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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 2014)
In solidarity — Labor, business to raise funds to knock out cancer Organized labor and several busi- ness associations have come together in solidarity to help raise money to sup- port Oregon Health & Science Univer- sity’s (OHSU) plan to make its Knight Cancer Institute one of the top cancer research centers in the country. Last September, Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife, Penny, pledged $500 million for cancer re- search if OHSU raised an equal amount by February 2016. To date, the Knight Cancer Chal- lenge has raised $431,481,272, which includes $200 million in bonds ap- proved by the Oregon Legislature to construct research facilities. That’s just under $70 million shy of the goal. At a press conference Sept. 23 at OHSU’s Collaborative Life Sciences Building, seven labor and business groups announced formation of the “United for the Knight” coalition. Leaders have pledged to reach out to their memberships to encourage them to donate to the fundraising drive. “Business and labor have their dif- ferences from time to time, but on this issue we thought it was important to come together collectively to make sure this match is met as it comes down the home stretch,” said John Mohlis, exec- utive secretary of the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council, and co-chair of the coalition. The other co-chair is Brian Gard, presi- dent of Gard Communications and past chair of Oregon Business Association. Also joining the coalition are the Oregon AFL-CIO, AFSCME Council 75, Associated Oregon Industries, the Portland Business Alliance, and Ore- gon Business Council. Ken Allen, executive director of Oregon AFSCME, serves on the OHSU Board of Directors and was in- strumental in creating the Unite for the Knight coalition. “In the fight against cancer, we’re all on the same side,” OHSU President Joe Robertson said. “With this group’s sup- port, we will continue moving closer to our goal of ending cancer as we know it.” Over the next year, labor and busi- ness organizations will encourage broad participation among their mem- bers and the larger community in a friendly competition of who can turn out the most people. A dollar amount wasn’t set, but their motto basically is that 1,000 contributions at $100 each are just as valuable as 100 contributions of $1,000. Mohlis said in addition to rank and file members, the Building Trades Council also will reach out to its signa- tory contractor associations, trust fund professionals, and third party adminis- John Mohlis (at podium), executive secretary of the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council, joins leaders from labor and business associations at a press conference Sept. 23 in the atrium of the OHSU Collaborative Life Sciences Building in Southwest Portland to announce formation of the Business & Labor United for the Knight coalition. OHSU is undertaking an unprecedented $1 billion campaign to find smarter, faster ways to detect cancer earlier when the disease is most curable. Nike co-founder Phil Knight pledged to donate $500 million if OHSU can raise $500 million in gifts and pledges in two years. trators. “This is the right thing to do for the Cancer Challenge,” Mohlis said. “We feel this will open the door for future opportunities for business and labor to collaborate on other issues. To donate, go to the campaign web- site at www.unitefortheknight.org. An investment of this magnitude will serve as a catalyst for economic activity in the form of immediate jobs, as well as long- term industry growth. Preliminary analysis by ECONorthwest estimates that a $1.2 billion capital and operations investment in the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute will generate: During the two-year construction phase: • $892 million in total economic output • 6,835 full-time jobs for one year • $35.3 million in tax revenue Ongoing annual impact once fully operational: • $134 million in total economic output • 860 total jobs • $5.6 million in tax revenue P ROUDLY S ERVING P ORTLAND W ORKERS F OR O VER 32 Y EARS OCTOBER 3, 2014 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS PAGE 5
