodgkinson at 503-656-0028. E LEVATOR C ONSTRUCTORS 23 Retirees meet 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept 10, at Home Town Buffet, 10542 SE Washing- ton St., Portland. I NSULATORS 36 Retirees meet for breakfast 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Dockside Restaurant, 2047 NW Front Ave., Portland. I RON W ORKERS 29 Retirees meet at noon Wednes- day, Sept. 10 at 11620 NE Ainsworth Circle, Portland for a catered lunch. O REGON AFSCME Retirees meet 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, at the AFSCME office, 6025 E. Burnside, Portland. Call Michael Arken for information at 1- 800-521-5954, ext. 226. S HEET M ETAL 16 Retirees meet 11:30 a.m. Thurs- day, Sept. 11, at Izzy’s Pizza, 1307 NE 102nd, Portland. U NITED A SSOCIATION 290 Retirees meet 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, at 20210 SW Teton Ave., Tualatin. Siemens medical equipment workers unionize with IBEW #48 Twenty skilled medical equipment engineers in the Pacific North- west won union representation Aug. 28 — after a union campaign that got help from as far away as Boston, New York, and Germany. The campaign began when International Brotherhood of Elec- trical Workers (IBEW) Local 48 got a phone call in May from a “customer service engineer” at Siemens Medical Services USA. That’s the division of the massive German electronics conglomerate Siemens that maintains and repairs company-made medical imaging equipment like MRIs and cat scans. Local 48 organizer Ray Lister says the worker had done his homework before the call. He knew everybody’s name in his work group, knew what it would take to win a union, and knew which union to call: IBEW represents workers in the same occupation in Boston and New York. In this case, the work group consisted of 20 customer service en- gineers spread out over Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. They work out of their homes servicing contracts with health care providers, and they meet infrequently. Lister said nearly all the workers have been there more than a decade; they are fiercely loyal to the company, care a lot about their customers, and all make decent money. But they were also sick of PAGE 6 several things, Lister said: overwork, arbitrary pay and promotions, occasional disrespect from management, and no say over changes — like the company’s decision to freeze their defined benefit re- tirement plan. IBEW assigned international staff to meet with workers in the four states, and set up conference calls with their IBEW-represented co-workers at Local 2222 in Boston and Local 3 in New York. A majority of workers signed union authorization cards, and on July 8 they petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to sched- ule a union election. But the company immediately filed a challenge to the proposed bargaining unit definition — a standard anti-union maneuver designed to delay the election. “In a union election campaign, time is an employer’s best friend,” Lister said. “It gives them more opportunities for captive audience meetings, and more time to spread fear.” But IBEW had an ally in IG Metall, the massive German indus- trial union. Under German law, workers have a seat at the table in large companies, and exercise sway with company works councils. Siemens had signed an international framework saying it would re- spect workers rights to unionize, and wouldn’t attempt to bust union efforts. A union representative on the negotiation committee of the NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS Siemens Central Works Council complained that the company’s le- gal maneuver against Local 48 violated that framework. A day later, the company withdrew its objections, and the election was sched- uled for Aug. 27-28. The result: 13 to 6 in favor of joining IBEW Local 48. “These guys were committed to their job, and to each other,” Lis- ter said. Lister said a few people were persuaded by management appeals during conference calls. “I call it the, ‘baby, please don’t go’ defense,” Lister said. “The company says, “Give us another chance. Siemens will get better.” Lister said he thinks other workers were swayed by fear tactics, or were just uncomfortable with change. Nonetheless, 13-6 is more than two to one. It’s a mandate, and the company is legally required to bargain in good faith toward a collective bargaining agreement setting out terms and conditions of work. Lister said the Siemens workers in this case hope to get more predictable pay, greater clarity on the steps to promotion, and a com- mitment by the company to hire more workers to address com- plaints of overwork and difficulty taking time off. SEPTEMBER 5, 2014
