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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 19, 2014)
New program offers scholarships for kids of workers killed, injured on job Kids’ Chance of Oregon, a new nonprofit that provides post-secondary and trade school scholarships to chil- dren of Oregon workers who have been severely or fatally injured in a workplace accident, handed out its first scholarships Sept. 4 in the downtown Portland offices of Hoffman Construc- tion. The scholarship recipients are Erin Fisher and twins Kayla and Randi Johnston. Kids’ Chance is a national organi- zation founded in 1988 by Robert Cly- att, a workers’ compensation attorney from Georgia. Clyatt saw first-hand the devastating impact that severe work- place injuries had on children and their families. With the assistance of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Georgia Bar, Clyatt incorporated Kids’ Chance of Georgia and started educa- tional scholarship fund raising for the children of injured Georgia workers. The Georgia Kids’ Chance started reaching out to other states and sup- ported them in establishing their own chapters. Over 25 states have organ- ized Kids’ Chance programs. Oregon is the most recent, having received its non-profit charter in July. Bob Tackett, executive secretary- treasurer of the Northwest Oregon La- bor Council, and Bob Shiprack, a re- tired executive secretary of the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council, serve as members of the Kids’ Chance of Oregon Founders Board. Also on the 12-member board are Nelson Hall, a labor attorney at Bennett, Hartman, Morris & Kaplan, and Jennifer Flood, State of Oregon ombudsmen for injured workers. Shiprack, who serves as vice pres- ident, said he hopes Oregon labor unions will help raise funds for future scholarships. Fisher, whose father was paralyzed in a workplace accident, attends Port- land State University and plans to pur- sue a master’s degree in speech-lan- guage pathology, specializing in swallowing disorders. She received a $1,500 scholarship. Kayla Johnston will study dental hygiene at Lower Columbia College and plans to finish at Clark College. Randi Johnston will study social work and education. Both are graduates of St. Helens High School. They were five when their father was killed in a workplace accident. They each re- ceived $1,245 scholarships. For more information about Kids’ Chance of Oregon, call Linda Barno, president, at 503-323-2812 or email her at info@kidschanceoforegon.com. Union members nominated to state boards, commissions Erin Fisher (left) and twins Kayla and Randi Johnston display scholarship awards from Kids’ Chance of Oregon, a new nonprofit that provides post- high school scholarships to children whose parent was killed or seriously disabled in an on-the-job accident. Unions join women’s groups in new statewide campaign Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Oregon Education Asso- ciation are teaming up with Planned Parenthood, Mother PAC, Family Forward, and Oregon Action for a new campaign known as Fair Shot Oregon, which will push for state laws that support working women and families. That could include laws to raise the minimum wage, guarantee that all workers have paid sick days, ensure that women get equal pay for equal work, and set up a state-sponsored low-fee retirement savings plan that all Oregon workers could choose to take part in. The campaign launched Sept. 16 with press events in four Oregon cities, a cam- paign web site (fairshotoregon.org) and an online video known as “19th Century Man” that spoofs outdated workplace policies. SALEM — Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber this month nominated 127 individuals to serve on state boards and commissions, including nine unionists and at least one union-signatory con- tractor. The Oregon Senate scheduled a confirmation vote on the appointees for Sept. 17, after this issue went to press. The union member nominees are: Oregon State Building and Con- struction Trades Executive Secretary John Mohlis, for the Energy Facility Siting Council; Oregon AFSCME staff representa- tive Jaime Sorenson, for the Educators Benefit Board; Laborers Local 296 Apprentice Co- ordinator Aida Aranda, for Workers’ Compensation Management-Labor Advisory Committee (MLAC); Plumbers and Fitters Local 290 member Blake Alexander, for Boiler Rules Board; American Federation of Teachers member Rondall Brown and Service Employees Internation Union (SEIU) Local 503 member Patricia Todd, for the Board of Eastern Oregon Univer- sity; SEIU Local 503 member Joanna Steinman, for the Board of Southern Oregon University; SEIU Local 503 member Dana Henry, for the Board of Oregon Insti- tute of Technology; and American Federation of Teachers member Cornelia Paraskevas, for the Board of Western Oregon University. Also nominated was Maurice Rah- ming, owner of IBEW Local 48-signa- tory O’Neill Electric, for the Board of Directors of State Accident Insurance Fund Corporation (SAIF). Construction unions to showcase training programs Portland area union construction ap- prenticeship training centers and other affiliated groups have teamed up with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and In- dustries to put on an eight-hour work- shop that will provide math, science, and Career and Technical Education teachers — as well as guidance coun- selors, administrators, and workforce development professionals — with a greater understanding of union appren- ticeship programs. The workshop will be held Friday, Oct.10, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the NECA-IBEW Training Center, 16021 NE Airport Way, Portland. Apprenticeships are often over- looked as a promising post-secondary option. Many advisers and parents are unaware that most apprentices com- plete their training debt-free, while earning living wages, health insurance, and contributing to a pension plan. To register or learn more about the workshop, contact Bridget Quinn at bquinn@nietc.org. SEPTEMBER 19, 2014 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS PAGE 9
